CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF THE ICONIC OS2 JACKET
Apr 14, 2020
Gill’s most popular offshore jacket has constantly evolved to remain the best in class since 2000.
Gill Marine has a proud heritage of product innovation and customer satisfaction going back to its inception in 1975 when Nick Gill set out with a singular vision to make better sailing apparel without compromising on quality. He was not afraid to push boundaries, introducing the first ever two-piece dinghy suit to the market in 1989 and adopting new seam technology before anyone else. In 2000, this led to the introduction of a product that would come to define the brand: the OS2 jacket.
Initially developed by Nick Gill for the America’s Cup, the OS2 jacket was the most innovative product of its time. And this has not changed in the 20 years since then. It has evolved into a diverse product that can be worn anytime, anywhere – whether it’s offshore racing, coastal cruising or weekend fun on or off the water. Updated over the years with latest fabrics and innovation whilst remaining true to its original form and function that customers keep coming back to, it is lined for comfort and remains ever popular for its fit, especially with women.
Commenting on the 20-year anniversary of the OS2 Jacket, Matt Clark, Product Development Director at Gill, concluded, “The iconic OS2 jacket has been continuously reviewed, evolved and elevated to ensure it remains the best – and Gill has become synonymous with the product in the eyes of our customers, who love and trust this jacket. The changes over the years have been driven by customer feedback, alongside improvements in new fabric technologies, but we have stayed true to the original vision, the saying ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ is very relevant in this instance. Each OS2 jacket takes 36 hours to cut, construct, test, pack and prepare. Time and care is taken with each and every jacket, to ensure our high standards are maintained, especially as there are a total of 189 individual components within each jacket.”
“Gill has never spent so much time and effort getting a product right before, and that is reflected in the fact it remains our most popular product year after year. Good quality products don’t need big changes to make them better; it’s about listening to the people who use them and making small refinements. The little changes that might not be noticeable to the eye can make the biggest difference. We are very proud that our customers love this jacket and respect the quality and value for money. I have no doubt this jacket will still be as popular in another 20 years.”
Gill Marine develops their own fabrics and works with handpicked manufacturing partners to ensure the highest quality and control, resulting in a unique guarantee that every single product is tested before being shipped. That testing includes a rigorous, labor intensive process and is water tested 28 times – no other technical apparel brand can offer the same guarantee to their customers.
