The brand

Creative, independent and committed since its creation in 2006.
Olow is much more than a French clothing brand.

Our Story

From its workshop-boutiques in Paris and Nantes, Olow brings together artists from all over the world and promotes the idea of a quality unisex wardrobe. The collections, with vintage and workwear influences, are produced in small family factories in Portugal, or artisanally in France.

The Genesis

Olow was founded by Mathieu Sorosina, Valentin Porcher, and their shared passion for the art world. So, at the dawn of their 25th year, the duo embarked on a clear project: to create a clothing brand decisively focused on artistic collaborations.

It's 2006, and the two friends have known each other for a few years, regularly working together on creative projects during their studies; they even started a short film association. With (only) 4,000 euros in their pockets, but an immense desire for independence and freedom, the adventure began. First with t-shirts, whose designs were created either by themselves or by artists in their network in a somewhat punk screen-printing workshop in Les Lilas, then over the years, with an increasingly expanded wardrobe.

In any case, from the outset, Valentin and Mathieu wanted to align with their values and turned to made-in-Europe and organic cotton, which were very uncommon at the time and came with their own set of challenges: choices were limited, quality wasn't always there, but despite this, they persisted.

The turning point

The first real turning point for the brand came in 2010, after four weeks of commercial touring across France, with the opening of their first forty points of sale. Added to this was a healthy cash flow and their first salary in 2012 (albeit 500 euros): the foundations began to solidify.

As the founders' lives unfolded, the brand moved several times from Paris to Nantes, and many events punctuated these passing years, filled with collaborations, of course, but also travel, exhibitions, and numerous concerts.

After 20 years, and sometimes weathering a few storms, Mathieu and Valentin are still at the helm of the Olow ship, as solid and serene as seasoned captains. Far from the dirt-floored office in a Parisian cellar where they started (lent by a friend), Olow now has two shops/offices/creative studios, a strong network of over 200 retailers, and a close-knit team spread between Paris, Nantes, and Bordeaux.

"Our friendship remains as strong as our initial desire: to develop a sustainable, accessible, creative, and free brand."

Mathieu Sorosina
Co-founder

Our team

Here is a presentation of our team, from the core members to the slightly broader staff, who provide constant support.

Valentin Porcher

Co-founder
Artistic and Communications Director

As a child, in the living room of his high-rise apartment in Blanc-Mesnil, Valentin drew on countless sheets of paper taped together, creating pencil frescoes composed of hundreds of characters... A few years later, he imagined himself as a "Typeface Designer." During holidays and weekends, he'd find himself in his parents' Toyota van, traveling across France, dreaming of distant lands. After high school, he met Mathieu while studying communication in Montreuil. Over time, Valentin refined his writing, developed his artistic eye, and his quest for adventure grew, leading to his world tour in 2017: eleven months of exploring, enriching himself through others, nature, and life.

Today, Valentin is in Nantes with part of the Olow team. He is responsible for artistic direction and communication.

Mathieu Sorosina

Co-founder
Artistic Director and Production Manager

Mathieu is the door-opener, the guy with legendary wit and frankness. A child of the Maladrerie estate in Aubervilliers, he spent a lot of time in artists' studios. Naturally curious, he is an unconditional lover of art in all its forms and decided to take up ceramics himself in 2022.

When he's not out on the town, pint in hand in Paris bars or at an exhibition, Mathieu is at the office on Rue de Montmorency in Paris. He's a bit of a conductor who knows every file inside out. A true jack-of-all-trades, he manages all manufacturing in Portugal, finds our collaborations, tracks collections, and handles artistic direction with Valentin. It's an exciting, fast-paced job for an energetic person like him.