Three Stroke Productions
from A to Z
We associated a key concept to each letter of the alphabet so read on!Anniversary
Born in London in Dec 1997, Three Stroke Productions is now 25 years old. Well, it would be great to be 25 years old again, seeing as that was more or less our age when the three of us behind the brand started the company.
At that time, we were all part of a “style conscious’ scene, but honestly, we didn’t know a lot about the clothing industry. We’ve always had a passion for smart clothing from the consumer’ side, and the process to turn ourselves into designers has been a long one – and this journey is yet to be completed.
The team ‘s line-up changed a bit over the years, but after more than two decades we’re still around, thanks to the contribution of a few younger lads that joined us along the way delivering new energies to Three Stroke Productions.
So, wherever we are, on every 7th Dec, we celebrate our Anniversary:
“Here’s to the guys who love us, the losers who lost us, and the lucky bastards that get to meet us”
Blog
Three Stroke Productions: a clothing brand with a 25 year long history made of style, collabs, events, and attitude definitely needed a proper blog.
Combat sports
Since day 1 “combat sports” have been part of our Three Stroke Productions DNA: from our East London Combat Studio in 2003 (MMA and BJJ) to the friendship with the current Super Bantamweight EBU Champion Luca Rigoldi, we are proud to support a “scene” that embodies some of the highest values such as courage, respect, and tenacity.
Collection
The process of designing a new collection starts a year before we can see the new garments in the showrooms and is carried out through a lot of research, brain-storming, travelling.
All this generates hundreds of ideas, hundreds of sketches, hundreds of designs that we need to imagine the new styles and assign them to our suppliers. Not an easy task, is it? But that’s exactly what we like to do.
collection by Three Stroke Productions marks a further decisive step forward in line with the path undertaken in recent years characterized by an increasingly solid collaboration with our supply partners, the harmony within our team in all its components, (from product design to after-sales service), and of course from the excellent relationship of trust now established between us and the various stores who have faith in our brand
All this in the name of a style true to origins of the brand, but open to research and therefore to the exploration of larger territories. Each collection proposes the traditional themes of the brand but also offers new challenges, made not only of ideas but also of continuously updated materials.
Distinctive clothing
It’s not about perfection. It’s about the effort and the aspiration we implement in the garments we make in order to deliver distinctive clothes.
Therefore, distinctiveness is the consequence and not the objective of what we wish to achieve.
Distinction is given by the quality of the materials used, by the attention to details, by the inspiring values, and by the overall look. A set of things that all together will bring you the right piece of clothing.
Three Stroke Productions: Distinctive Clothing Since 1997.
Evolution
We wrote “Never forget where we came from” on one of our t-shirts, and this means being aware about our origins and of course about the origins of the actual brand. At the same time, we feel that as time changes the need to explore new territories becomes stronger and stronger.
Technical knowledge and new skills not only come from experience: over the years, enhancements and growth were also generated by encounters and collaborations with people of different backgrounds that helped us to become what we are today.
Our curiosity and eagerness to learn along with strong links with all our partners enabled us to cope with tough times, hard competitions and our mistakes.
The “evolution” we pursue, not only consist of raids in only apparently different stylistic environments, but also in continuous research of new and better fabrics and treatments.
So yes: we don’t forget where we came from but we also know where we want to head to.
FORTIS
The name Fortis originates from a Latin word meaning strong, powerful and brave which were some of the most important virtues for the Ancient Romans and that represents our aspiration to face our work and our life with enthusiasm and determination.
No better name was to be found for what would be become our most popular jacket.
Graphic Design
Over the years we explored and described dozens of subjects that in one way or another are related to our imagination and since our very first graphic design t-shirt we released back in 2004 we’ve worked on more than 200 graphic design projects.
From very explicit images dedicated to subcultures (with special attention to terrace culture) to those dedicated to combat sports, music, films we like and football stadiums as they used to look in the old days. Over the last few years, we have produced several graphic designs inspired by the world of climbing, trekking and the outdoors in general.
The world of graphics is constantly evolving, and depending on the style of the graphic artists with are working with, we like to propose images that recall comic strips, old advertising posters, or, as we have been doing a lot lately, minimal black and white designs built on very clean geometric shapes, as in the case of the Urban Vanguard capsule.
Have a look at the page we have dedicated to this topic.
Headgear
All our hats and accessories are made in Italy by the family run clothing company run by our good friend Samuele. They are first-rate Italian artisans and we love the care, passion and expertise they put in what they do.
Over the years we have explored with them all different styles of the English and Irish headgear tradition.
From all sorts of bucket hats to the various newsboy and duckbill hats, which were always loved and worn well before the arrival of the Peaky Blinders.
They will always add an extra touch of class and quality to all of collections of Three Stroke Productions.
And if you’re interested in the history and in the making of our hats please head to our blog again.
The TSP Kids are alright:
Some years ago we decided to start a project called the “Kids are alright” with the objective to raise funds and awareness at some of the various rallies and gigs that we used to sponsor.
The sole aim of this campaign was to help underprivileged children living in depressed areas around the world.
The first campaign in 2002 we took part in was the one launched by a famous London radio to gather Christmas gifts to give to some of the kids from south London.
Since 2004 Three Stroke Productions has taken part in a number of projects in countries like Brazil, Italy, and the UK. In November 2009 we sent 200 pieces of clothing, such as Harrington Jackets, Hoodies, and Polo Shirts to the areas of Roccalumera and Scaletta Zanclea in Sicily, Italy. Both of these places near the city of Messina were badly affected by the floods and mudslides that occurred on the 1st & 2nd October 2009.
Quality clothes were sent on several occasion to communities in Brazil and more recently to an organization supporting homeless people in the north east of Italy.
It’s definitely not our habit to highlight this kind of initiative, but we thought it was just right to add them to our A to Z page. Just once and with a very low-profile attitude.
Jackets
The main reason why we’re all here is because of our obsession for jackets.
We’ve been into jackets since we were kids and from Harringtons to parkas we just grew up collecting dozens of them.
Last year we decided to open our old wardrobes in search of the various jackets we have produced since we started.
Many we found, a couple were returned to us by some of our old and faithful followers (in exchange for new jackets) and there are still a few missing that we hope to find soon.
After having photographed them, we have created the beautiful ‘Our Jackets’ page, where you can learn about our history based on the jackets we have produced over the last 25 years.
Italy
High quality raw materials, attention to detail, high manufacturing quality standards, durability, design: all this is Made in Italy.
Most of the garments since 2006 have been made by small independent clothing firms in Italy.
Firms that also share our outlook and mindset, as we believe that to succeed in this business is to be part of a trustworthy chain based on the values of quality and respect, which includes the brand itself, the suppliers, the shops, and finally the consumer as well.
We are proud to say that all Three Stroke Productions sweatshirts, t-shirts, polo shirts, sweaters, and accessories, are all made in Italy.
Lifestyle
At Three Stroke Productions we don’t pretend to teach lessons to anyone, but.. Yes, we do encourage a healthy lifestyle including sport: Mens sana in corpore sano (Juvenal, Roman poet).
We think sports are the best way to educate ourselves to know and possibly overcome our limits and embody the value of “Respect”.
Manufacture
For many years we have been collaborating with top level Italian companies operating both in Italy and abroad . At the present, 65% of production “Made in Italy” and the remaining 35% coming from abroad from countries such as (Tunisia, Romania, and China).
Even during 2020, despite all the difficulties caused by the pandemic, we were able to provide a timely product that matched expectations, with large thanks also to the reliability of our suppliers.
MUSIC & movies
Music plays a crucial role for us so we’ve taken some of the favourite cds of our team members, we mixed them all together and here is a list of sounds you can hear when you get close to our place or you jump in the car with some of us –
Sherlocks, Adam Freeland, Stone Roses, Oasis, soundtrack of Pulp Fiction, Matrix, Metallica, Slipknot, Joy Division, New Order, Talk Talk, Twisted Wheel, Blur, Madball, Overseer, Moby, Agnostic Front, Sick of it all, Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, Eminem, The Solution, Section60, Amy Winehouse, Shed Seven, David Bowie, Flamingoes, Subcircus, Rammstein, The Hives, Kaiserchiefs, The Crystal Method, Chemical Brothers, Arctic Monkeys, Dead Idle, Daniel Portman, Kaiserdisco, Cosmic Boys, Ibiza Summer, Talking Heads, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand
Head to our spotify profile and choose your favourite playlist
And there are pleanty of films that we love, but this short list can give you an idea about some of our favourites:
Quadrophenia by Frank Roddam
The Football Factory by Nick Love
This is England by Sheane Meadows
Sid and Nancy by Alex Cox
24 Hours Party People by Michael Winterbottom
Snatch by Guy Ritchie
The Warriors by Walter Hill
Old Town Stadium
Many of us are fascinated by “football” from many years ago.
A football made of identity, memories, heroes and, of course, old stadiums.
The stadiums loved and attended by our fathers or grandfathers and which we may never have seen except in some old photos.
With our “Old Town Stadium Project”, we not only celebrate some of the most iconic football fields in their original glory, but also your local stadiums as they looked in the old days.
Images that embody the love for your City.
Photography
We’ve been fans of photography for ages and every year we hire independent photographers and models from the scene to make our own photo shoots, which in our early days were mainly focused on subcultural themes.
In the last few years we’ve also enjoyed exploring new kinds of environments such as nature: especially mountains and all sports related to them, like trekking, skying, climbing
We encourage you guys out there to send us your photos in your new Three Stroke Productions clobber so we can share them across our social media.
No matter the location, everyday life, at work, your holidays, at football..
Nice subject, nice clobber, nice shot!!
Easy !!
Quality
Is a priority for us: we don’t sell essentials, or basic necessities, but garments through which we want to convey positive feelings of comfort and style, and that at the same which also guarantee reliability and durability.
It is undeniable that quality fabrics, attention to detail and a high standard of workmanship have a cost, and we are aware of the difficult times we are going through; that is why we do our best to meet the needs of those who follow us.
However, we cannot compromise on our quality standards because we care about providing nice and reliable clobber.
The full satisfaction of those who wear our garments is our reward.
Quotes
“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn” – Orson Welles
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
“Keep your head up: never forget where you came from”- Three Stroke Productions
“A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for”- Albert Einstein
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”- Neale Donald Walsch
“The journey not the arrival matters” -T. S. Eliot
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go” T.S. Eliot
“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another”- Ernest Hemingway
‘It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to”- J.R.R Tolkien
“This is being a team of my lords, either we rise now as a collective or we will be annihilated individually”-Al Pacino
“Be thankful for the hard times, for they have made you”- Leonardo DiCaprio
“If you get all of us together, we ain’t got a gang, we’ve got an army” -Gangs of New York
“The difference between style and fashion is quality” – Giorgio Armani
“Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity” Coco Chanel
“Mod is a shorter word for young, beautiful and stupid,” Pete Townsend of The Who
“Simplicity is the ultimate form sophistication” Leonardo DaVinci
Reads
In time of quick web based news and messages, we still find books appealing so we picked a few titles from our collections to let you guys know about our reads:
Casuals by Phil Thornton, Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh, England’s Dreaming by Jon Savage, Fight Club by Chuck Phalahniuk, Absolute Beginners by Colin MacInnes, Whaam!: The Art & Life of Roy Lichtenstein
1984 by George Orwell
451 Farenheit
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Respect
Today we talk a lot about ‘respect’. Sometimes even inappropriately. But for us respect is an important value that has been part of our DNA since the birth of the brand. Respect towards ourselves, which means never failing to be consistent in our work.Respect towards all those who contribute with us to the creation of our garments, whether they are external collaborators or suppliers with whom we may have worked for years and with whom we share more than just a business relationship.
Respect towards those who manage the shops that sell our products and with whom we share the same passion for style.
Respect towards those who choose to wear Three Stroke Productions garments. We want to earn their trust by fulfilling the expectations they place on our garments.
Subcultures
Some say that after the explosion of the internet, subcultures no longer exist with the younger lads more interested in creating and looking after their online image rather than joining others with similar tastes and expressing themselves in the streets. No need to write an essay about sociology or anthropology here: we’re just saying that especially in our early days the subcultural background of a couple of the main men behind Three Stroke Productions played a big role in the label. A vibrant music scene would attract people sharing the same mood, generate events, shape styles and influence fashion. That was the case of course in 1997 as well. We reckon that there are reminiscences of a subcultural past in many of our favourite brands. The idea of Subculture has a lot to do with identity and with the concept of “don’t forget where you came from” but sticking obstinately to a certain style would mean forgetting that times change and so styles. In a way we can say that subcultures will always exist as we feel that the need of being identified with something is still strong especially in the global society, but they can make their presence felt again and have a real impact on style only when they are capable of generating new contents and new emotions and above all, when the mainstream will feel the need to capture and adopt some of their colours, symbols, and moods.
Style:
Not only any single piece of clothing that we make, but also anything else in which we are involved in. It could be in the participation of an event, or more simply an instagram post, but it must match with our standards of style: we always go for quality rather than quantity.
Three Stroke Productions
he brand was founded in 1997 but what many of you guys still don’t know is the meaning of the name Three Stroke Productions. At that time in 1997 we were all fans of motorcycles owning scooters and bigger bikes.
The name came from a compromise between a 2 stroke and 4 stroke engine: three stroke productions.
The Team
Our Team: our mission is not accomplished until our garments displayed in the shops are actually purchased by customers. Only then, and not before, can we say we have done a good job.
But that’s not all: Three Stroke Productions can count on a team that makes service and customer care a real mission.
On-time deliveries, reliability, transparency, loyalty through built through events and initiatives, small gadgets as gifts and a team that is always willing to engage with you to improve and meet your expectations.
Urban Vanguard
Introduced during the AW20, the Urban Vanguard mini capsule represents a step towards (only seemingly) new territories in which identity and experimentation come together as a set of 6 items characterised by a mix of an 80/20 sweatshirt with a new “pied de poule fabric”. Urban Vanguard is flashy but elegant as well as gritty and modern.Values
Style Identity Respect
No need to say any more.
Wardrobe
One of the reasons why we do this job is because of our passion for clothing.
We do love of course wearing the nice clothes we make, but there are a lot of amazing pieces of clothing in our wardrobes as well.
Some of the iconic garments we still own have been an important source of inspiration:
And this is what you could find in our wardrobes.
Desert Boots, Doc Marten boots, Stone Island jackets, Harrington jackets, overshirts of all kinds, Aquascutum accessories, Barbour jackets and accessories , NB sneakers (plenty) , Patagonia outdoors gear, CP Millemiglia (iconic !!) , Adidas Hamburg, Samba, etc, Berghaus jackets, Trickers boots, Edwin and Levis jeans, Fred Perry polo shirts, Pringle jumpers, military clothes, One True Saxon, Mephisto shoes, Paul & Shark, boxing gloves , football kits, Lacoste polo shirts, (old ) umbro hoodies, Paraboot shoes.
Zeitgeist
Taken from the German zeit meaning time and geist meaning spirit, the term’s literal translation is ‘the spirit of the age’.
The Zeitgeist is the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.
Knowing and understanding the Zeitgeist is essential for us because it allows us to be aware of the trends that effectively correspond to the current needs and aspirations of the public. We need to be able to interpret our time, remaining true to our dna but at the same time to project ourselves forwards.
Our task is not at all to pursue the trend of the moment, but to be aware of the ideals and the values of the era in which we live so we can best express our free individuality and give life to our projects.