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The sea is in fashion - Tarpon Magazine

The nautical style of clothing has been and remains among the most popular. It seems that in recent years, nautical classics have been one of the main trends in the summer collections of most fashion brands. T-shirts, moccasins, prints with anchors, seagulls and sailboats are the usual summer “props”, but for those who really engage in sailing or just go to sea, this is not enough, because they know a lot about good things.

It happens that in the hands of creative people, things that have served their purpose get a new, bright life. Let's take sails for example. It is difficult to imagine a more “marine” material than old sails: the wind, sea, and sun “worked” on them. The sails served faithfully, and although Dacron, Kevlar and carbon are strong and reliable, everything has its day. But even old and torn sails will find a use. You can make a lot of useful things out of them: sew a comfortable bag, pouch or case. The idea is not new and is well known in many countries where there are plenty of sailing ships and sailors. Craftsmen give old sails a second life. There is such a master in St. Petersburg.

Elena Bronskaya's studio appeared on the territory of the Hercules yacht port, on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, two years ago. The workshop windows overlook the sea. From here you can see the island of Verperluda and the stones that were once neighbors of the Thunder Stone, which now bears the figure of the Bronze Horseman in the center of the Northern capital. Boats and yachts, ferries and dry cargo ships are visible moving along the Petrovsky fairway and the Sea Canal...

In the workshop, work is in full swing all year round: in the summer, sails and kites are repaired here, branded souvenirs are made for regattas held in St. Petersburg, designer bags and accessories are sewn. Well, in winter there is time to put old sailing fabric into use, think about new projects and just dream up the theme of nautical style.

The workshop occupies two real sea containers, which have probably traveled around the world on merchant ships. Everything in it talks about the sea and travel. On the walls hang wooden masts, battens and booms, lifebuoys, photographs of sailboats in massive oak frames, antique wooden blocks and wicker fenders. You rarely see such diversity even in marine themed cafes and restaurants. The installation and rough finishing of the room took three months, and the work is not finished yet: new parts are constantly being added to the interior.

Using three professional sewing machines, Lena and her craftsmen repair sails, sew bags and classic sea clothes. Material is laid out on large tables. Ready-made flankers, peacoats and vests hang on hangers. Being here is a real pleasure. Every now and then the gaze stops at outlandish marine objects, professional sewing supplies or recently sewn items.

Lena sewed her first canvas bag when she worked in a sailing workshop and did not even dream of having her own studio. From the leftovers that were not suitable for work, she made gifts for friends and family. “From the very beginning, I wanted the things I sew to carry a piece of sea adventures and travel,” recalls Lena. — Sails are an integral attribute of sea romance; one might say, they are its physical embodiment.

Unlike an abstract idea or memory, a sail can be present in everyday life - in the form of a useful and beautiful thing. Remembering sailing trips, we can smell the sea, hear its sounds, and taking a canvas bag with us everywhere will be a catalyst for these memories. In addition, bags made from used sails are always a story. It may be associated with the best moments of life, or perhaps it will be a story about your favorite yacht. Another idea that fueled me from the very beginning is that such bags can tell their owners about the sea and inspire them to travel and realize their dreams.”

Lena herself first went to sea on a yacht six years ago, so we can say that her current work is the same age as her hobby, and in general they are interconnected. At first there was an ordinary trip from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, but after that it turned out to be impossible to return to everyday life. Later, Lena walked along the Norwegian fjords, raced on the Black Sea, and traveled around the Baltic. She still goes on a yacht, but less often - the work is no less exciting than regattas and travel.

Today, Lena Bronskaya's studio produces marine-style clothing from high-quality materials using authentic technologies, but the main focus of the workshop remains marine bags and accessories. Here they are sewn both from new sailing fabric (then the bags turn out snow-white and crispy) and from used sails, which are given a second life. Such bags keep the memories of old sails, and each model has its own name. Racers will certainly appreciate cases for tablets and wallets; female racers will not ignore cosmetic bags made of Kevlar. Comfortable backpacks and travel bags can be safely taken with you on trips, and elegant handbags and spacious mesh bags will be useful for any occasion. The decoration uses real sail eyelets, carabiners, slings...

The studio has two main lines: classic (bags made of beige canvas, trimmed with genuine leather) and basic. Often they come to the workshop with a ready-made idea for a bag or “make it up” from the basic elements, and the craftsmen just have to implement the idea. During its existence, the studio collaborated with the organizers of many regattas, and the original products of the small workshop were liked by yachtsmen.

When Elena Bronskaya first went to sea on a sailing yacht, she could not even imagine that in a few years she would become the head of a sailing studio. Today she happily takes on new projects and continues to develop her main theme. The plans include opening a store where you can buy elegant things and original goods for every taste. Lena hopes that these things will not just complement the wardrobe, but will make a person a little happier and freer