Lord of the Beach: In talks with Beach Brains’ Gareth Hemmings
As we patiently await the Kiwi summer and the long beach days that inevitably come with it, there’s only one brand on our summer wardrobe hit list… Beach Brains.
Now a household name in the world of local fashion, Beach Brains is back with a collection of summer-inspired staples that perfectly merges the two worlds of beach bumming and city slicking. Season S04, Lords Of The Beach is inspired by the longing for relief and escapism, and after the few years we’ve had it’s everything we deserve and more.
Coined as the Lord of the beach, we sat down with the Beach Brain behind it all, Gareth Hemmings to chat about all things summer style and what’s next for the revolutionary Kiwi brand.
Congrats on your new summer collection! Can you tell us a little about what inspired it?
The range is inspired by the longing of being at the beach in summer but living in the city. Being able to go between the two with ease. Jackets and shirts can be thrown on as the night comes and the temperature starts to drop. Knitwear made of cotton and merino that breathes in the heat and warms you at night. We love the idea that you can be comfortable but look good and the outfits can be worn from day to night as you start your journey back to the city bars. We always start with our colour palette, we went with earthy tones, fawns, desert and sand hues to contrast against midnight sky blues and deep ink purples.
Do you have a favourite piece from this collection?
My favourite piece is the blue check bush shirt. The hand feel of the fabric, the bright blue tone embodies the impending summer and it has the warmth needed as the sun drops. This is a unisex piece so it goes well oversized with the women’s Bone Nylon Skirt with a bikini underneath or with blue jeans, heels or chucks. Guys can wear it over the top of a boxy tee with jeans or Baggy boy shorts, chucks or docs.
When it comes to summer dressing, what’s your go-to outfit?
Our board shorts and minis are hard to pass. Throw over a silk blue shirt or a boxy tee and you’re ready for anything.
Beach Brains was originally only menswear, what made you want to leap into womenswear? Or was this always on the cards?
It was always the basis of the brand to have a unisex/accessible focus. We designed the shirts and pants to be worn by your girlfriend or partners. The silk shirts have been a hit from day one. We have always shot the collections with both male and female models. Sales naturally followed with women buying for themselves. Then we started designing fits for women, more as styling pieces but these have retailed well so we keep on expanding this side of the business.
Your last season saw a board short-esk skirt ( which was so epic!) What was the process like in making this garment, because it’s UV and salt-resistant right?
We wanted a skirt to be able to be worn straight from the beach over a bikini and not worrying about getting it wet. It’s made from quick-dry nylon but can also be worn going out. The fit had to be perfect due to the non-stretch of the nylon so panels and stitching needed to be perfect no matter your shape. We spend a lot of time hunting for fabrics, these great fabrics often inform the design. Finding a beach-ready nylon that could survive the NZ sun gave us the idea of creating the mini skirt to act like a salt-proof boardshort.
How did you choose the name Beach Brains?
We love the Beach. We’re just a couple of Beach Brains. The hard part is we also love the city and the hustle. But the beach is always in our brains and really is our mind’s paradise. The beach somehow keeps you sane in the city, holding onto a slice of paradise in your mind.
What makes a good summer fit?
Smart but casual and comfortable. We like outfits that can be added to with ease or stripped back for the beach. Great breathable fabrics and good colours.
How are you spending this kiwi summer?
Nothing beats a Coromandel summer. We will be parked up along the peninsula surfing and trying to design the next range.
Are there any exciting things coming up in the world of Beach Brains that you can give us the inside scoop on?
Paris in January for the trade show! BB Worldwide haha. We showed last June through an agent but we need to be there to shake some hands and kiss some babies. We will be executing an installation which will bring alive the brand ethos. We’re also aiming to add to our list of international stores and looking to extend this from America to Europe and Asia. We will also be showing a short film and runway in Australia at the end of 2022. So there’s definitely a lot on!
Season S04 Lords Of The Beach is available now online and at Incu and Subtype.
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