Once upon a time...
WISSANT
Windsurfing on the North Sea coast, 7°C in winter and 19°C in summer, is a way of life.
Whatever the season, with the right equipment, it's the foundation of the future UVEA business. Equipment is everything. No half-measures, quality is paramount for well-being and performance. But this is 1980... the dream: Gaastra or Neilpryde equipment.
Manly Australia 1992.
Originally, a year in the sun, perfecting his surfing skills and taking a few lessons in Australian. In the end, a split lip, 6 stitches, an uprooted tooth and repeated sunburns. Small jobs and big hurts, but lots of images in my head. A way of life that goes to the very depths of one's being and a harmony, even osmosis, between the element and oneself.
After a year, the only certainty is the immediate recognition of passing tourists. On the beaches, they have no sun protection whatsoever, whereas all the locals are protected by clothing, a pair of sunglasses and a cap. The return to France is perplexing.
2001 arrives. The birth of the first baby, or more precisely, the first rose; and the inexorable desire to provide it with the very best in sun protection. Flashback to years gone by, and a summary of current products: there's just one thing we've learned: there's no truly effective product for little ones.
Whether you're an amateur or a professional, any type of garment or equipment will be at your disposal; with a lot of marketing, of course, but offering real intrinsic characteristics for performance in terms of comfort and well-being. But nothing, absolutely nothing, exists for babies
We had to "take the plunge" and create a specific product that could combine these qualities with a design specific to childcare. The birth of UVEA
Nothing is simple. First of all, the fit had to offer real comfort. But why and for whom? Too expensive, and without apparent need, but nevertheless aimed at a clientele that requires very special attention. Then there's the material and manufacture, which, again for reasons of cost, is made in Asia, but all too often to the detriment of quality, with the end result being the same product, only with a different label. No, the material must serve the child and unquestionably bring added value to the product. The European choice is essential.
Finally, the design, a little too bland for what exists on the market, and which doesn't go beyond the holy rule of pink for girls and blue for boys. A uniformity that's too banal and destroys the spirit of freedom of Beach Wear. I remember a speech given by the CEO of a high-end brand, who took offence at seeing a different design for layette, and the feeling that the memories of our childhood were disappearing.
Do I want to offer my children the same products as everyone else, with the same codes? No! I'd like to offer them products that are well thought-out, with no desire for economy and minimalism.
