Slam blows out 40 candles and celebrates with an exhibition and a line of exclusive garments

Happy Birthday Slam! The historic Genoese nautical clothing brand that dresses sailors around the world blew out forty candles and celebrated this anniversary in an evening at Palazzo Ducale, the splendid setting chosen by Slam to mark such a significant milestone.

The Genoese brand also celebrated the 40th with an exhibition and a line of iconic garments (such as the regatta polo shirt, summer sailing jacket, hats, Bermuda shorts, and bags…) customized with the 40th logo.

THE EXHIBITION.
Slam’s 40th is celebrated with an exhibition dedicated to his city through the I am Genova project, a collective photo shoot open to the public, until Sunday, May 26, 2019 at Palazzo Ducale. Settimio Benedusi, one of Italy’s greatest portrait photographers, who immortalizes hundreds of Genoese to tell, through the particularities of their faces, the whole soul of the city. Many Genoese people in fact lent their faces to this collection of portraits, including Mayor Marco Bucci and some of Genoa’s Olympic sailing athletes.

THE STORY.
Slam’s history began in 1979 and is studded with successes, let’s go over the most significant ones: 1980 saw the birth of Mickey Bear, an innovative water-repellent fleece, a big step forward from the wool and cotton used until then. In 1984 it was the turn of Slam Jacket, a waterproof, indestructible and comfortable jacket derived from sailing oilskins that could also be used on land: it remained in production 21 years.

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In 1990 he dressed the Maxi Merit crew participating in the Whitbread (round-the-world stage race). 2007 was the year of the America’s Cup landing with the South Africans of Shosholoza; three years later came the triumph, with the victory of Oracle Team USA, crewed by Slam.

“We have always been very attached to Genoa, because we were born there but even more so because it is the city of the sea and of those who challenge it, as is in our DNA”-says Luca Becce, CEO of Slam-“that is why we decided to celebrate our birthday by putting people in the foreground instead of our collections/products. The faces of the Genoese were the protagonists of the I AM GENOVA project that involved the entire city.”

SLAM AND SAILING, AN INTERVIEW WITH FEDERICO REPETTO, SLAM MARKETING AND STRATEGY CONSULTANT

– What does it mean today for Slam to continue to have a strong connection with the city of Genoa despite the size of an international product?
Genoa is not only a large port but a whole city that lives on, of and for the sea. Breathing this reality has meant that Slam has grown with a strong anchorage to the values not only that Genoa has represented for hundreds of years but also to the evolution that living the sea on a daily basis means for the people who live here. Being international for Slam also means representing all this in the world. As do our athletes, some precisely Genovesi, who represent Italy on race courses around the world.

– Sportswear, casual, technical, how can we sum up Slam products today? What are the big “families” in your collection and what kind of audiences are they aimed at?

The technical area of Slam’s offerings remains the center of research and development; and the main investment goes there where we test the possible futures of sailing. From this family of products are then born declinations that allow, even those who do not go boating, to use products with technical materials created for those who must brave the elements at sea but that are also great for those who ride to the office or school. So on the one hand products for sailing professionals and amateurs and on the other their “urban” declination, always with care and passion for the product.

– How important is sailing within Slam products today?

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Sailing is everything for Slam: any product is born from the sea even the most “urban” ones precisely because, in our product development matrix, every evolution takes its start in the technical area.

– What is the flagship product of your apparel designed for the boating world?

Definitely the Win-d Racing oilskin in Toray’s 4-ways stretch fabric , the highest technical level for waterproof and breathability performance with the exceptional elasticity of the material allowing maximum movement and the Win-d Defence in Nilit Heat thermo-regulating fabric with a windproof front membrane , were developed with innovative materials and tested for two years before being brought to market.
www.slam.com