We link up with Irene Geel, founder of sustainable essentials brand, Geel, to talk through their seasonless range and newest collection.
Born from the vision of crafting intentional, seasonless garments that seamlessly blend exceptional quality with remarkable versatility, Irene Geel’s eponymous brand is a continuous journey into creating effortlessly adaptable pieces that integrate flawlessly into everyday life. Designed in Los Angeles, California, Geel has consistently collaborated with ethical, sustainable manufacturers, producing her exquisite collections in limited batches to minimise waste and prevent overproduction.
As the brand celebrates the highly anticipated release of its latest Fall 24 collection, we sit down with Irene to explore the origins of the brand, the unrivalled adaptability of the range, and its rising prominence in both New York and Los Angeles.
Read the interview…
Hi Irene! What inspired you to start Geel?
You know when you’re going through your clothes and you wonder, “why the hell did I buy this?” During the pandemic, I was making endless piles of all the clothes I’ve acquired throughout the years and noticed I was getting rid of all my uncomfortable, “wear once” type of crazy pieces and keeping my understated and classic basics.
It was the height of loungewear and athleisure, but I found it difficult to find something that matched my personal style. After doing some material research, I bought my first roll of deadstock modal and launched a small capsule collection of soft tops and bodysuits you can wear to the ground.
How has Geel evolved since its inception?
We started out strictly with cut and sew knits with the same modal fabric that soon became our “core” collection. After a year into launching, we had more budget and production capabilities to introduce new materials and more intricate designs.
Geel’s designs have evolved into wovens, sweaters, and outerwear, while still staying true to comfort and adaptability.
Could you share some of the key values for the brand? How does Geel embrace these?
Effortless, versatile, and comfortable. I really stand by getting the most wears out of each piece; the quality has to be exceptional, and the fabric needs to withhold throughout time. What we put out into the world is what we feel is natural and makes sense. Nothing is ever forced for the sake of pushing new items and content. I always make sure to ask the team if they would wear a new design, how they would wear it, and if it feels comfortable (of course). I love creating a piece that can be worn multiple ways and leaving the creativity up to our customer.
We also wear-test everything during production. I’ll literally show up to play tennis wearing a sample to see if things stay put and feel right.
Geel is described as creating garments that push the boundaries of seasonal collections. Can you elaborate on why this was essential for the brand?
I think growing up and being based in LA, but also living in NY for a while helped shape the theme of seasonless collections. I like being able to take a garment to be worn alone or easily layered with other pieces in my closet, which I think is why Geel is just as popular in NY, as much as it is in LA.
I also think that each piece should be highlighted on its own rather than a full look.
It’s inspiring to see how our customers style their own Geel looks. I’m sure things might change as things progress, but I feel really happy working this way.
How do you balance the need for adaptability in design whilst maintaining a consistent brand identity?
I believe that there’s a huge opportunity for adaptability in comfortable, wearable clothes and our customers really resonate with this. Geel is about clothes that are meant to wear out, without feeling the desire to take it off right when you get home–like a bra or pair of jeans. Our team is constantly asking ourselves “Would I wear it?” “Do I feel good in it?” “Can I see myself wearing this in a year from now?” I think this foundation is visible in our brand identity because it comes from a true, authentic place. Another really fun way to venture out is collaborating with other creatives and brands that have a distinct style that can bring out a lot of creativity in our designs.
Could you walk us through the design process for this collection, from conception to final product?
This collection was a lot more playful and elevated. I added some more hardware details and different types of closures for the pieces. I also incorporated more playful colours and different natural fibres for our new knits, and really delved into more of our sweater knits.
Can you share your hopes for the future of Geel?
I’d feel so lucky to expand our collection into accessories (I used to be a handbag designer so this would be so fun to design), home goods and objects as we grow our community and resources globally.
