An Elevated Experience
Jamie Lundy, CEO and Creative Director of Seven Layer, oversees every decision in his luxury-performance brand, dedicated to crafting high-quality, functional products. Rather than making decisions from a detached office focused solely on revenue, Lundy is hands-on with every aspect—from concept and design to fabric selection, Instagram, and photography, working around twenty hours daily on his project. Tomorrow at 8 pm, they will release their latest drop for Spring/Summer 2024, the Kuro System.
Since transforming his brand into a real business in 2020 amid the global pandemic, Lundy has faced numerous professional and personal challenges. He has consistently strived to stay connected with his audience, understanding their needs and responding through 7L. “The new Kuro System is more fashionable, focused, and directional,” Lundy shares in the interview below.
Specializing in high-quality, well-designed, sustainable fashion pieces that integrate technical fabrics, Seven Layer is now experimenting with drop formats as part of its growth. “It has attracted new customers, but most existing ones prefer everything at once,” says Lundy, an engineer by trade who has learned much about himself over the years.
Interview with Jamie Lundy
Hello Jamie, welcome to METAL! How have the last few weeks been with the launch of your new Spring/Summer 2024 collection, Kuro System? Have you been feeling particularly stressed or anxious?
I’m always stressed and anxious… (laughs). It’s part of being a brand owner.
Releasing a project you’ve worked on for a long time must bring feelings of happiness, pride, and relief, doesn’t it?
I tend to feel those emotions mainly in our 7L store, experiencing the energy from our customers firsthand. It’s crucial to understand if your designs work. I love seeing customers’ reactions and their faces light up in the mirror when they try on a piece for the first time. At 7L, we aim to ensure that trying on a 7L piece is an elevated experience, a direct connection from the brand, designer, and craftsman to the customer. If there’s no connection, I haven’t done my job properly.
I understand you do everything, from design to photography and the website.
Yes, I handle everything myself, from concept and design to fabric selection, manufacturing management, and all creative work, including Instagram and photography. It keeps me busy twenty hours a day, no joke! (Laughs).
7L, your luxury-performance brand dedicated to creating high-quality, functional products designed to move with you, was founded eight years ago. How has the fashion sector transformed since 2016?
To be honest, the brand only became a real business in 2020. In 2016, I was the sole investor, and in 2018, I took full control, purchasing the business idea, intellectual property, and logo. Between 2016 and 2024, much has changed in the world and for me personally, impacting the brand’s direction. Recently, we’ve made significant strides to reconnect with a younger audience, and the new Kuro System reflects this with its more fashionable, focused, and directional approach.
Did you always know you wanted to found your own fashion brand?
Absolutely not, haha! I’m an engineer by trade, working in the railway environment, with no time to be fashionable.
The brand specializes in functional all-weather products integrating vintage utility with modern materials. What are your main markets, and who is your target audience?
Yes, we specialize in all-weather products and high-quality, well-designed, sustainable fashion pieces fused with technical fabrics. Our target market is the lower end of the millennial population, allowing us to create slightly more expensive and elevated pieces, avoiding unethical, unsustainable fast fashion but staying under luxury brands like Prada and Gucci.
Kuro System, your latest release, marks a shift to luxury streetwear with a mature, refined palette. What prompted this change?
Since the brand’s inception, we’ve done brightly colored pieces, but after the pandemic, I opted for a more muted palette using browns, oranges, greys, and blacks, to help our audience blend in and create comfort and stability. Social media and AI are changing human interaction, and I feel vintage, classic pieces are making a comeback. Big logos may become more subtle over the next few years.
Why did you choose to unveil this collection through weekly drops instead of all at once?
This year, we tried something different. It’s attracted new customers, but existing ones prefer everything at once. As a growing brand, we’ll continue to experiment.
Can you tell us about the luxury basics and essentials included in this first drop?
The luxury basics include oversized, slightly cropped t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, joggers, and shorts, all made in Portugal from 100% luxury cotton. They’re stunning. I prefer oversized sweaters, so I go one size up. The black or brown are pure class.
What can you tell us about the upcoming drops?
There have been three drops so far, including cotton t-shirts, sweaters, shorts, and technical pieces like overshirts with Coolmax Technology. The final SS24 drop is this Thursday at 8 pm. We release Layers 1-4 in spring and summer and Layers 5-7 in autumn and winter, allowing customers to build their wardrobe year-round.
Fusing fashionable garments with technical fabrics must involve many tests and experiments. Tell us about the challenges in the creative and productive process of this collection.
My factories have gone mad with me over the past year (laughs), but they understand our position as a growing brand. I’m the only designer/garment technician, and the past five years have been a fast learning curve. I’m proud of what we’ve created and the global interest we’re generating.
If you had to define Seven Layer’s DNA in three words, what would they be?
Quality, resilient, and integral.
What role does sustainability play in your project’s identity?
We only use suppliers committed to ethical and sustainable practices, regularly audited by world-recognized organizations. We design and manufacture using recycled materials like reclaimed Japanese fishing nets and plastic bottles.
Do you think sustainability is becoming more important in the fashion industry? Are brands taking it seriously, or is it just a marketing tool?
I can’t speak for other brands, but at Seven Layer, sustainability and ethics have always been in our DNA. We use a high-quality, skilled supply chain, evident in our products. We make garments that last for years, requiring no marketing. We strive to get it right, and that matters.
Is there any artist or celebrity you would love to see wearing a Seven Layer garment?
Good question! Growing up in the 90s, inspired by the golden era of music, Oasis and LG love a good coat. Fashion-wise, it would have to be Pharrell.
