GONE FISHING pairs modular outdoor gear with lightweight ALUULA construction
GONE FISHING brings Db and Purple Mountain Observatory together for a capsule that treats fly fishing less as a specialist pursuit and more as a point of departure. Both brands approached the sport as outsiders, using that distance to question its familiar equipment and reshape it through their own design languages. The result is a compact system of apparel and bags built around curiosity, adaptability and movement across different environments.
The fishing vest sits at the centre of the collection, supported by a modular family of bags that connects Db’s luggage expertise with Purple Mountain Observatory’s outdoor perspective. An oversized sling bag and adapted backpack extend the same framework, giving the capsule a consistent structure without making each piece serve the same role. Instead of reproducing traditional fly-fishing gear, the collaboration focuses on how equipment can move between outdoor use, travel and everyday carrying.
Material choice plays a major role in that approach. The collection uses ALUULA Graflyte, a lightweight composite fabric developed for demanding outdoor conditions. Its reduced weight is intended to support mobility without sacrificing strength or durability, allowing the garments and bags to remain practical across different terrains and activities. The material choice also reinforces the broader logic of the project, where performance is treated as something that can be rethought through construction rather than added as a separate technical layer.
What gives GONE FISHING its character is the way the two brands work from unfamiliarity instead of trying to hide it. Db brings a background in travel gear, backpacks and modular carrying systems, while Purple Mountain Observatory approaches outdoor clothing through a constant dialogue between nature and urban life. That difference gives the capsule a more open-ended quality, with fishing functioning as a shared reference rather than a fixed set of rules.
Founded in Scandinavia, Db has built its identity around engineering luggage and accessories for people moving across different forms of transport, while Purple Mountain Observatory, established in the UK in 2021, develops activewear informed by both landscape and city environments. Their collaboration brings those two positions together in a collection that places function, portability and environmental awareness at the centre without losing a clear visual identity.
GONE FISHING launched on 27 August through Db and Purple Mountain Observatory’s online stores and selected global stockists. The capsule works as a meeting point between travel design and outdoor clothing, using fly fishing as a framework for questioning how specialist gear can be made lighter, more modular and easier to carry across different settings.
All images courtesy of Purple Mountain Observatory, shared with permission
