Second year RMIT students Ben Peters and Shane Chalmers of t-shirt label Away With The Others give us the lowdown on their on-campus business antics and how they've survived the fashion world with such minimal marketing.

 Background Check. Ben Peters and Shane Chalmers of Away With The Others

 

^ THE BOYS FROM AWAY WITH THE OTHERS

 

Daily Labels In the beginning …

AWTO Everything started when the two of us became roommates in late 2011 while living on residence at RMIT University. Ben had previously made some t-shirts and prints but never really entered the market so the idea came up to do something together. Our label was created with just five basic prints for friends. We’re slowly growing and heading in the right direction.

 

Daily Labels Who does what?

AWTO We both have input towards the process and direction of our label. I design graphics for our prints while Shane organises samples, printing and management.

 

Daily Labels Are your designers on rotation or regular fixtures?

AWTO At this stage they’re regular fixtures between friends. We all study subjects linked to the design industry so we have ideas that we work on together and pass around. We’re slowly finding our direction and brand image to keep it pretty clear for the future.

 

Daily Labels Design philosophy?

AWTO Have fun and don't take it too seriously! This was a fun label made by two mates. We had trouble with our first range and were sort of influenced by other labels out there so now we have pulled it in and are more trusting of ourselves. We pretty much want to design anything we would wear and hopefully others out there will like.

 

Daily Labels How do you keep it fun?

AWTO Well we live together on campus so that’s where we design and run the business. It’s set up in a very social environment where our friends are all in on it, so naturally it’s fun! 

^ THE BOYS ON SET OF THEIR LATEST COLLECTION SHOOT WITH THEIR MODEL

 

Daily Labels AWTOs strong points as compared with other t-shirt labels?

AWTO Our first two releases were received really well with great feedback and we’ve made sales without spending big bucks on websites, magazine editorials, posters and launch parties. We understand the importance of these things and will head there eventually but when we created AWTO, we weren't ready for any of that. We think it’s a positive that everything has gone fairly well under a controlled environment but we’re keen to branch out from here to see how far we can push.

 

Daily Labels How have you coped with such minimal marketing?

AWTO For what we set out to achieve with our first limited release, it was a success but it also threw up some challenges. Relying on friends and friends-of-friends to buy our t-shirts on Facebook was daunting but we achieved sales. Now we’re ready for the next step.

 

Daily Labels What’s the next step?

AWTO Our final limited release range that has some new t-shirts, hoodies and sweaters! Again we’ll be selling this exclusively online but fans can keep a close eye out for bigger and better things towards the latter part of 2012!

 

Daily Labels Most challenging aspect of owning a t-shirt label in 2012?

AWTO Definitely getting our name out there which expected due to lack of financial investment in any advertising. Gaining a following from word of mouth through our university circles and friends-of-friends is quite cool.

 

Daily Labels Any highlights since your label launched?

AWTO We’d have to say the photo shoot of our second release was pretty exciting as we’re slowly taking steps forward!

 

Daily Labels Most frustrating part of the production process?

AWTO Running around to make sure the prints and cuts are perfected.

 

Daily Labels What advice would you give to current and future design students?

AWTO Back your judgement and when designing, stick to what you know and love. If you’re good, then get it out there! [Note: Ben is studying a Bachelor of Design in Architecture while Shane is studying his Bachelor of Construction Management].

 

Daily Labels Favourite hangout?

AWTO We live next door to a pub in North Melbourne called Turf. It’s not trendy or hipster or anything like that, but it’s a place we go for a good time with mates.

 

Daily Labels Favourite AWTO t-shirt?

AWTO The Better Days tee from our new range is pretty cool also because this t-shirt is one step closer to us achieving a desirable image and direction of our brand.

 

 

 Awesomeness. Right Here. 

 

We think this is a bit of WOW: Eleventh Commandment's Spring Summer 2011-2012 Launch.

This collection is entitled Dreaming. Watch it for yourself if you don't believe us. You'll see.

 

 

 

 

 

 For The Fans. 

A short feature on a very popular label at Daily Labels - Eleventh Commandment.

We'll also post a clip of their next season launch shortly, so keep your eyes peeled here and on Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 Made By Us. Daily Labels.  

 

We got bored. So we created this. It's really cool, trust us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve ALL been busy this month ... but then there is busy. And we’re beat.

Last week, the Daily Labels team sat at several L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival shows. If that wasn’t enough, we also attended some events at the Melbourne International Food Festival where we inhaled delectable food [looking ultra chic doing so if we might add].

And, let’s not discount the fact that this week we’ve charged on at the Alliance Française French Film Festival and checked‐in at the Qantas Australian Grand Prix.

We’ve been doing all the above while combing the country in search of the hottest new designers for your buying pleasure.

So please, if you will, be patient with us. We’re a little overtired and a tad grumpy and on account of all this activity, could also do with some extra sleep, a couple of hour‐long relaxation massages, a home‐cooked rustic dinner and ... did we mention sleep yet? Well that too.

 

 

 

 Highlights + Observations: L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival 

 

Good god, do we love fashion. Yes, we tend to obsess over it from time to time. And yes, we forgot to take the mince meat out of the freezer this morning.

Sorry, where were we going with this?

Oh, that’s right. So even at our weary best, we’re going to give you a festival rundown in splendid dot form with sparkly pictures thrown in for good measure.

 

 

 On The Runway 

 [Trend and Collection Highlights] 

Embrace the Colour Wheel

Arnsdorf delighted crowds with lilac and cobalt blue. Carl Kapp gave us forest green, deep purple and bright red in block colour. Elsewhere, treatments of fuchsia, crimson red, bronze, burgundy, midnight blue, metallic silver and grey, bright green, baby blue, gold and colour-of-the‐ moment burnt orange were favoured palettes.

Trousers + Wide‐Legged Pants
Designers said good riddance to ultra‐skinny pants and jeans. The relaxed pant has had its way in Europe and has officially landed here with welcome limbs.

Loose leather pants were even noted in Alice McCall’s collection [we’re not even charging the model herself for this offence]. Trousers were also seen rolled up the leg.

Toni Maticevski
Our Melbourne boy did us proud with metallic brilliance and feminine silhouettes.

Romance Was Born
Keeping black biker chick prevalent this winter with statement biker pieces, the design duo still managed to incorporate beautiful bolts of blue, bronze and red into their pieces.

Collette Dinnigan
We love lace because Collette loves lace. And boy does she treat lace impeccably. Feminine glamour all the way.

Gorman
Wonderfully quirky and colourful pieces as only Lisa Gorman knows how with full skirts, waist‐high pants and sleeve‐long blouses mixed with olive green, grey and burnt orange blazers and jackets.

Floral
Nevenka, Limedrop, Karen Walker and Kate Sylvester all combined bold block colours with pretty floral prints.

Skinny Belts
Everywhere and on everyone. In every colour of the rainbow too.

 

 

 

 Off The Runway 

 [Observations] 

 

 

Melissa George
Well‐spoken, modest and beautiful up close. A real star. We can now say that Angel from Home and Away is well and truly dead to us.

Ageless Beauty #1 – Helena Christensen
The supermodel‐come‐photographer, here to brand bash for Specsavers is quite seriously out of this world stunning. We couldn’t stop staring.

Ageless Beauty #2 – Andie MacDowell
52 and still working after 25 years as a L'Oréal model and spokesperson. Winning.

Crowd Colours
Black was the safe favourite among fellow runway watchers but we did observe some bright young things playing with red, burnt orange, maroon, grey and peacock blue. Refreshing.

The L'Oréal Boat
We apply the same logic to this boat that people do to flatulence – better out than in.