ART OF LIVING: CHAPTER 2 - Call of the Wild

ART OF LIVING: CHAPTER 2 - Call of the Wild

Introducing the second chapter to our year long adventure. A real life journey of discovering greater meaning and fulfilment in our everyday life! All the while, releasing a new collection and memento to follow along the way.
Chapter 1 took Ottway creators Neri and Manu, towards making the big decision of leaving their city life, of the hustle and bustle, to pack all their possessions into boxes and head to Gloria (their off the grid cabin home deep in the Otway Ranges) for a month of re-designing life.
The next chapter can be found bellow!

CHAPTER 2: CALL OF THE WILD


Lose yourself.

After re-defining what life is, the next chapter is getting out there. Truly out there.. To the places our phones won't have reception and away from the everyday ordinary.

Sometimes, we have to lose ourselves to truly find ourselves

Listen to the Call of The Wild. Head off the beaten track, towards roads less travelled and to destinations unheard of.

These places are where you will find yourself.

Listen for the Call of The Wild...

For us, the Call of the Wild lead back to Europe... To an area we never intended to explore, but somewhere internally, our inbuilt compass knew. 14,000km away deep into the Daaden forest, Germany, we stayed in an original log cabin with local life artist Felix and partner Luisa. The four of us explored the area, listening to what kept secrets it entailed... There was a local favourite crater lake, hidden amongst the thick forest which began the day with an early morning departure. On arrival, the still and quiet lake showed no other sign of people. It was there, it became unavoidably obvious, that it is in these moments, of complete solitude, in the wild of nature and shared with good company, that the call of the wild, speaks to us what we need to hear.
We lost ourselves for a few days in the Daaden forest, and in the process, found what has to be done for the next adventure...

THE COLLECTION
To go with chapter 2, the designs had to accomodate a sense of inspiration from nature. Releasing just before our southern hemisphere Winter, they also had to have a sense of warmth, while like all Ottway items, focus on timeless and seasonless design. We like to think thick premium corduroy is a specialty here, and it has been a long time coming that we released a dark green colourway. Hence the Forest Reis was designed. Next up was the Creamwood, another thick corduroy jacket however with added versatility and uniqueness. From nature to city life, it's patchwork colours are a visual standout, whilst still boasting a relaxed natural aesthetic. What really sets this jacket apart is the tapered rounded bottom.

There's a German word used to describe that feeling we have when longing of far away adventures... Like wanderlust except much more intense in desire... We designed this unique, yet soft patterned long sleeve to become a stable for the bold & adventurous. It's translation "Fern" meaning far and "weh" meaning pain, encapsulates that almost uncomfortable feeling we all have when the lust to explore is consuming us. A new Ottway classic, and versatile to suit any occasion...

THE MESSAGE BEHIND CHAPTER 2
After we give ourselves the gift of a slower pace, of re-designing life, there is naturally within us a calling. It asks of us to get out there, somewhere far off the beaten track, and once surrounded by nature, listen to that internal voice which will always steer you towards the best decisions!

It's all a part of the journey, so if we remove some of the noise around us, the answers become clear!

Happy Adventuring Fam!
Get out there in the wild

A continued special note to you

Like last chapter, we hope this one also offers inspiration. 
As well as making rad designs we believe in making a difference, whether that is through our sustainability program or the campaigns we construct!

We do truly believe, when you take yourself into the wild, there is a peace of mind which exists nowhere else!

So again, we offer you a challenge! To take another step lead through action, of going somewhere not a lot of people go and switching into the moment. These places give us the answers we might not even know we're looking for!

Where will chapter 3 take us?
stay tuned..!