Stewart's Menswear: Proudly Stocking Aussie Icons For Over 90 Years

Stewart's Menswear: Proudly Stocking Aussie Icons For Over 90 Years

There's something special about iconic clothing brands. Many of them have been around for decades, and their clothes are still as popular today as they were when they first hit the market.

It's hard to find a brand these days that stands the test of time. With so many brands coming and going, it can be difficult to know which ones will last forever in your heart or on our shelves. Yet, in the ever-changing and uncertain world we live in, some brands endure.

We proudly stock a range of iconic brands, many of which began right here in Australia.

Stewarts Menswear premises in Mullumbimby. Established 1929. This is a black and white photo of the premises taken in 1953.

 

Stubbies – You can't get more iconic than an Aussie Hollywood legend

 

If you're looking for an authentic Australian vibe, you can't get more Aussie than

Sydney Harbour Bridge

the original Stubbies shorts. This iconic  brand was made famous by Paul Hogan, who started as a rigger on the Sydney Harbour Bridge before becoming a TV sensation and Hollywood star. Though, we think his partnership with John' Strop' Cornell and Delvene Delaney, one of the most generous couples in the Byron Shire, was his greatest achievement.

We stock a range of these legendary Stubbies Original shorts, so shop online, or head in-store to grab a pair of ruggers. Then team them with a pair of double pluggers (you can shop our Havaiana range online or in-store), a Chesty Bond singlet and a towelling hat to complete the classic '80s Aussie look. Bonza mate!

 

Dunlop Volley – the stuff (tennis) legends are made of

 

The story of how the Dunlop Volley was born is written into tennis legend.

Dunlop Volleys are the brainchild of Australian tennis champ Adrian Quist. After

A pair of white dunlop volleys on a tennis court with a tennis ball.

winning the 1939 Davis Cup in borrowed boat shoes, he returned to Australia and convinced the Directors of Dunlop Australia to design a tennis shoe with the same herringbone grip.

Volleys have been around for nearly 80 years, and they're still going strong. They were considered the most revolutionary tennis shoes ever made at the height of their popularity.

Aussie tennis legends such as Rod Laver and Evonne Goolagong sang their praise. Come in to try a pair on, or order your pair online today.

 

 

Quiksilver – surfing the waves since 1969

Alan Green and John Law founded the original boardshorts brand, Quiksilver, in 1973. The friends saw a gap in the market for durable and fashionable boardshorts. So, they set about filling that gap from their Torquay garage. Now the company is one of the biggest names in the surfing world. Far from its humble beginnings when sales reps used to come into the store with a clothes basket of stock to show, Quiksilver is now a global leader in sustainable surf and snow gear.

Quiksilver is the alchemists' term for turning base metals into gold. Green and

Stewarts Menswear Mullumbimby, Iconic clothing brands, Quiksilver. A photo of a surfer at the Pass in Byron Bay.

Law's ambition was to turn good fabric into awesome products — a goal that they continue to achieve today. Come and visit us in-store to see our full range of Quiksilver apparel and accessories.

 

 

 

 

 

Bonds – from babies to boomers, Bonds have you covered

 

Bonds is one of Australia's oldest clothing companies. Starting in 1915, making women's hosiery, to becoming one of Australia's most loved brands, Bonds have seen a lot of changes over the past 100 years.

Their history is dotted with iconic moments, from providing Charles Kingsford-Smith and Charles Ulm undergarments for their record-setting flight in 1928 to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where 120,000 volunteers proudly sported their vibrant, iconic uniforms.

Through the depression and two world wars, Bonds have adapted and thrived to bring us some of our favourite clothes. The most iconic includes the Chesty Bond, the Bonds Baby Vest, Cottontails and the Baby Wondersuit.

You can shop our Bonds range online or head in-store to grab a supply of these comfy wardrobe staples.

 

KingGee – Aussie workwear doesn't get much tougher than this

 

KingGee is the quintessential Australian workwear brand. In 1926, Robert Adcock,

Stewart's Menswear. Iconic Clothing Brands. King Gee. An old newspaper back to school advertisement of Stewart's Menswear dated 1970 advertising King Gee School Uniforms.

the man behind the brand, started creating Australia's most iconic overalls in a tiny, rented flat in Sydney. KingGee embedded themself into our history during the second world war, supplying uniforms to the Australian Defence Force.

Now, almost one hundred years later, KingGee is still going strong. Their ability to adapt to changing trends has made them a leader in industrial workwear.

 

Levi Strauss – the original jeans company

 

Levi Strauss and Co. was founded in 1853 by Levi Strauss. Answering a call for work pants that could hold up under rough conditions, he created their first pair of jeans with business partner Jacob Davis. In 1890 the first production line run was allocated the lot number 501, and the rest is history. Grounded in their heritage as a workwear provider, the brand is as relevant today as when they manufactured their first pair of denim jeans nearly 170 years ago.

Though not Australian, we are proud to stock this classic brand built on working-class values. You can shop the Levi's menswear range online or come and visit us to try on your new favourite pair of jeans!

 

City Club - a local legend

 

One of our more local icons is City Club. They have been committed to making quality pants and shorts for men for over seven decades and three generations. Their operation began in 1952 above a small tailoring shop in Lismore NSW and has since expanded to wholesaling to Department and Independent Stores Australia wide.

City Club offer specialty fittings including Regular, Stout, Tall, King size and Jumbo. Although their manufacturing moved offshore in the mid 1990s, the brand focus remains to look sharp and feel great in City Club.

Stewart's Menswear. Iconic Clothing Brands. City Club. An old newspaper advertisement of Stewart's Mercery dated 1965 advertising City Club Trousers.

City Club were heavily impacted by the 2022 floods in Lismore. They have since sold their operations and City Club trousers are now supplied to us from New Zealand. We are sad to see a successful iconic local business move away, however we are still able to order whatever you need from City Club and it arrives instore rather quickly. Visit us instore and our friendly staff will help you.

 

We look forward to seeing you soon

Mullumbimby is a small town with a big heart. The Mullumbimby community is tight-knit, and the community spirit is alive and well. You can see this in the way people pull together to support each other and local businesses through challenging times. We're proud to support businesses that reflect our values. That's why we stock a wide range of iconic clothing brands that have stood the test of time.

Stewarts Menswear, Mullumbimby. A black and white photo of Mt Chincogan with the iconic LOVE sign in the foreground.

Whether you're looking for classic clothes or something more modern, we are sure to stock a brand that suits your style. Come in and chat with us and experience our friendly, personalised service the business was built on over the last 90 years. If you can't make it in-store, no problem! Just order online and we’ll take care of the rest.

Shop Now button which takes viewer to Stewart's Menswear website Collection "Iconic Clothing Brands"

 

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1 comment

Really interesting about our Aussie brands.

Janine

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