It's been a minute since we last spoke about our behind-the-scenes adventures. These stories are intended to give you a glimpse inside a Givelo shoot and a little more detail on the collection itself. This time, it's all about C.D.A, which launched in late 2023, and is a collection worth talking about.

A Little Background

C.D.A (Conceptualise, Disrupt, Apply), previously known as ACID, was given a new lease on life in 2023 while keeping some of the important fundamentals. It functions as a pulse check to ensure we are applying the acronym to every area; it can be something as simple as a colour choice, material sourcing, or shoot, but every step of its creation has to adhere to the C.D.A standard. This culture of working helped push the development of C.D.A, and ultimately Givelo, to a new level. So, what was the first noticeable change made in 2023? Nothing other than material selection. From the start of the year, we set about looking for a few key materials to transform conventional wisdom around soft nylon fabrics and lightweight wovens. We asked simple questions like, "How can we make the lightest, most versatile shell fabrics on the market?" or "Where can we find new pre-dyed nylon fabrics with unique textures?" It wasn't long before we found what we were looking for in Japan.

We stumbled upon a Cordura® certified mill that provided us with an extraordinary 60gsm exterior fabric that uses a texturised spinning technique, giving it a unique matte finish. This ultralight woven even weighs less than our internal jerseys, is featherlight, and provides the rider with an extremely packable jacket or vest to take on any ride. This new material almost fits perfectly into the C.D.A ethos, bringing something new to the jacket/vest range that is unlike the competition, packed full of textile technology. Of course, this new product had to take centre stage in the shoot and lay the groundwork for location and styling needs.

THE JOURNEY

The journey began when we left the domestic airport, in the heart of Medellín, the day before the shoot. To fly to Manizales, we took a 22-passenger propeller plane, which was barely allowed to board without a lot of technical equipment. Upon landing in Manizales, you start to get an idea of why it is so famous for its tough climbs; even the airport is at an altitude of 2,094m, nestled between some steep mountains. We went directly to the hotel, located at the foot of the initial climb, to prepare for an early start and to prepare the equipment for the shoot, as unexpected issues can arise with dead batteries and corrupted memory packs. We discussed the final review of the scenes (something that is usually forgotten when time and ideas change) and, more importantly, we quickly reviewed the concept and the feeling of the recording. All of this is related to the initial CDA concept, which gives us a starting point, since decisions must be made on the fly on the day of the shoot.