With the exciting new STOLEN DENIM range arriving in store last week, we decided to have a brief chat to SGC’s Director Marc Moore about creating this new diffusion line.

We love the new STOLEN DENIM range, has this been in the works for a while?

It’s been a long time in the making! We started development on this line at the beginning of 2014. After thousands of air-miles, numerous meetings, emails, and prototype samples we have a tight collection of jeans that really work and will get better with age. And unlike a teenage love affair, we don’t think you will grow out of them (on the literal side of that, we can’t really help you if you eat too many taco’s).

Will STOLEN DENIM be seasonal, how often will new core styles be released?

Our ready to wear fashion collections are so seasonal and seem to satisfy the trend-hungry, we really want STOLEN DENIM to be timeless and less seasonal. We see value in that for our customers. Something that’ll always be cool & relevant. Our first line is available in black only. We liked the simplicity of that. Black is always rock & roll, black is refunded, black is rebellious, black goes with everything. Our black jeans will be available forever. We’re currently working on the next installment which will be available in blue denim only. Simple huh? After that we see a new release perhaps every 4-6 months if you’re lucky.

What does STOLEN DENIM offer in comparison to other leading denim labels (in your opinion)?

We’re not going to wank on abut the yarn being dyed 2568 times, or rinse washed in the Niagara Falls by American indians. The rivets and hardware aren’t even made of solid gold (true story – wtf)!.

But, like every denim label we think our product is the best haha.

The quality and the fit are bang-on. We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel and I think so many brands get caught up with this. To the point where finding a nice classic pair of jeans get hard for consumers.

We just wanted to offer a jean that had the perfect balance of branding, refined detailing and quality that was still affordable for our core market.

We have done sooooo much product testing over the last 13 months. We tested a bunch of different denims out until we found something we felt was ‘STOLEN’. The textures weren’t too full on, the retention of the stretch denims were amazing, the weight felt more substantial than a pair of those hideous jeggings you get  at chain store, the dyes held for more than a couple washes, the handfeel was soft without being to ‘wussy’, and they didn’t pick up fluff like some of my old jeans I’ve owned in the past (believe me, you notice these things once you own a fluffy white dog).

Who would be the ultimate STOLEN DENIM girl and guy?

For me it’s always been Daria Werbowy – She’s so cool! She’s always at the back of my mind when I’m designing collections. For the guys side, we’re not to inspired by anyone too A-list. There’s a photographer that lives in Europe called Dominic Haydn Rawle, check him out. He dresses so well and wears lots of jeans.

All the denim is sourced from Turkey, that’s cool – tell us a bit about that.

We met an amazing company in Melbourne called Bradmill a few years ago and discussed the possibility of developing a designated denim line with them. They have great expertise with over 30 years experience, and a great network of factories that know denim so well, not to mention their own successful denim brand.

The first thing they asked us is where we wanted our product to sit in the market. We wanted a jean that was amazing quality but sat well under that $400 premium denim price-point.

Bradmill thought that Turkey was putting out some of the best quality cloths and they have great relationships with the mills there which was a huge help. For our price-point that was going to be the best cloth that money could buy.

What was the reason behind the first collections name, ‘Real Cool Time’?

We always find that fashion takes itself too seriously, so there needs to be some emphasis on fun (without being too tacky – ohhh it’s such a fine line isn’t it). While a line of black jeans seems pretty serious, we want people to know that you can still enjoy yourself and be cool at the same time in these jeans. We are with you.

Click HERE to shop STOLEN DENIM.

We are excited to have Sydney denim-based label VALE in store for Winter. We have just received a mix of the simple white and black denim pieces, as well as the highly anticipated frayed blue denim pieces. Come visit us in store to try the collection on, or shop online now.

We have just received the amazing new collection from Lucy Folk Jewellery. In her own words, “the new range ‘Honeymoon’ is celebrating an exotic take on romance. ‘Honeymoon’ gives young love a whole new meaning”. We are excited to have a selection of the range available in store and online now.

Click HERE to shop the range.

We recently received the highly-anticipated Pared x POMS ‘Gatto’ eyewear range. With the combination of the cat-eye shape and Swarovski crystal charms, these guys are the it-sunnies of the season. We caught up with POMS designer Adriana Giuffrida to ask her some questions about the collaboration line.

This is your second collaboration range with Pared. Where did the name ‘GATTO’ come from?

Gatto is the Italian word for cat, so we thought considering the frame is a cat eye, the name Gatto would be appropriate.

The Swarovski Crystal Earring detailing on the side of the glasses is something nobody else has done before. How did you come up with the idea for this?

We were throwing around a few ideas that would marry our two brands together, we played around with the idea of having jewels on the frames, but this wasn’t quite working, and then I had this idea of truly accessorising the frames themselves, I loved the idea that the sleeper could be personalised, and that you could wear them as earrings or as an accessory on the frame.

The campaign for the line is really cool and having Martha AKA Banoffee involved must of been fun. Tell us a bit about the idea behind the campaign, and you decision to have Martha has the face of the line.

The inspiration behind the campaign was a lot to do with Neneh Cherry in her Buffalo Stance days, particularly her film clip ‘ManChild.’ We wanted to make a video for this range, and I had met Martha a few months before and couldnt stop thinking about how great she would be in this style of clip, as it is kind of her aesthetic. It helped that she was already a fan of POMS, and we had such a fun day making the clip. We shot the whole thing in a green screen room, and I was in a full one piece green suit dancing around her, but I didnt make the cut in the final vid.

Who is the ultimate ‘GATTO’ girl?

I want everyone to be a Gatto girl!  but If I saw Neneh Cherry in them though, that would be incredible.

POMS + Pared, Gatto (cat) ft Banoffee from Nathan Ceddia on Vimeo.

Shop the Pared x POMS ‘Gatto’ collection online now.

It’s that time of year! We are clearing out lots of our stock, samples and old season items. There is up to 80% off brands such as Bassike, Georgia Alice, Vanishing Elephant, Dr Denim, MLM, Ksubi, Shakuhachi, Assembly, Sol Sana, L’America & many more!

WHERE: Flying Fish Studios, 230 Ponsonby Road, Auckland

WHEN: 13th & 14th December, 10am till 5pm daily.

Check out the official Facebook page. 

Martina Organics is one of the few skincare ranges we have handpicked to sell at Black Box. Created by Marta Camara, Martina Organics is a local artisanal skin care range that uses certified organic ingredients. We caught up with Marta to ask her a few questions about the oil-based range, her lifestyle and why she started the brand.

How did Martina Organics begin?

I’ve always been inspired by good quality organic products that have integrity. Ever since working at a natural skincare shop called Nature Unplugged when I was 20, I’ve wanted to create my own superlative products and help people with their skin. At the start of last year I quit my day job in advertising, created a brand, packaged the products and launched them to the market just over a year ago.

The Martina Organics three step system is quite different from other skincare ranges. How do the products work differently from conventional skincare?

My products are made out of 100% organic ingredients without any chemicals or preservatives in quantities that are actually beneficial for the skin, they aren’t watered down and full of chemicals like a lot of other products on the market are, which increase the chances of skin irritation and allergic reaction. So with Martina Organics your skin receives all the benefits from the strong active ingredients and your body isn’t absorbing any nasty stuff.

Oil cleansing is simple method which most people are unaware of, is it suitable for all skin types? What are the most common benefits?

Yes all skin types benefit from using oils. A lot of people think that using oils are going to clog your skin, but dry botanical oils are made up of the same molecular structure as the skin so your skin absorbed the oils easily without clogging the skin, and your skin is still able to breath.

Above: Martina Organics Oil Cleanser, Toner & Moisturiser

The cleanser and moisturiser are made up of an incredible combination of oils. How did you choose which oils to use for each product?

I’ve been researching and creating batches for years, so for me it was all about using the best organic ingredients I could source, which all have proven benefits.

Beside from Martina Organics, what do you like to do in your pass time?

Listen to a lot of music, love reading, love drawing, hanging out with friends and family, love going to the beach and having picnics and I travel as much as I can.

What are your everyday beauty and wellbeing must-dos?

I start every morning with a glass of lemon warm water, followed by one litre of water before breakfast, then I usually try to go for a walk which I find relaxing and peaceful before I start doing any work, then yoga and massages in the evening when I can.

What is one beauty product you couldn’t live without? Other than your products..

Flaxomega capsules.. So good for healthy skin, brain function, and joints.

Click HERE to shop Martina Organics.

Youth Machine is back. A hand-picked selection of new styles have just arrived in store. These guys sold out last time, so get int quick to get yours. Click HERE to shop.

Adam Bryce photographs Helena at 62 Models wearing the Georgia Alice Aquarian Shorts, and the MLM Boxy Knit Top in Ivory.

Click HERE to shop.

Above: The Sugar Mountain debut collection campaign

Releasing your debut jewellery line must be very exciting. Tell us a bit about your endeavour into jewellery and creating the Sugar Mountain brand…

Sugar Mountain was born out of the desire to be wanderlust – I needed something creative to fit in with our endless summer dreams. We recently left the city chasing the sun, so Sugar Mountain is home wherever I am. Somewhere to be free and express myself and what we discover along our journey.

How did you choose the brand name Sugar Mountain?

I think Neil Young chose it for us.

What were the main influences behind the designs in the debut collection?

Endless Summer. Our new life with the rising sun, and rising moon each day. Astrological guidance and peace between the elements.

If you had to describe the ‘Sugar Mountain Girl’ in five words, how would you describe her?

Sun-drunk and wandering.

Personally, what pieces of jewellery are your ‘go-to’ or everyday pieces that you cannot live without?

The single Sugar Mountain Moon Stud, with the rest of my ears full of tiny little silver and gold nose-studs from K Road’s ‘Third Eye’, a vintage Virgin Mary Mexican ring and a tatty friendship bracelet that never comes off.

Click HERE to shop Sugar Mountain.

Photographer Adam Bryce took a few quick snaps of the beautiful Izzy at 62 Models.

Izzy wears the MLM Open Back Shirt and Georgia Alice Meadow Shorts.

Click here to shop the look.

Vans teamed up with photographers Petra Collins and Olivia Bee to create a beautiful photo essay based around the Vans Slip On style. This new campaign takes you back to when it all began way back in 1977 with the original Vans Checkerboard Slip On (which are available to purchase here). Make sure to grab your pair for this coming summer.

Click here to shop VANS, and head to our Facebook page see the whole campaign.

Above: Julia Sarr-Jamois and Lucy Folk wearing Lucy Folk Eyewear

As the new styles arrived in at Black Box last week, we managed to catch up with Lucy to ask her a few questions about her endeavour into eyewear and her iconic design team.

This is your first eyewear collection, what pushed you to venture into eyewear? Has it been something in the works for a while?

I have always loved being in the sunshine and hence sunglasses are a necessity of that! I also have a love of sunglasses in general – so over the years, I’ve grown quite the collection of them!

One of the things I want to do with my brand is naturally extend beyond jewellery but in a way that compliments my core business. Sunglasses is my first foray into this and because I have such an interest in them – it all came rather naturally!

Collaborating with both Sunshine Bartrand and Julia Sarr-Jamois on the collection must of been pretty amazing. How did this legendary team come about?

Sunshine and I grew up together in Melbourne. We have been friends for years, so when we were together last year in Paris we started talking about how fun it would be to work on a creative project together - because of her extensive background in eyewear (she designs the eyewear for the likes of Kenzo and Victoria Beckham) we thought sunglasses would be a great thing to do together!

Julia was brought in to collaborate with us on one of the styles, the ‘JUICY JSJ‘. I have long admired Julia’s style and use of colour and fun in her work, both as a stylist and as a person who really lives what she preaches in terms of fashion – so overall, its all been very organic and fun! And the best part – we are all really excited about the finished product!

If you had to choose one piece of Lucy Folk jewellery to be worn alongside each eyewear style, what would they be?

One of the fun things about Lucy Folk Eyewear is the fact that the sunglasses have been designed with their own custom eyewear chain. On the tip of the arm of the sunglasses there is a triangle where these eyewear chains are hooked into. These were inspired by my iconic chain necklaces and brackets and match the eyewear category back to the jewellery category – hence its one brand, one look and feel!

Apart from the eyewear chains (available in either one plain colour – gold, neon pink, teal, navy or mint – or in multi colour) I think that the SWEET N LOW would look great worn with the Pearly Bon Bon Stud Earrings. The SHERBET BOMB would look fab when worn with a set of the Jawbreaker Rings and Necklace. The JUICY JSJ would look with an artful of slap bands and Ice Cream Scoop Bracelets!

What surprised you the most when designing and producing eyewear? Was the process relatively similar to jewellery?

The lead-time with designing, sampling and producing eyewear is insane! It takes over 12 months from start to finish so I find that its a lot harder to predict styles based on trends than it is with jewellery. Working with Sunshine I learnt a lot about the design process. It is a lot more technical and there are so many more things to take into consideration! We were lucky enough to have our sunglasses manufactured by one of Italy’s leading eyewear factories – they make for Marni, Balenciaga and Illesteva – hence the end result re: quality and durability is insane! The lenses are made with CR39 Zeiss Lenses (the best money can buy) and the frames are made with Italian Acetate so it’s top shelf! Plus I designed up my own custom eyewear case and cleaning cloth so you get the whole packaging when you buy a pair of Lucy Folk Sunglasses!

Above: Julia Sarr-Jamois and Lucy Folk

Click here to shop LUCY FOLK

Garrett Leight featured in this cool new editorial in the latest Remix Magazine, photographed by James K. Lowe.

Click HERE to shop Garrett Leight.

Above: Andrew’s picks include Triumph & Disaster Stash Box, DL & Co Skull Candle, Moscot Lemtosh Tort, Vanishing Elephant Socks and Vans Slip On.

Above: Marcus’ picks include AIAIAI Headphones, Nike Roshe Run, Commoners Long Sleeve Tee, Komono x Basquiat ‘Return Of The Central’ Watch and Tsubota Hard Edge Lighter.

Above: Dan’s picks include Vanishing Elephant Derby Shoes, Stolen Girlfriends Club Warnings Bomber, Tsubota Hard Edge Lighter and Moscot Lemtosh Flesh.

Above: Ngaru’s picks include Moreporks 6-Panel Cap, Georgia Jay Boy O Boy Wallet, Triumph & Disaster Gameface Moisturiser and Dr Denim Alfred Jeans.

Click HERE to shop the Father’s Day Gift Guide.

I had a chat with Jimmy Mac on the phone recently…

-Jimmy!
-Rhyzaaa!
-I’m after a One Teaspoon, Random Dinky dress.
-Sorry man, all out.
-How about the One Teaspoon, Strange Attraction Pinkie dress?
-Yeah we go two eights and a ten.
-Where the fuck do they come up with these names?
-Hahaha, I don’t know man!
-How’s Taka?
-Busy.
-Hey, was thinking I could ask a few questions on you for the blog?
-Yeah, for sure.
-We could do it now?
-Yeah, why not.
-I’ll introduce you as Jimmy Mac: drummer, lover, and a fellow Black Box brother. You’ve played drums for a number of talented band’s like DHDFD’s, Popstrangers, and your girlfriend, Ruby Frost. When you’re not on tour, you work at Black Box. Anything you’d like to add?
-Ummm, I don’t know – what do you add to that?
-Your favorite brand at Black Box is One Teaspoon.
- Hahahaha. No.
- You just got back from touring with Ruby Frost. How did that go?
- Good. Sort of. It gradually got better. Tauranga sucked. Not the people, but the sound. Hamilton was filled with drunks. Then Wellington and Auckland were good.
-Haa. New Zealand. You once told me the story about how you and Jane (Ruby Frost) got together. How you drummed for her first, and only later started seeing each other. That it was a trip to the U.S to play The Viper Room and a New York CMJ Showcase, between steamy looks across the stage and lots of heavy drumming, that the magic finally happened. It must be hard to beat that tour story. Got any others, though?
- Not really. I got a tattoo after the Viper Room. A little Mexican guy. It’s the worst font ever.
-Of a little Mexican guy, or a Mexican guy did it?
-A little Mexican guy did it. In the worst font ever. Jaggered and shitty.
-That’s awesome though, to have that.
-Yeah, I kind of love to hate it.
-Your nick-name is ‘Sticks’. Any thoughts to how you’re 6’2 and a size 28 Ksubis? I thought drummers were supposed to be buff. Stove pipe jeans look like straight legged chinos on you!
-Haahahaahaaaahahahaha.
-No comment?
-Indian genetics, man.

PORTRAIT CREDIT: JUAN MON - NATURES GUN.

Lover is one part of two people. The label’s creators, Nic Briand and Susien Chong, are living proof that beautiful things have a momentum all their own. From a humble Bondi market stall to runway shows at the Sydney Opera House, the two have lived and breathed life into their work; the result an influential brand with a signature style all of its own staying true to its romantic ideals from day one.

Self described as, ‘same album different songs’; the LOVER aesthetic is one of contrast and paradox. Like all passionate relationships, success lies in the tension. Soft silhouettes meet sharp tailoring; white lace fights with black silk over red denim: LOVER is loud and irreverent, but at the same time soft and fragile.

An ever-changing monument to defiant youth, natural wisdom, and feminine charm we are proud to announce that this coming August, LOVER will be stocked at Black Box The Department Store. Check out the teaser for Lovers new collection here.