Postcards from Madeira

We recently just got back from shooting our brand new Field Tested Goods collection over in Madeira, a place we haven’t ever shot in before, and we couldn’t wait to come back and tell you guys all about it. 

Having only ever shot our FTG collections in the UK, we felt it was time to explore further a field for this one. For us, the brand is built out of that need for adventure. We wanted to find a new playground. Madeira is a really diverse place, it basically sits in it's own microclimate. The island just gave us plenty to explore, from breathtaking coastlines to rugged plains and dense forests. We quickly made friends with some guys on the island who showed us some amazing locations. We couldn't get over how green the island was, the deeper we ventured into it, it felt more and more like we were exploring Jurassic park. As 90's kids, we were in our element. With Madeira having a humid, sub-tropical climate, the weather changes fast. This was something we embraced, from high suns, to fog and immense rainy downpours, it really suited Field Tested Goods.

We met up with long-time friend of the brand, Max Howard, at the airport and flew out as early as we could to make the most of our time there. We met up with the guys from @seven.forty.one, a group of creatives that we discovered via Instagram who are local to the Island, and they welcomed us with open arms and really showed us the Island from an authentic perspective, taking us to all of the local spots, showing us the local delicacies and giving us a bit of a backstory about the awesome place we had just arrived in. We got to shooting straight away.

We spent the second day up in the mountains, going up through the clouds in the Defender we had borrowed from the Seven Forty One guys and off-roading at any chance we got. On day three, we were lucky enough to get a guided tour around Porto Santo, where we truly explored the volcanic island and experienced a multitude of different climates (something that Madeira is very much known for). One minute, we were caught up in torrential rain and the next, bright, brilliant sunshine. It was crazy, as mentioned before, it really suited Field Tested Goods and the new collection, which is truly made for adventures anywhere, anytime. 

Our last day was spent in the company of our new friends as they spent the morning showing us how their iconic traditional drink, Poncha, is made. They showed us their favourite local spot for some fresh octopus and sent us on our way with a Poncha for the trip, too. We loved every second of exploring Madeira and everything it has to offer and we’re so stoked with how the shots turned out. We’re so excited to share them, and the new collection with you guys, and thankfully, we don’t have long to wait until the drop, so stay tuned.