Italian violin makers, the families of Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari manufactured the finest musical instruments in the world. Beside their aesthetical perfection, the violins seemed to have personality and soul – the masters blended parts of their own lives into these magical instruments. Thus the sounds produced by the violins provoked profound emotions amongst listeners.
However, the workshop of the legendary master Luigi Bergamo does not produce the violins but the most perfect pieces of sportswear that suggest quality and have attractive and practical visual design. Just like Michelangelo, who gave life to his sculptures, Luigi Bergamo gave new impulses to sportswear by his visionary solutions and timeless creations…
I had the honour and the great pleasure of taking part in the creation of sportswear intended for the project of Yukon Arctic Ultra – the epic story of the 430 mile long ultramarathon in the region of Yukon, Canada, whose participant I was, together with Mr. Bergamo and the team of people from the UVU family.
The task assigned to the team was to create equipment of the quality sufficient to endure the hardships imposed by the harsh and extreme conditions of Yukon along the legthy and dangerous route from the little town of Whitehorse to Dowson City. The idea was to make pieces of clothes that will be ultralight and at the same time warm enough to resist the potential -50 degrees Celsius. They should be of athletic design that enables perfect body flexibility and dries quickly without causing skin irritation.
In the world of ultramarathon and extreme endurance races, the UVU brand is the synonym for the material quality and the equipment which, thanks to its perfect design and lightweight structure, enables freedom of movement and gives the athlete the possibility to express their full potential in the competition. The Yukon Arctic Ultra race represented a big challenge and the motivation for the UVU brand and team to show their commitment to small details, right solutions and true vision.
The UVU team and Luigi Bergamo designed the UVU Arctic line, which by its idea solutions makes a big step towards future creations intended for activities in extremely low temperatures. Luigi gave the collection the dramatic spirit of the Italian Dolomites mixed with his personal aesthetic sensations and the UVU team contributed their experience acquired by the years of testing of equipment and materials in some of the most severe regions of the world, from the Amazon rainforests, jungles, Moroccan deserts, Himalayan peaks and the snowy regions of the Antarctic.
The outcome was the perfect UVU Arctic line made up of several layers which indeed was the initial idea. Lightweight pieces that ideally follow the body shape and enable movement even in the lowest temperatures. Luigi Bergamo and the UVU team took care never to underestimate the nature of Yukon in their creations and to show respect for the nature. On the other hand, they made the perfect balance by considering the athletes needs in such circumstances. The protection offered by such lightweight equipment seems unbelievable. One cannot help remembering the famous scene from the cult adventure The Lord of the Rings when hobbit Frodo Baggins gets a lightweight waistcoat made of special material that protects him from attacks of evil dark creatures.
The feeling of security and full trust in equipment is crucially important in extreme endurance races. Even though it does not fully determine the performance and the final outcome, it definitely is the part of the mosaic on the road to success.
The UVU team and Luigi Bergamo made something special, big and of extra quality. It was made possible by the combination of enthusiasm, positive desire and creational inspiration. The equipment made me feel like a superhero in magic clothes. Like Jules Verne, the team predicted events and I, like Captain Nemo in Nautilus, could sail through the snowy and large expanse of Yukon.
