FROM UTOPIA TO REALITY
About Utopik
We were tired of working in jobs with endless working hours and salaries that left much to be desired. Tired of handing out a thousand CVs and only finding temporary jobs where, in addition, we didn’t pay half the hours… We fantasised about being our own bosses, about having a timetable to our liking, deciding when and how long to work, a job that we liked, that fulfilled us as people, that didn’t clash with our ideals and that would also help to improve this world. It was as a result of all this that we decided to create our own company. Obviously it was not from one day to the next, and what Utopik is now was not our initial idea. We have been evolving over time and moulding this project more and more to what would be our ideal company (there is still a long way to go…).
It all started in Ibiza (that magical island….)
It was the summer of 2014, we had been looking for a way to be self-sufficient at work for a long time. A couple of years before we had tried to sell our handicrafts in the Hippy Markets of the island. Without much success, but with a lot of fun. We liked the idea.
We decided to take advantage of our trips to Africa to buy basic wicker baskets, customize them, decorate them and sell them in Ibiza. And so we did. And well… let’s say that the golden years of the island were over and yes, we survived and had a lot of fun (a lot, a lot, a lot), but we had to think of something else. It was then (a stroke of luck or fate) that our “patron” appeared. She was a businesswoman who stayed in one of the coolest hotels on the island, she loved and valued the handicrafts of the island. We had met her a few years ago. She was delighted to see us and told us that she had taken over the management of four shops in four luxury hotels in the Balearics and needed clothes to fill them. She knew that we had no experience or training in the world of fashion, but she was convinced that this was what we had to do. “Everything else you will learn as you go along…” she said. And so it was, we created our first brand “CORA”.
We were looking for a team to work with and found ourselves producing hundreds of custom jackets and trousers for chic boutiques in four hotels in the Balearic Islands. We also designed some of the merchandising for one of the hotels. Everything was going great, but it could have been better.
After a year working for the shops, learning a lot and training every day, we decided to leave and go freelance.
PS: This is the beautiful part of the story. It really is. On the other hand, the stress, the nervousness and anxiety attacks, the existential crises, the insecurities, the mistakes, the fear of failure, the couple crisis, the 14-hour working days, the hateful trimesters… we thought it didn’t have enough hook to be told… maybe some other time.
very important for us
Overview and respect for people.
A piece of clothing is not just a simple object. A piece of clothing carries behind it the whole history of all the people who have been part of the production process. That is why at Utopik we are committed to ethical production. All the people who work at Utopik have decent working conditions.
Reduce consumption.
Utopik is totally against the "Fast Fashion" monster. We are committed to quality clothing that avoids everything that is considered "fashionable". In this way we get pieces that last over time. We reduce consumption and at the same time the amount of waste.
Build relationships.
Human contact is very important to us, which is why each person who works or collaborates with us is unique and special. In this way we build relationships that make us grow mutually.
Prioritise local suppliers.
Wherever and whenever possible, we emphasise the use of local materials and human capital, generating less environmental impact and fostering the local economy.
Maintaining quality.
Maintaining the quality of the product is paramount, if there is any error or defect, we act and rectify it. The client has to have the pieces just as we want them to be.
100% Vegan
Our clothes do not contain any animal-derived materials.
No gender.
At Utopik we believe that clothes have no gender. Let everyone dress as they please.
Equality and respect.
We are a brand that does not tolerate any racist, homophobic, classist behaviour or attitude...