with Leon Shore + Tom Joyner of MCMLX 

 

If you're not good with your roman numerals, then you won't realise MCMLX is actually 1960 in what we call normal numerals. Naturally, we here at Daily Labels think in roman numerals all day long, so it was straightforward with us [straightforward being more like the growing success of this tshirt label].

 

Despite conducting an e-Interview with Leon and Tom due to logistical limitations, it really is clear just how easygoing and sensible their approach to collaborative design and running a business is - the way it should be.

TOM AND LEON | MCMLX

 Daily Labels  Tell us about the stars behind MCMLX?

 Tom  Leon and I met in high school back in Canberra awhile ago. We didn't start making and designing tees until 2010 when we were saving to go overseas. We both now live in New South Wales. I work three-day jobs and Leon is finishing off his graphic design degree.

   

 Daily Labels  What led you both to fashion?

 Leon  Our interest in fashion sparked during our first label, Owl vs Pig. Back then, we screen printed blanks in a cold garage. From there, we were always looking at clothes and wondering what we would do differently. I guess we got deeper into the fashion game without even realising – through a general interest in design and clothes.

 

 Daily Labels  Any view to expand from tees?

 Tom  We’re pretty keen to expand into button-up shirts and denim in the future but right now, we don't quite have the funding to pull it off.

   

 Daily Labels  How do you keep your work fun?

 Leon  We never take anything too seriously and it's the same with our label. We're always on the hunt for new stockists or a bit of exposure and is the exciting part of running a label. We're also work and study so it’s great as a fun side project.

 

 Daily Labels  The MCMLX design process?

 Tom  We start off creating a mood board – collecting pictures and photos of interesting shapes and patterns. We then make a billion sketches of what we like until we have something solid. The next part involves transferring the finalised sketch into Illustrator and fiddling around with it on there. Once we're both happy, it gets sent off to the printer and comes back as a tee. Leon and I really have equal share of responsibility in the design process but he's a bit better with the computer. 

 

 Daily Labels  Inspirations?

 Leon Well we source inspiration from everywhere but if I had to choose, I would say Vanishing Elephant for their clean simplicity, I Love Ugly from New Zealand are always keeping it fresh and I'm inclined to flick through Monster Children for some new ideas.

 

 Daily Labels  Any drawbacks to working with a mate?

 Tom  Sometimes, work on the label has to come before any type of hanging out. But on the whole, it's a pleasure!

 

 Daily Labels  Most exciting aspect to running your own label?

 Leon  Definitely the challenges and the accomplishments you make along the way. The constant moving-forward through exposure and stockists as well as designing and seeing the final product for the first time.

 

 Daily Labels  Most challenging?

 Tom  Keeping books on revenue and expenses and effectively managing that to make a profit like any business. Most of all, it's difficult establishing our name once we have our product, and finding retail outlets to peddle our gear.

 

 Daily Labels  Your PR approach?

 Leon  We really thought through our identity and the overall feel of our label at the very beginning. We make sure we stick to it through everything we do. We market ourselves through various social media and stockists, trying to make sure all marketing complies with our original vision for the label.

 

 Daily Labels  Where do you let off steam?

 Tom  I love travelling, but it's expensive. Recently, Leon and I took a month to travel around southern Africa and work on a documentary project we've been wanting to make for ages. Otherwise, on a nice day it's nice to unwind friends and beers in Sydney Park St Peters or down by the water in Ultimo or the harbour.

 

 Daily Labels  Favourite food joint?

 Leon  Mine would have to be Lee and Me, a little café/boutique in the heart of Wollongong.

 

 Daily Labels  Your last laugh?

 Tom  A decent frape committed against me.

 

 Daily Labels  Advice for anyone wanting to launch a label?

 Leon  Details, details, details. It's the little things that will trip you up later on, so make sure you take the time to get everything perfect. Have fun, do it for the love and keep it fresh.

   

 Daily Labels  If you could collaborate with any designer in the world, who would it be?

 Tom  Shepard Fairey. [Daily Labels: Hit up Interview Magazine for more on this renowned graphic designer].

 

 Daily Labels  An item no one should EVER be seen wearing?

 Leon  Anything by Ed Hardy.

 Tom  Agreed. Absolute filth.

 

 Daily Labels  2012 and beyond?

 Tom  We're working on expanding as soon as we can into button-up shirts. Perhaps even moving our manufacturing offshore. Having already gotten one North American stockist behind us, we're looking for more in tandem with the release of our next line.

 

Melbourne design duo Sam Rickard and Eloise Ballet of Rarity Clothing might rest on some simple theories when it comes to running and creating their label yet it has only resulted in triumph with an ardent following. We talk to these bright students about escaping monotony and how to keep life, love and work uncomplicated.

 with Sam Rickard and Eloise Ballet of Rarity Clothing 

Daily Labels A show and tell of the talent behind Rarity Clothing?

Sam I’ve always experimented with new things and finding the right project that gives me external and internal satisfaction. I’m still studying so Rarity is a step back from the chaos that is financial risk management and IT (the boring day job!). I don’t have artistic talents, nor do I have much experience in the clothing industry but what I do have is vision and purpose. I’m now finding out that this is the sole thing one needs to drive something successfully.

Eloise I’m the artistic one that makes sure that Sam doesn’t do anything unrealistic! I currently work as a make-up artist and inject my creative flare into our designs. Like Sam, I’m studying banking and finance. Time is scarce but I share the same feeling about Rarity being a scapegoat from all the monotony! We love what we do, we strive to learn more every day and set out to accomplish our goals as best as possible, which simply is to provide sweet quality threads to everyday males.

 

Daily Labels What led you both to creating threads?

Sam One day we were shopping and it suddenly struck us – male clothing was too expensive, complex and not fresh enough for guys like me. Slapping a couple of words onto beautifully crafted shirts that resonate with people who share the same idealities came after some thinking. Going from zero to 100 came with its challenges yet still does today. We find at least two new things to learn every day but love it. Trends are evolutionary, but so many people take solace in simplicity, that’s all we want to tap into.

 

Daily Labels How do you retain the fun in your work?

Eloise Admittedly, it’s incredibly difficult, however the joy of receiving positive feedback or seeing someone wear a shirt generates motivation and that kick to keep going because we know we’re doing something good. The most rewarding point of doing all this is thinking back on where we started from, which simply put, was one idea fabricated somewhere in our brains. There are so many things to do every day, from our social media activities to discovering new trends to tweaking and imbuing our future designs but that simple joy, in it’s purest form, sustains our passion.

Daily Labels A typical day for you both?

Sam The design process is comparable to a heart monitor – it goes up and then down, slower then faster and keeps going until we have something that is just perfect. It starts off with internet surfing, visits to every store imaginable and speaking with the people that love our clothing. We always want to incorporate their likes into our designs, that’s what will make it sell so who better to ask than our followers! We’ve just recruited an amazing graphic designer who’ll be working intensely with us on our new lines. Once we have a vision, he transforms it into a reality. We’re lucky to have him so hopefully when we launch, everyone else will love it as much as us! We feed off each other’s thoughts and ideas as we find they’re never right the first go, but always positively compound very quickly after collaborating.

 

Daily Labels Your inspirations?

Eloise There are so many things that we look at or read daily. Our top 3 would be Tumblr – the amount of ideas or concepts that we’ve found by simply looking through it is amazing. You never know what will pop out at you. Facebook – what better way to track niche market wants than perusing through here. We’re always looking at what people are wearing in photographs (not in a creepy way of course) and what they’re saying to each other. There’s so much information to transcend into our designs. Also the general public – we listen to our customers. Our brand is simply a reflection of what people want. We don’t follow designers and try to recreate something already existing. Every day people and their personal styles inspire us.

 

Daily Labels Can you expand on your theory of design simplicity?

Eloise Simply put, we’re all becoming more complex. Other designers always add an extra layer or centimeter of depth to their designs. We take a few steps back to the raw feeling of carefree and easy. Simplicity can evolve but we’ll always incorporate this element into our clothing as it makes us unique. We don’t want to be trend-setting nor tell people what to wear, so we listen. We think this is why so many people are affectionate over our creations.

 

Daily Labels Most exciting aspect of running a label?

Sam The feeling of never knowing what’s going to happen. One moment we could be set on a new line and what it encompasses and a day later, it could completely change. The market and our niche demographic can be volatile, so who knows what we will create –it’s an incredible ride.

 

Daily Labels Most challenging?

Sam That volatility. The most exciting thing experienced when running a label is also our biggest challenge. It’s determining what will work and won’t work within our market. It’s not the bookkeeping, it’s not about the business structure and maintaining strategic vision, it’s the here and now and whether our current and future designs will continue to meet our niche market needs.

 

Daily Labels Your marketing strategy?

Eloise Honesty. We don’t scream at the top of our lungs “look at us!”. Instead, we let our genuine interest in our own products shine through advertising and marketing. The brand names that best connect their own morals and values with their customers generally do the best. Brands that try to be something they’re not crash and burn, so it’s crucial to remain true to ourselves and stick to what we know, the rest will work itself out!

 

Daily Labels Where do both you let off steam?

Eloise When things get hectic, we love venturing down to Peninsula Hot Springs. It’s the perfect place to step back and relish what’s really important. We always leave with a fresh perspective on our company and life in general.

 

Daily Labels Favourite food joint?

Sam Tahn Daht in Springvale. Not your typical restaurant decked out with lavish furniture or waiters tending to every need. Instead, it’s straight to the point and looks like something you’d never consider entering. The little things, like the delicious food and the staff are always the same and incredibly efficient. It’s these finer things that perfect the dining experience. It’s funny what you can take away from a restaurant (no pun intended!)

 

Daily Labels Your last giggle?

Eloise No matter what we’re doing, we always laugh. With no fun, there’s no creativity. Being in a relationship, we laugh at just about anything. I’m from Mauritius and my mother says the funniest things with her accent and Sam can’t help but take advantage! Sometimes I think he’s more Mauritian than my family – it’s a forever enriching experience!

 

Daily Labels Advice for anyone wanting to launch their own label?

Sam JUST DO IT! Ideas are worthless unless acted upon. We had no experience when we started in September 2011, absolutely nothing. As long as you learn something new every day and passion for design and clothing itself, nothing will stop you. 

 

Daily Labels An item that no one should EVER be seen wearing?

Eloise Crocs. Just bury them. Then scorch the earth.

 

Daily Labels What can we expect to see next season form Rarity Clothing?

Eloise We’re hectically finishing our new clothing lines for Spring. There’ll be some swag injected into the next lot of tees so watch this space – they’ll be coming shortly!

 

Daily Labels Last words?

Sam In September we’ll launch our new range through a fashion show and you’re ALL invited. We think everyone knows just about everything there is to Rarity Clothing, so now, jump on our page, send us a message and keep posted for big things. Wear Rare.

Custom print afficionado Natalie Chapman launched her self-titled womenswear label in 2008 after selling her dresses to boutiques nationally. Fast forward to 2012 and this very busy bee is providing celebrities with launch event outfits and gushing about where to find the best plate of pasta in Darlinghurst.

.with Natalie Chapman 

 

^ BRICE BODYSUIT [AS RECENTLY WORN BY PAULINI AT A NEW YORK CITY GAY PRIDE EVENT] ^

 

Daily Labels Is there a team behind your self-titled label?

Natalie There's me, the Owner and Designer as well as Matt Dillon who does my Public Relations.

 

Daily Labels Where did you make your start?

Natalie With simple dresses that I made myself and sold to boutiques across Australia which encouraged me to keep designing and selling. Part-time became full-time and I made my own industry contacts and developed more knowledge while staying hands-on and building networks. As magazines took an interest in my designs, I evaluated my signature look and the direction of the brand. It all started to take off when I launched the first custom print collection Rockpool. This platformed my brand as a young, Australian-made womenswear label with custom prints.

 

Daily Labels What details drive your designs?

Natalie Prints are what I'm most passionate about - they come from a story vision. Also, being able to turn a print into a dress or a skirt to develop a unique style or trend.

 

Daily Labels How long have you been working in fashion?

Natalie As soon as I graduated from Fashion Design at Raffles, College of Design and Commerce in 2006.

 

Daily Labels Any early influences that sparked your interest in clothes?

Natalie Definitely! I have always loved clothes. Each teen birthday, my godfather took me shopping. I was always a step ahead. I had the whole shopping centre on hold so we could walk straight into the shop to try the held item on. I was always very organised and stubborn about what I wanted to wear and if I couldn’t find what I wanted, I made it.

 

Daily Labels Design inspiration?

Natalie I love reading Fashion Trend – it’s a quarterly Australian magazine that covers the essential trends from Milan, New York and here. Fashion-forward magazines are perfect to get the mind working towards the next collection. If I’ve been thinking about the next line, I typically come across an image that triggers an idea. I also love to pull from newspapers. I cut out travel sections with holiday destinations that I love. From there I create a new vision or mood board. Style.com too - I could spend hours on this site! 

 

Daily Labels Favourite shops to haunt?

Natalie I always find myself shopping, even when browsing for someone else! Woollahra has a cute shoe store with international labels, so you can always get a great pair of leather heels. I'm also a huge fan of accessory shopping online and get a few buys from ASOS.

 

Daily Labels Ideal outfit?

Natalie Skinny leg jeans and heels just comfortable enough to run around in plus a blazer and printed bodysuit. I like to keep my outfits simple and comfortable yet eccentric.

 

Daily Labels What you love about running your own label?

Natalie I get to be creative and think of new ways to build my brand and next collection. I’m passionate about my label and designing. I always tell a story through custom prints. It’s great to visualise something and put it together. I feel especially lucky to build my brand with people that understand its direction and keep me motivated.

 

Daily Labels Most challenging part?

Natalie Running the label is a 24/7 job where I’m always thinking and planning ahead. It’s a full-time and long-term commitment. Managing this and staying forward with trends can be challenging but there’s nothing else I’d rather do! 

Daily Labels Favourite personal item?

Natalie My Miu Miu bag [as featured below]. It has been with me for years now and goes with every outfit I wear – it’s black, medium-sized and has gold circle studs around the edges. I only bring it out at night and it compliments every outfit. I purchased it in Los Angeles while visiting a cousin. Very few were made and sold of this style in Europe and USA – it’s a pretty awesome purchase! 

 

Daily Labels What inspired the latest collection?

Natalie Warrior was inspired by the raw Australian outback contrasted with high-fashion styling. I used this collection to capture a warrior princess character. It’s about being powerful and showing my customers who they want to be. Colour blocking was an expansion from a styling point of view.

 

Daily Labels What can we expect to see from Natalie Chapman next season?

Natalie It's very exciting with a new collection release in August that has new prints contrasted with leather and black. It's high-end and smart-causal inspired by styles from the forties through to the sixties. 

Daily Labels Any exciting gossip?

Natalie Over the weekend, Paulini launced her new song Fireman in New York at a Gay Pride event in the Brice Bodysuit [a statement piece from the Warrior collection].

 

Daily Labels Last meal that left you wanting more?

Natalie An incredible bowl of Spaghetti Bolognese at Vini in Darlinghurst with a glass of my favourite Pinot Noir. Yum!

^ NATALIE CHAPMAN VISION BOARDS ^

 

 

T’was a week of holding back on earthquake humour, too much rain and not enough time spent with our blankets.

 

Oh and yesterday was winter solstice [shortest day of the year]. Things are really looking up.

 

Here’s to the end of this shitful week with some little things that give us hope. Have a great weekend friends.

 

Black Caviar.

Because, well, look at her. She’s so pretty and so talented. And we’re excited for her big show at Royal Ascot.

 

This hat @ Royal Ascot.

It's pretty cool.

 

Sexy Winter Blouses.

And because covered up is so sexy. Females below 25 that think bodycon is still on trend – take your cue.

 

Red. Wild. Disco. Hair.

And Carmen Kass.

 

Rhubarb.

In anything. But mostly pies and tarts straight out of the oven with a cup of oolong tea. Yessss.

 

Rain.

It's great when you're in bed. Not so when using public transport. Ugh.

 

Good looking people in scarves.

But only good looking people. 

 

Cheese Toasties.

However which way you desire your filling, the exteriour must be golden and crispy. They must only be eaten on a couch with a blanket and some shitty television that doesn’t require much focus [because eating these things can get messy when the cheeze oozes out].

Despite one half of this brotherly duo a year shy of legal voting age, hip-hop devotees Kevin and John Bouquet have been successfully selling their clothing label NUMB Apparel while at study.

 

With Kevin at 19 completing a photo imaging course [refer to links at base of this post] and John at 17 in his final year of secondary school, we're kinda jealous of what they're going to do with all that talent on a full-time basis.

 

We talk to these two bright young lads about their inspirations and what it takes to persevere in the ever-changing local fashion industry.

 Background Check  John and Kevin from NUMB Apparel

 

^ THE BOUQUET BOYS AT WORK

 

Daily Labels Tell it to the world … who are you?

NUMB Apparel Two brothers with big dreams, a strong passion for music, art, fashion, design and everything wicked in this world. We formed the label mixing all of this into our designs with high quality apparel to create something awesome.

 

Daily Labels Which brother does what?

NUMB Apparel Kevin is our photographer from the products to the designs and Jonathan designs the graphics, advertisements and logos. Together, we both run our label.

 

Daily Labels Before NUMB Apparel?

NUMB Apparel We were living our lives very much the same. The label hasn’t forced us to change anything and this is what we love. We continue with the every day things and work on the label at our own pace, allowing for things to fall into place as they do.

 

Daily Labels How did your label actually evolve?

NUMB Apparel Before NUMB, we had another label with a friend but decided to create our own label due to some style differences. NUMB has evolved through finding different suppliers and using different printing styles. It continues to improve and NUMB has evolved so much since it began but it still has a long way to go.

 

Daily Labels Your design process?

NUMB Apparel Designing is mostly a team effort. Once we come up with a concept, we look for materials and Kevin then shoots what is needed. John then creates the design and adds effects, text and sizing.

 

Daily Labels A typical day?

NUMB Apparel We don’t really like to plan. When we come up with a concept, we prefer to jump straight into creating it. Usually John gets on Photoshop and starts designing a mock with some text. If the design requires an image, Kevin will snap up the base photograph needed, throw it on Photoshop and then we sit down together figuring out what to do. Usually we sit there for hours adding small details that most people probably won’t even notice! 

 

Daily Labels Where do you find inspiration?

NUMB Apparel In everything, though our biggest source would definitely be hip-hop/rap music. Without that, I think we would die. Most of the concepts are drawn from something we hear in music [and none of that mainstream radio music either!] We love kicking back to music with meaning – some old-school hip-hop is always good.

 

Daily Labels Your very first sale?

NUMB Apparel We were both pretty stoked. Having someone buy your clothing after all the time and effort gone into the design, marketing and organisation of garments and printing is definitely an awesome feeling. The first sale made it all feel real and reassured us that we could make this work. It proved that we were creating apparel that people were attracted to – definitely a good thing!

 

Daily Labels Any background projects happening?

NUMB Apparel We’re about to launch our second line The Rebellion so currently we’re waiting for stock to be made. Very soon we’re going to shoot an awesome lookbook for our new range, so be sure to stay tuned for that.

 

Daily Labels A word of advice to those wanting to launch their own label?

NUMB Apparel It’s not easy… it requires hard work and starting off can be a very slow and difficult process. If you want to do something, don’t give up – keep going and chase your dreams.

 

Daily Labels Most challenging aspect of running NUMB?

NUMB Apparel Getting out there and creating our own opportunities as well as gaining the exposure we need. It’s difficult trying to compete with the large amount of young labels growing these days, so we aim to create something that is not mainstream and will stand out. Our ultimate strategy is to continue moving forward within the industry and form connections with people that are well involved. It’s always a challenge but one that is vital for the growth of NUMB.

 

Daily Labels Favourite beats to work to?

NUMB Apparel Hip-hop/rap music. We can’t choose one particular artist. Kanye always gets us in the creative zone and we also love Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco and Kid Cudi but nothing beats some old school Jigga. Alternative music is also always in the playlist.

Daily Labels Who would you love to collaborate with for your label?

NUMB Apparel Kanye is one of our idols and influences. He’s an incredible artist with an awesome style and has a unique approach to his work and presentation and an incredible creative flair that shines continually in his work. We could only IMAGINE the awesome mentor he would be and the amount of ideas we’d gain, even for business directions and tips for the label’s growth. PS: Kevin would love the amazing photography opportunities for exposure and would kill to make his next album cover design haha.

Daiy Labels Lastly, your favourite shops in Sydney?
NUMB Apparel On the fashion side, General Pants is an awesome shop and one where we see our label stocked in the future. We love seeing the latest clothing for our age group and what the other designers are creating. We also love checking out Glebe Markets, you can always find unique clothes down there at an awesome price.

Be sure to check out Kevin's photography ... his talent is delightful and our eyes are dancing. Click on the images below to direct you to his email and Facebook page. Cheers, Daily Labels.