Built from experience
Solène Saclier did not set out to follow a trend. She built Sailiz out of years of quiet frustration. As a sailor, she knew what it felt like to move through maneuvers in gear that restricted rather than supported. As someone trained in fashion and luxury management, she also understood how products are conceived, developed, and brought to market. At some point, those two worlds collided into a realisation that something fundamental was missing.
Women today represent a growing share of sailors, yet the vast majority of technical equipment is still designed with men in mind. The issue runs deeper than sizing. It is about ergonomics, pressure points, and how garments behave in motion when hiking, grinding, or moving across a wet deck. Many women have learned to adapt, to make do, to accept small inefficiencies that compound over time.
Sailiz starts from a different place. Each product is designed with the expectation that a sailor should not have to think about what they are wearing once they leave the dock. Gear should perform intuitively, without distraction, without compromise. That belief has shaped everything from early prototypes to the way the brand engages with its community.
Designed with sailors
At the core of Sailiz is a co-creation process that goes beyond feedback loops or marketing narratives. Women sailors at all levels are actively involved in shaping each piece, from early concepts to on-water testing. Offshore professionals, club racers, and weekend sailors bring different perspectives, and that diversity is treated as a strength rather than a challenge.
The process is hands-on. Prototypes are tested in real conditions. Adjustments are made based on how materials move, where seams create pressure, and how closures function with cold hands or gloves. An inshore jacket currently in development has been shaped through workshops and testing sessions with female sailors, each iteration bringing it closer to something that works in practice, not just on paper.
This approach also defines what Sailiz means by an ergonomic women’s cut. It is not a resized men’s pattern. It is built from an understanding of how different bodies move and where support is needed. Waist placement, hip movement, harness interaction, and freedom of motion are all considered from the start. It requires time, investment, and constant dialogue with the people who will ultimately rely on the gear.
Production follows the same mindset. Design is rooted in Brittany, with manufacturing and sourcing kept close to Europe. Seamless base layers are produced in France, while materials are selected with durability and environmental impact in mind. PFC-free waterproofing, repairability, and recyclability are integrated into the lifecycle of each product. The goal is not only performance, but longevity and responsibility.
On the horizon
Sailiz is still at an early stage, but its course is set. Expansion into new markets is already underway, with Scandinavia emerging as a key region. Partnerships are forming that connect product development with real sailing environments, creating a feedback loop that keeps performance grounded in reality.
Looking further ahead, the ambition stretches beyond recreational cruising and racing. There is a growing recognition that women working in maritime industries face an even larger gap in suitable equipment. Fishing, offshore wind, and professional maritime sectors all demand gear that performs under pressure. Sailiz sees an opportunity to bring the same design principles into those spaces.
More broadly, the sailing industry is shifting. The next generation of brands will be defined by how they respond to a more diverse and demanding community. Inclusivity and sustainability are no longer optional. They are part of what performance means.
For Sailiz, the work has only just begun. And quietly, in the background, new collaborations are taking shape. What is coming next between Sailiz and Gybe Set hints at something that goes beyond products alone, built around access, progression, and a shared vision of where sailing is heading.
