Leading with Brilliance

The interpersonal skills that Jamie has learned during his time in the industry have equipped him with a powerful set of assets for communication. This is then implemented on a day-to-day basis, the effectiveness of which compounds over time. He likes to communicate visually and face to face where possible. During these meetings, minutes are always taken, which then transcend into progress meetings with his team. He expects from his team what he expects from himself: to listen, be present, be accountable, reliable and committed. He continues to try and visit all suppliers within his supply chain to ensure the trust is established and a rapport is built to aid the longevity of the working relationship.

“7 years ago, I had what can only be described as a breakdown, which resulted from years of working unhealthy, stressful and unsocial hours in the rail industry. Having worked away from home for over 15 years I had been suffering in silence with clinical depression,” says Jamie. “During my early, sobering period of recovery, I stumbled across a camera and photography. It unleashed an exciting new spark of creativity and innovative ideas I didn’t know even existed inside of me. Of course, they had always been there, but used in a different industry altogether.” With this inspiration, Jamie has created a difference for his brand and has been the main photographer Deleted. Back in 2020 he built the initial 7L website and has been the managing director, the accountant, the creative director, the pick and packer, the warehouse manager, and one of the designers, all in one.

“This brand has been created through some major bumps in the road, including ex business partners, pandemics and warehouse fires. We hope all our bad luck has now passed and the brand can look forward to a successful future,” explains Jamie. “We are now recruiting more staff and scaling up for 2023, so hopefully we will be able to concentrate on running the brand with renewed efforts and motivations”.

Building A Brand

7L is a brand devoted to ‘Layering the Global Nomadic Itinerant in Style’, a functional first performance brand fusing fashion with function and performance with lifestyle. An ethos born from the concept ‘7 layers for 7 continents’ with simplicity, comfort, and functionality at its core. Using state-of-the-art materials and technology with a meticulous design ethos, 7L provides a fashionable and functional aesthetic. The 7L collection is designed for all weather conditions within its considered range, honouring the military-created ‘7 Layer System’, ensuring any weather condition can be dealt with confidently.

7L is inspired by the multi-layered insulating system of the Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (GEN III ECWCS) from the U.S. Military that allows their Soldier to adapt to varying mission requirements and environmental conditions. The materials chosen offer a greater range of breathability and environmental protection, providing greater versatility in meeting Soldiers’ needs i.e. waterproof, breathable, yet very lightweight fabrics such as nylons.

Their USP is that 7L are a technical brand fusing fashion with function and performance with lifestyle. 7 layers across 7 continents. These layers can be used technically or worn fashionably in conjunction with one another. “Our garments are made to the highest manufacturing specifications in the world, and we are creating a sustainability product and philosophy with the longevity of our pieces. With our systems (collections), we can be highly flexible in what we can technically offer, be it, golf, shooting, hiking, horse riding or going to the pub with your mates,” elucidates Jamie.

Jamie has consistently advocated for U.K. manufacturing, and this passion stems from his family-run business. Fast forward to Seven Layer; the Cottonopolis narrative surrounding Mancunian history during the industrial revolution has a certain romance that makes one want to implement that supply chain into their business. With the cost of import and export skyrocketing, Jamie wanted to provide the end consumer as much value as possible. He started to fine-tune his supply chain, so these costs were not incurred on the final retail price.

During the pandemic, Jamie opted to stay closer to home with manufacturing, uncovering some incredible fabrics with U.K.-based manufacturers as well as exquisite CMT practices in old cotton mills located in and around Manchester. This meant that the import of fabrics from mills to the manufacturer was limited, and the import of goods from the manufacturer to the warehouse was eradicated. In turn, it was reducing the cost, footprint and retail prices. This encapsulates Jamie’s morals and values of providing value to the customer and operating within a lean supply chain that offers quality goods. Deleted

“We have different customers with different age ranges and expectations, which means that we have to carefully create and execute multiple plans in order to cater for everyone. Therefore, we have decided to develop a project that will entice and engage the entirety of our audience,” says Jamie.

A ‘Walk In The Wilderness’ sees 7L partner some of the best brands in the world; Red Bull, New Balance, Nanga, Yeti, Heimplanet (tents) as well as some incredible men’s mental health charities. “We will assemble a team and go on a four-day hike around Europe’s last remaining wilderness in Knoydart, Scotland, the area of which cannot be accessed by car or boat,” adds the pioneering leader. “We are showcasing our impeccable product in the harsh environment it belongs in, whilst using the platform of global brands to raise awareness of mental health especially depression and suicide in young men.”