Quincy Locals Design Olympic collection for Cabo Verde
When 10,500 athletes march at the Paris Olympics ceremony today Friday, July 26th, eight of them will represent the West African island of Cabo Verde, proudly donning ISLNDZ—a brand founded by cousins Alex Figueiredo and Felipe Soares in Quincy, Massachusetts. Their journey from organizing local events to becoming the official clothing partner for the Cabo Verdean Olympic team speaks to their love for Cabo Verde. ISLNDZ has transformed its founders' passion for fashion and Cape Verdean heritage into a brand that aspires to be the go-to for all Cabo Verdean sports teams.
“Our mission is to innovate and merge today's fashion with the background of Cape Verde Islands to create a unique identity and insert it into the graphical and physical worlds of 'style and cool. Trying to show the best of our people. “ Figueiredo, the brand's graphic designer and head of product development. Soares, on the other hand, manages marketing, ensuring the brand resonates with a broader audience.
The journey to the Olympics began modestly six years ago when Alex and Felipe started organizing local events and printing T-shirts. These early efforts laid the foundation for a brand that embodies Cape Verde both in name and content. This commitment led to opportunities to design merchandise for the Kriol Kings concert series, featuring Nelson Freitas and Djodje.
Redesigning the Cape Verde soccer team's logo, showcased during their brilliant run at the African Cup of Nations instigated a significant turning point for the duo. Focusing on the national symbol of the "blue shark," their design captured the collective spirit of Cape Verdean athletes and went viral in Cabo Verde and the 1.2 million Cape Verdeans in the diaspora, of whom 70,000 live in Massachusetts.
So, when the Cape Verde Olympic committee needed a designer for the Paris Olympics, ISLNDZ emerged as the perfect fit.
“We wanted to work with a Cape Verdean clothing brand that would transmit the country’s cultural identity through its clothes. Something that would make it easy to identify who we are,” Leo Moreau, a member of the Cape Verde Olympic committee
During our phone conversation Figueiredo who is headed to Paris, he expressed excitement for the opportunity "I'll be flying to Paris to set up a pop-up shop in the Cabo Verde house, where we'll sell the Olympic team's merchandise,"
The collection draws inspiration from the Cape Verdean flag and incorporates the traditional handmade cloth, pano di terra. Balancing creative expression with market appeal. The outcome is stylish and culturally in tune making athletes and fans proud.
The athletes have been overwhelmingly positive. "The athletes are ecstatic," Figueiredo says.
"Many are going to the games with no sponsors. For the first time, they’re not just getting a shirt and a pair of pants but an entire collection. We wanted them to feel proud and cool wearing our designs, knowing they can rock this anywhere."
The ambitious duo hopes the Paris 2024 process will set them up to build an even more impressive collection for the LA 2028 Olympics.