Alessandro Elena

The very beginning

 

Starting with creating some boards for friends and early customers in my hometown, I slowly came across more of my boards in the water. More often, I noticed surfers being proud of the local shapers. At that point, I designed some t-shirts and jumpers to provide a little extra with my boards and this turned out to be a great success.

 

And oh yeah, I still owe my great friend and fellow surfer a surfboard. He created the southswellsurfboards logo without asking for anything in return. Thanks a lot, Sedrik!

 

The way to the top

 

Everything was going great: step by step, board by board. I possessed the necessary equipment and all the professional tools to progress and improve. But still, I was not completely satisfied with my boards. 

 

As a perfectionist with an ambitious soul, my goal is to produce the best of the best. I aim to craft authentic jewelry. And how do you become the best? By learning from the best.

 

So I made up my mind: the only way to get better is to travel the world, acquire knowledge of new techniques, and come by different thoughts. So I began to expand my connections, both nationally and internationally.

 

Flying around the globe to gain all the necessary expertise

 

I caught a flight to Belgium and performed a beautiful live shaping session in Ostend where I met many other surfers and surfboard-building enthusiasts.

 

I flew to Portugal where I started working for one of the biggest factories in Europe as a glasser for some time. I met a lot of other people within the surf industry and eventually I started working for another company 'Lufi Surf Co.', which operates in Portugal as well.

 

Working as a sander only, my Portuguese colleague told me I had a bad technique, so he showed me how it was done… To Josalito: I owe you bro. While working with him in the factory, doing everything together, he taught me what it means to create a board. We built all kinds of longboards and classic boards. We made fins in many colors of our choice, polish, glass on fins, etc.

 

We shared astonishing surf sessions and every lunch break was a blast. My roommate in Portugal, who became my best friend, was often with us in the factory to watch us working or to talk trash... To Max: I miss you big time mate.

 

Each day, I went to work with a big smile on my face… I definitely spent the best months of my life in Costa da Caparica, where I realized that my goal in life was to have my own brand and my own factory in which I build my own boards.

 

After my Portugal adventure, I went back to Italy with tears running down my cheeks (I swear!). I learned so much over these past years. The number of followers on my Instagram increased. And also my name became well-known across different countries. When back in Italy, I shaped some more boards in my lab and those were in my opinion, perfection.

 

The take-off in Aussie

 

Right now, I’m on the Gold Coast in Australia, determined to launch my brand on the market and take southswellsurfboards to another level.

 

I must thank everyone who believed in me; all those who continue to support me. ​​Above all, I must thank those who did not believe in me, because they are the reason I felt the urge to prove that I can turn my passion into my profession.