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STYLE AND CULTURE
ALMA DE ACE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE STREETWEAR BRAND
By Symone Keisha, 28 October 2024
If we're talking cooler-than-cool London-based brands, Alma de Ace deserves to be a part of the conversation. Known for its colour-blocked streetwear pieces, Alma de Ace is a key player in the sportswear scene and, in case you missed it, the brand's now launched on-site! Keep reading for all the details on the need-to-know label ft. founder Sebastian Agace.
LAUNCHED: 2014
FOUNDER: Sebastian Agace
ORIGIN: London
IN THREE WORDS: Timeless sport reimagined
FUN FACT: Without mentioning names, we’re fortunate to have a lot of professional footballers purchasing from us!
KEY ITEM: Panelled track jacket
FOUNDER: Sebastian Agace
ORIGIN: London
IN THREE WORDS: Timeless sport reimagined
FUN FACT: Without mentioning names, we’re fortunate to have a lot of professional footballers purchasing from us!
KEY ITEM: Panelled track jacket
How did you start your brand?
Alma de Ace was first conceived during my time at university. As you'd expect, this meant the brand started small with four initial designs: two t-shirts and two sweatshirts. Stringing together the time needed to bring the brand to life both creatively and logistically was a labour of love. I was processing and packing orders from my bedroom and taking advantage of the time between my lectures to post them out. My dream wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but I enjoyed every part of the process.
Alma de Ace was first conceived during my time at university. As you'd expect, this meant the brand started small with four initial designs: two t-shirts and two sweatshirts. Stringing together the time needed to bring the brand to life both creatively and logistically was a labour of love. I was processing and packing orders from my bedroom and taking advantage of the time between my lectures to post them out. My dream wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but I enjoyed every part of the process.
Picture: Sebastian Agace
Sebastian looks to vintage sportswear pieces for inspiration during the design process.
Tell us where the brand name comes from?
In the brand's conceptual stage, I wanted to come up with a name that didn’t mean anything too specific to avoid boxing myself in later down the line. During that formative period, I didn’t know where the brand was heading and wanted it to be as universal as possible; I wanted an identity that could (and would) grow alongside the brand.
Alma de Ace was something I coined while working through these needs. Honestly, it just worked. I liked how the three words – stylised as de Ace or Alma, for example – allowed us to play around with the names for certain collections and pieces.
Where do you get your design inspiration from?
I'm inspired by the past and view it through a contemporary lens to create unique blends with what’s relevant in today's zeitgeist. My interest in past styles led to my love of sourcing one-off pieces in vintage stores, which helped build the designs and ideas at the heart of Alma de Ace. For example, our signature panelling is heavily influenced by sports teams across multiple disciplines like football, tennis, basketball and beyond. The 80s and 90s provide a great sandbox to explore. Those decades were home to a vibrant approach to style and design and birthed countless timeless pieces. We love the iconic colour combinations.
What's been the brand's biggest moment so far?
Undoubtedly, our collaboration with Coca-Cola – this was a real milestone achievement. The opportunity to work with such a globally-recognised brand certainly presented a challenge, but figuring out how to blend its rich history and powerful brand identity with our own was a great experience. Those kinds of experiences are immeasurable.
I'm inspired by the past and view it through a contemporary lens to create unique blends with what’s relevant in today's zeitgeist. My interest in past styles led to my love of sourcing one-off pieces in vintage stores, which helped build the designs and ideas at the heart of Alma de Ace. For example, our signature panelling is heavily influenced by sports teams across multiple disciplines like football, tennis, basketball and beyond. The 80s and 90s provide a great sandbox to explore. Those decades were home to a vibrant approach to style and design and birthed countless timeless pieces. We love the iconic colour combinations.
What's been the brand's biggest moment so far?
Undoubtedly, our collaboration with Coca-Cola – this was a real milestone achievement. The opportunity to work with such a globally-recognised brand certainly presented a challenge, but figuring out how to blend its rich history and powerful brand identity with our own was a great experience. Those kinds of experiences are immeasurable.
Pictures: ASOS & Alma de Ace
What have been the biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?
Breaking through such a highly competitive market. We're going up against established brands with extraordinary budgets and long-standing customer bases. It’s tough to stand out but we've found success by focusing on what makes us unique, and that's our core product lines such as our track jackets, sports-inspired detailing and distinctive panelling.
Achieving the same level of success as top-flight brands takes time and we appreciate every step of the journey. We’re dedicated to investing time into building heritage and legacy as the brand develops and matures.
What's next for Alma de Ace?
We’re always working towards creating a bigger and better version of what’s on offer, taking the necessary time to ensure these ideas are executed with finesse. Keep your eyes and ears open for what’s to come next year. We’re really excited to share what we’ve been working on.
Breaking through such a highly competitive market. We're going up against established brands with extraordinary budgets and long-standing customer bases. It’s tough to stand out but we've found success by focusing on what makes us unique, and that's our core product lines such as our track jackets, sports-inspired detailing and distinctive panelling.
Achieving the same level of success as top-flight brands takes time and we appreciate every step of the journey. We’re dedicated to investing time into building heritage and legacy as the brand develops and matures.
What's next for Alma de Ace?
We’re always working towards creating a bigger and better version of what’s on offer, taking the necessary time to ensure these ideas are executed with finesse. Keep your eyes and ears open for what’s to come next year. We’re really excited to share what we’ve been working on.
