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The Satta Story (so far)

  • YukotoMagazine
  • Jun 3, 2020
  • 6 min read

Updated: Jun 6, 2020

Quick Disclaimer: I do not know anyone at Satta and this first piece of mine is really just a written admiration for a story and brand that I love. All the information I've used is from online journals and interviews over the years, all of which are excellent and linked at the end of the article, So if you’re interested in hearing from the man himself, I’d suggest you check them out! Due to potential copyright issues, all of the images (excluding copyright free photos) have been created by myself but they all link back to the original collections so you can get a feel for the brands artistic vision and progression throughout their journey!

A deep dive into the clothing and lifestyle brand, Satta!

“Comfort, utility, durability, versatility and simplicity in balance”. The elements that make conscious fashion and lifestyle brand, Satta.


But who is the man behind Satta and how did it grow from a few screen printed tees and skateboards to a fully-fledged and established brand?


The Man Behind The Brand - Joe Lauder


Founder & Creative Director of Satta, there’s more then first meets the eye with the brain behind the brand, Joe Lauder. A South Londoner at heart, Joe has been on the path less travelled on his way to creating and driving Satta as the brand we know today.


Moulded by the people and places he’s experienced, a young Joe spent part of his early teens and 20’s travelling across the globe, learning and absorbing from the cultures he discovered. These adventures would lead to one of his first passions, Gardening, and more broadly a greater connection with nature and its beautiful elements. Joe spell-bound by the beauty of the Australian temple gardens, would pick up a gardening job during his stay in Australia which would have him fall into another passion of his in the form of skating to and from work! you may be thinking 'well that's great but why does this matter?'. Stay with me, I promise all of these dots will connect down the line and influence the brand we all love!


A garden temple, representing the one Joe Lauder was inspired by in Australia

Following his 3 months stay in Oz, his love for gardening and landscaping wouldn’t be a holiday romance but rather a passion that he would continue to develop back in his home town of London. Creating commissioned garden-ware for a variety of clients, Joe would continue to master his craft until becoming jaded by the boundaries put on his creativity, musing on an interviewing with Medium explaining “I became slightly bored of being asked to recreate things people had seen in magazines. While I was away, I decided I wanted more creative control“.

Although this medium of creating wasn’t fitting with his ideals, it was far from wasted time as this work would not only spawn Joe’s love of using materials such as wood but would inspire a trip Asia which could be viewed as his first step towards creating Satta as the brand we know today.


Temple in Nepal

Tibet, India & Nepal, these 3 locations would not only grow a deeper connection to Buddhism, a key influence that would undisputedly shape his life and the brand Satta would become, but would also be the setting that would inspire Joe to create skateboards upon his return to London.



Creating out of studio based in Brixton, called Satta (translating to ‘existence’ in Sanskrit), on his return from Asia Joe began the process of crafting uniquely shaped Skateboards that took elements from the cruiser style decks of the ’60s & ’70s, further instilling his desire to create something in his own vision whilst referencing elements of the cultures he's inspired by and his continued philosophy of being at one with the materials he uses.


It would be in 2013 that he and fellow artist Stevie Gee would team up for an exhibition of hand-illustrated boards along with a collaboration with online streetwear publication, Hypebeast that would unintentionally be the birth of Satta, one year before their first clothing collection in 2014


Satta - The Early Days


Birthed to reconnect us with clothes we wear, Joe expanded on our societies obsession with materialism and lost meaning of the products we consume in an interviewing with Goodhood stating “Our lives are becoming increasingly more cluttered, there’s a lack of a sense of connection with ourselves and the natural world, and the material aspects of life are quickly becoming meaningless“ and their first collection , Summer Solstice, in 2014 would give us an instant insight into the brand Satta would grow into. This initial collection would be heavily influenced by the skateboarding scene whilst showcasing a passion for nature and being conscious of the world around us, opting for an earthy colour palette coupled with 100% Portuguese cotton for all the tees.

Satta Summer Solstice - First Collection

With no prior experience in fashion, Joe would continue to grow and develop the Satta brand, with every collection blending vintage and workwear elements with a relaxed feel that would create the unique signature style that it is most popularly known by.


From a few local stockists, in the beginning, they would team up with fellow workwear-inspired brand, Universal works, for the PEACE.SOUL.LOVE collection in 2016.


This wonderful partnership would continue to reinforce their 'more than a brand philosophy' with a powerful message, small scale production and the use of hemp as a key material which had and continues to have a massive influence on Satta due to its positive impact on the world! Continuing to drop excellent collections year in year out (In my humble opinion), Satta has carved out its own niche in an already saturated market, for those searching for unique and interesting pieces which seamlessly fit into everyday life!

Universal works x Satta - Peace Love Soul Collection

The Message


The first time I ever bought a piece of clothing from Satta, I had never heard of them before. Please forgive my ignorance but I didn’t need to know them, the clothes could speak themselves. Instantly I felt the quality of the fabric, the fit was perfect and something just felt right when I tried one of their over-shirts inspired by the uniform donned by woodworkers.


It wasn’t until I got home and gave them a quick Google when I discovered that there was a story and meaning behind the clothes they create. Like I said, the clothes didn’t need the context but once I began reading about the environmental responsibility surrounding the materials they use, the ethos of Satta and community they were cultivating, it only gave more respect and greater trust with the brand, something which most companies throw millions at and still end up falling flat on there face.

The message was clear and simple, Satta creates sustainable clothing that’s designed to be a part of your lifestyle, a lifestyle that they hope will be balanced and offer simplicity which is a stark contrast with the clutter culture which has invaded our life’s over the last decade. Whether it’s a white tee or one of their incenses, Satta’s mission is you help you achieve some sense of balance, even if that’s for only for a fraction of your day-to-day life. A message that I think we can resonate with, especially in the strange and jarring time we are currently living through.

New Addition To The Satta Family

As well as being a Gardner/landscaper, Woodworker, fashion designer and entrepreneur, Joe Lauder also has a keen interest in art (No surprises there). This love for art found a new form in 2017 when he founded Merkabah Goods co. A collection of carefully curated homewares from across the globe as well as a few pieces from the man himself. This new venture yet again taps into Joe’s drive to create handcrafted goods which will aid peoples life. From beautifully made wooden utensils to a range of textiles, Merkabah is well worth a look if you’re looking for some unique pieces for your surroundings.


Where Next?


6 years strong, Satta now has 27 stockists across 6 countries with a complete range of clothing, accessories and incenses that all stay true to the ethos they were built on. With their highly anticipated SS20 Collection just around the corner, Satta hasn’t shown any signs of stopping and with a possible hint dropped in an interview with GoodHood in 2018, we could see some more yoga and meditation centric products in the pipeline.


Finishing Thoughts


Being one of my favourite brands, I may be a little bias but Satta, in my opinion, comes with a unique offering that not many others have opted for. Not concerned with fast fashion or jumping on trends for some temporary shine, Satta is always authentic to themselves and it’s a great testament to Joe and his incredible team for not only the products they create but the community and feeling which they’ve cultivated in a relatively short period.


On a personal note, this is the first piece I’ve written for Yukoto. I've been putting off for a while now but once I delved deeper into Satta’s story, loved researching and writing this piece and garnering an even stronger admiration for the brand the people behind it! Any feedback or insight into how you think my work could be improved is massively appreciated!




Citations - All Image also link back to their original publication



 
 
 

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