FIELD REPORT : ROBYN ORRETT

‘Field Report’ is an editorial series hosted in collaboration with Purple Mountain Observatory and Ali George Hinkins. It seeks to showcase members of the wider creative community in PMO gear in their chosen field, whether a literal field, a modern cityscape, a workshop, or a studio space. We aim to delve deeply into the subject’s interests, outlets, and disciplines while showcasing the brand’s Spring/Summer ’25 collection, highlighting how it has transcended its outdoor roots. 

Each instalment of Field Report throughout Spring/Summer will take place in a different UK city, highlighting the variety of talent and creativity in the country. With Manchester ticked off our proverbial list, we head down south to the country’s capital, London, and the home of Purple Mountain Observatory. 

Following on from the Field Report with Jaimus Tailor, Robyn Orrett is the latest subject, as we continue to connect with creative individuals throughout London. Robyn is an avid cyclist, garment designer, and appreciator of technical outerwear, specifically when it is engineered towards a purpose. 

PRODUCT MEETS PEOPLE

A graduate of Kingston School of Art, Robyn has cut her teeth in various roles at different companies, from outerwear for the Boss Men’s Casual line at Hugo Boss to a stint at adidas on the running apparel design team. For five years until recently, Robyn was positioned at Rapha as a product designer for the apparel design team, where she harnessed her understanding of technical products and performance clothing. 

Working in a largely male-dominated field, Robyn’s perspective is invaluable yet wholly underrepresented, given the difference in anatomy between males and females. This inequality translates to a fundamental lack of understanding by male-led teams who, sometimes, not always, fail to account for this, and it is apparent in technical clothing and sportswear that is not fit for purpose. While the industry seems to be shifting, it has a long way to go, and we can discuss that later. 
In our forthcoming conversation, we discuss the role of functional clothing in an unpredictable city like London, Robyn’s preferred mode of transport (hint, it’s two wheels), and the unexpected challenges she has overcome as a woman working in technical design.

PMO: What kind of outdoor activities do you like to do most and why? 

RO: I love cycling and running, and sometimes hiking. What I love the most about all 3 of them is the opportunity to travel far, explore and the sense of freedom you have. I love the idea of getting (slightly) lost or being somewhere unknown, so I love to get out without an exact route planned, no matter where I am travelling. Safety permitting, obviously, but ideally, I just go and see where I end up. The exploring and unfamiliar keeps me mentally stimulated and distracts me from the actual doing bit. Being out on trails or gravel paths in nature gives me that ultimate sense of freedom, and as a fairly impatient person who loves speed, cycling just means exploring them at a faster pace than walking. 

PMO: Following this, how important is it to have a hobby that allows you to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and be in your own head for a bit? 

RO: Very important! I use these hobbies to ground myself and feel less overwhelmed by the constant demands, density and structure of working and living in a very intense city. Kinda why I wanted to escape working for a cycling brand in the end, as I felt like the hobby I love and used as a means of escape, ironically, ended up consuming me and became my entire identity, which I felt constrained by.  

PMO: Living in such a fast-paced city, what is your preferred mode of transport? 

RO: Cycling genuinely is the best way to get about, it really upsets me though how dangerous it can be for cyclists and how you are treated on the road. That said, if you can ride safely, have your wits about you and try not to get stressed out, then it really is the best way. I hate the tube/the idea of being underground, and no one has time to walk – cycling gets you outside while getting to places fairly quickly. Lime bikes are unreal because another sad thing about riding a bike in London is the risk of getting your bike knicked! So Limes win. 

PMO: Having just finished at Rapha, where does your path lead next?RO: I’ve decided to take a step out of the cycling sphere entirely to join the world of trail running. I’ve taken on a role as Product Lead for a small running brand – a huge shift from corporate life to working as a team of 4 of us, which I’m super excited about.

PMO: As we know, the UK’s weather is very temperamental. How do you plan for this from a personal and design perspective?

RO: I over-prepare, and layers are my best friend. Over the years in sportswear design, I’ve learnt a lot about the performance of materials and the need for different layers for different conditions, so that knowledge has had a massive impact on how I like to dress day to day. Not to say I wear sportswear all day every day, but the need to be prepared for interchangeable weather is a must, like thin packable pieces you can shove in a bag quickly. A hot take/life hack I’ve been getting into is taking cycling arm warmers out with me, even for nights out – when the temperature drops, I’ve shoved them on under a light jacket and no one’s to know!

PMO: From your perspective, what kind of clothing does an unpredictable city like London command? How does PMO fulfil this brief?

RO: Although it’s inconsistent, London’s weather rarely gets into extreme territory. It’s fairly mediocre, with temperatures or conditions varying, but nothing drastic. With this, I’d say versatility is the most important function to nail – clothes you can get away with wearing all day, that give you a bit of everything. PMO does all these things very well – fusing technicality and day-to-day functionality with a beautiful aesthetic. Jack of all trades type clothes done in a considerate way!

PMO: Following this, if you had to collaborate with PMO to design an outerwear garment, for example, that ‘does it all’, how would that look?

RO: I admire how PMO experiments with material blends on very wearable silhouettes. Maybe we could take those elements to design a unique but versatile jacket for cycling. For me, that would be a great collab!

PMO: What pieces have you chosen to wear today and why? How do they fit into the idea of a city’s unpredictable climate? 

RO: I chose to wear the PMO field shirt because, incredibly, London is proper hot at the moment and I love being able to protect myself from the sun if I’m out and about all day (as common as it is – I’m not a fan of the English white person sunburn), but I also want to cover up without overheating. The shirt is really light and I love wearing it on my bike. I feel like when you ride around with a shirt flapping in the sun as it picks up the wind, you feel like it’s cooling you down? I may be imagining this.

PMO: As a woman in the field of design, do you face unexpected challenges and how do you overcome them? What advice would you give to other women looking to work in this field?

RO: Nothing too unexpected. Working in sport/sportswear naturally requires you to have a personality that is resilient, and motivated with an eagerness for a challenge. Though as a woman and a creative, it is double the work to not second guess yourself, justify every decision you make and attempt to shape yourself into the existing frameworks just so you feel you fit in.

To overcome these challenges, I have built a wonderful, supportive and inspiring network throughout my career that I lean on a lot. Also, as the industry is full of rules, rational thinkers and exclusive cultures, my advice to those working in this industry, particularly in a creative field, is to remember to trust your gut, let your imagination be your superpower, practice confident communication and embody the culture you want to define! 

PMO: What are you looking forward to in the next few months?

RO: I’m looking forward to running again, as I’m currently off with a stress injury. It’s been tough not being able to enjoy one of those hobbies that keeps me sane, plus I feel like I’ve missed out on a big social element of my life, so I’m really excited to make a comeback while it’s still sunny in London. 

PMO: Aside from what we see on your profile, what is one thing we might not know about you? 

RO: My explore page is just content of cats and pandas.

Love to hear that! Thanks, Robyn, for your perspective on all things cycling, outerwear, and Instagram’s explore page algorithm. If you ever see a Robyn Orett x PMO collaboration, you best believe there will be a jacket printed with cats and pandas. 

Follow along with Robyn’s journey via robyn.arlo on Instagram. 

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