OUR MISSION
My mission is simple: give a second life to high-performance materials that would otherwise be burned in landfills, kitesurf and windsurf sails, by transforming them into durable, stylish accessories and outerwear.
Born between the ocean and the city, UPWIND is my way of connecting adventure and sustainability. Every piece I make proves that performance and purpose can go hand in hand.
BROKEN KITE
In September 2023, I was living in the beautiful lagoon of Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka, on a prolonged kitesurfing trip that would change everything.
My equipment broke constantly, and that's how I met Nishanta, the owner of the local kite repair shop, who always had a solution.
NISHANTA'S WORKSHOP
After a while, Nishanta told me my kite was too old to repair, it needed replacing. I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. It had too many memories.
So I started thinking: what if I transformed it into something new?
Bags felt too small, they didn't do justice to the beautiful graphics on the sail.
So I decided to try making a jacket.
FIRST PROTOTYPE
I rushed to Ferroshkan, a local tailor, to bring the idea to life. It was far from perfect, rough and raw, but it carried something real.
My friends loved it. The idea of bringing forgotten materials back to life resonated immediately.
So I moved to Colombo to work with a more experienced tailor and refine the prototype.
DESIGN STUDIO IN PARIS
In January 2024, I came back to France with one goal: make the best jacket possible. I partnered with a Parisian design studio to develop proper sewing patterns across multiple sizes, turning a rough prototype into a product I was proud to sell.
This collaboration lead to the development of sewing patterns for multiple jacket sizes.
FIRST OFFICIAL SHOWCASE
In April 2024, I was invited to present UPWIND at an event in Paris bringing together artists and designers.
That night, a designer from Hermès tried on the jacket, and became my first client.
CROWDFUNDING LAUNCH
In November 2024, after months of prototyping jackets, bags and caps from kitesurfing and windsurfing sails, I launched a crowdfunding campaign. 150+ customers backed it, giving me the foundation to start production with our partner factories in Sri Lanka.
UPWIND LOGO EXPLAINED
The wind — powerful yet invisible — is at the heart of everything we do. It drives our kites, shapes the waves, and inspires the freedom we feel on the water. Our logo captures this constant movement, a symbol of energy and limitless possibilities.
Corals, the flowers of the ocean, reflect nature’s fragile beauty. They build the underwater landscapes that give birth to the waves we love, reminding us of the balance that sustains our planet.
By blending the wind and coral into our flower, we celebrate the harmony between strength and fragility — a reminder to respect and preserve the forces that shape our world.