Purple Mountain Observatory x Db

“You guys have nothing to do with fly fishing.”

Yeah? So, what?

That attitude became the starting point for GONE FISHING, the inaugural collaboration between Purple Mountain Observatory and Db.

Built around a curiosity for fly fishing, the project began with both brands approaching the sport from the outside. Neither interested in pretending to be experts, the collaboration instead became an exercise to step into an unfamiliar world and learn as we went along.

GONE FISHING is for people who don't believe every hobby requires permission, qualifications or a decade of experience before you're allowed to participate. Sometimes it's enough to be interested, step in and figure the rest out as you go.

Designing the collection

Drawing from traditional fly-fishing equipment, Purple Mountain Observatory and Db developed a capsule that brings together technical apparel and luggage within one modular system.

At its centre sits the ALUULA® Vest, a reinterpretation of the traditional fishing vest built around storage, accessibility and movement. Alongside it, an oversized sling, backpack and supporting luggage extend the same principles beyond the river.

Rather than treating each product individually, the collection was developed as a connected framework. Components, attachment points and Db's Hook-Up™ system allow pieces to work together, creating equipment designed to move between fishing, travel and everyday environments.

Central to the collection is ALUULA® Graflyte™, a lightweight composite material engineered for demanding environments.

Its exceptionally high strength-to-weight performance allowed us to reduce unnecessary weight while retaining the durability required from equipment designed to be used outdoors. It's a material that reflects much of the thinking behind GONE FISHING: questioning the assumption that more capable equipment has to mean heavier equipment.

Gone Fishing

The campaign, shot by Aintfussed, takes the collection to Exmoor where we worked alongside fly-fishing specialist Lewis Hendrie.

Rather than constructing a polished interpretation of the sport, the campaign follows the same approach that shaped the collaboration itself: getting outside, trying something new and seeing what happens.

For the campaign, we headed out with Lewis, whose relationship with fly fishing sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to our own.

Lewis began fishing at four years old and discovered fly fishing at 11. By 13, he was representing the England youth team, before becoming one of the country's youngest qualified casting instructors and coaches at 18. He later went on to represent the England senior team, competing across European and World Championships.

For the past 20 years, Lewis has worked professionally as a fly-fishing guide and casting instructor, specialising in river fishing for trout and grayling alongside saltwater fly fishing. His work has taken him from rivers across the UK and Europe to waters in New Zealand.

That contrast became an important part of the campaign: two brands stepping into an unfamiliar world alongside someone who has spent most of his life within it.

GONE FISHING was never about pretending to be experts. If anything, it's about being comfortable enough not to know, learn from professionals and give it a go.

We aren't pretending to be the experts. If anything, GONE FISHING is about being comfortable enough not to know, learn from professionals and to give it a go.

It's about being willing to start.

Purple Mountain Observatory x Db — GONE FISHING. Out now.