Transparent Brands | A talk With The Spaniard Javier Aparici

Javier Aparici is a 28-year-old man whose passion has been fashion since childhood. The fact of starting the university stage during a global economic crisis made Javier graduate in international business and law. After passing through different companies such as JPMorgan and Deloitte, he decided to leave his job and financial stability to work with what fascinates him in the world of fashion.

How did your brand become noticed by the audience?

The beginning of any project is never easy. There is a lot of adversity and little return on effort. The reference voices can help you spread your designs through their followers, and so the brand gradually establishes itself among the market. People initially come for your designs and then remain for your values.

“The most important thing is to make the customer fall in love, by conquering the planet”.  It is one of the statements we have heard you made about your mission with your brand. How does your brand do it? Which principles does the brand stand for?

For SOHUMAN, it is essential to work with a cause, otherwise, it makes no sense to us.  
Fashion is a beautiful world compared to that of art. Therefore, it is essential to go hand in hand with the planet, using recycled fabrics, short production, manufacturing in proximity to Europe, and supporting the work of our craftspeople.

"The main challenge that a transparent brand faces is never passing the barrier of the private life of the company's employees" - Javier declares. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPARENCY: SOHUMAN

Where are your clothes produced? What do you expect from the factories you work with in terms of ethical commitment?

Mainly between Spain and Italy. We look forward that they have an ethical and supportive commitment, offering good working conditions to their employees, guaranteeing equality between men and women, and their work processes are low in pollution.

From the Sohuman website, customers can see the costs of every part of the process of the garment they want to purchase, what goes into production, how much the workers are paid and how much you earn. Transparency is the new must. What are the biggest challenges you have met in being a transparent brand? 

The main challenge that a transparent brand faces is never passing the barrier of the private life of the company's employees. Spain is a great world leader, and with a fantastic population. Our country invests much in new projects that apply technology and transparency to their business processes.

Which role do your home country, Spain, and Spanish tradition play in your designs?

Spain influences me a lot when designing. The colors, the Mediterranean Sea, the happiness of the people. Everything is reflected in each of my collections, especially in the choice of colors.

How does your creative process develop when you are thinking of the next collection?

When I start to design a new collection, first, I am inspired by landscapes, the painting of said landscapes. Then I try to travel to those places, see their people, traditions. At that moment, I create a mood board and I design the looks.

You have been the first Spanish designer to have opened the London Fashion Week calendar. How did this make you feel? Did you ever imagine arriving at this point in your career life? How was the experience in LFW? 

Well, for me it is an honor and privilege to be the first Spaniard to have opened the London Fashion Week. Seeing how a world-renowned institution such as the British Fashion Council decides that SOHUMAN is the firm that should open the London Fashion Week… is something that I could have never imagined, and that makes me very happy. It is the result of the hard work and the effort of all these years. I come from Madrid city where it requires more struggle to make a place for yourself in the world of fashion. When they called me, I did not hesitate for a second to open the official calendar.

The experience at LFW is unique and unrepeatable. Media from all over the world, international buyers, and, most importantly, attendees treat fashion as a highly respected and admired profession. They help the designer better showcase his work. As of September 2022, we will return to LFW with our next collection.

"My muse is every woman who inspires me to design my collections, from my mother to my childhood friend."

SOHUMAN SOCIAL COMMITMENT

You started the label, by creating t-shirts with feminist slogans. Who is your muse? Why do you think is it important for a brand to convey also social causes messages?

That's right! My first designs were t-shirts with messages of female empowerment. In those days, nobody was claiming the role of women in society and defending their rights worldwide. As far as we are concerned, we have always been very loyal to our cause, and we have supported it since our beginnings.

My muse is every woman who inspires me to design my collections, from my mother to my childhood friend.

Where do you hope to see your brand in the future?

To be world leader in the manufacture of sustainable fashion.