Maud Le Car: as inspiring as she is inspired
At After Essentials, collaborations often grow from human connections, shared visions and a common desire to create with purpose. That’s exactly how our path crossed with Maud Le Car a few years ago. A professional surfer from Saint-Martin in the French Caribbean, Maud is also an artist at heart. Inspired by the ocean, she in turn inspires others. Together, we imagined a surf poncho in her image: free-spirited, committed, and resolutely focused on what truly matters.
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Between surf and awareness
From a very young age, the ocean has been at the centre of Maud’s life. It opened the door to surfing, offering her a space for expression, self-improvement and balance. But through competitions and travels, she also became aware of a harsher reality: plastic pollution, omnipresent on beaches and throughout the world’s oceans.
In 2021, she founded the Save La Mermaid association, driven by a simple yet powerful desire: to act at her own scale to protect what has given her so much. The association brings together an ocean-loving community around concrete actions — beach clean-ups, awareness events, educational meetings with children, workshops focused on marine ecology — all in an inclusive and collective spirit.
Among these initiatives, the Mer Maid Days have become a flagship event. These days combine beach clean-ups, environmental discussions, surf and yoga sessions, and conversations around a more conscious lifestyle. They are moments where action meets connection — to others, to the ocean, and to oneself.
A poncho as a manifesto
It is this sensitivity that we wanted to express through a surf poncho designed down to the smallest detail.
The central motif features an octopus — half woman, half marine creature. Fascinating, intelligent and essential to the balance of our oceans, this animal has become the emblem of the collaboration. Its graffiti-inspired design echoes the spray-painted artwork on Maud’s surfboards: a free, expressive, almost spontaneous line.
The colour choice is equally meaningful. Purple, Maud’s signature shade, wraps the poncho in a soft, unisex aura that feels accessible to all. It conveys elegance, creativity and a sense of calm — like a sunset over the ocean.
A surf poncho designed for everyday use
Created for post-surf sessions, this poncho features the comfortable cut of our previous collaboration, with added thoughtful details. Slightly extended sleeves allow you to change discreetly on the beach. The redesigned, wider hood is made to better envelop your head and wet hair.
The terry fabric, absorbent and breathable, allows you to dry off quickly while maintaining a soft feel. Two discreet side openings let you slip your hands through to remove your wetsuit, put on swimwear or access the pockets of your shorts. A front kangaroo pocket completes the design — perfect for keys, small accessories, or even the bits of litter collected at the end of a session.
A simple gesture, yet a deeply symbolic one, perfectly aligned with the values behind this project.
A poncho as a message
Available now on our online store, this poncho goes beyond being a simple accessory — it becomes a statement of commitment. It embodies a vision where style and responsibility coexist, where art can support action, and where every detail tells a story.
Through our collaboration with Maud, we discovered a personality that is both radiant and deeply engaged — a woman of the sea and of heart, whose energy inspires us to do better, together.
This poncho is the result of that encounter.
To wear, to gift, to lend — at the rhythm of the ocean.