They say at the end of a rainbow is a pot of gold. But what is at the end of two rainbows? Hawaiian shirts, of course.
For Sydney-based resort label Double Rainbouu, the Hawaiian shirt, in its lurid, outré form, was the starting point. Fast-forward to today, and the brand has evolved into a colorful, slightly crazy cohort of pieces made for very fun times, even winning the prized Australian Fashion Laureate for Best Australian Menswear last year, indicative of just how far they’ve come.
Helmed by lovely lads, Mikey Nolan and Toby Jones (who met a long time ago during General Pants’ glory days), the brand now offers the lot – palazzo pants, swing dresses, go-go shorts and of course, iterations of what will always be the lifeline of the brand, the Hawaiian shirt.
But unlike traditional resort – there isn’t linen or straw or even a pearl in sight. Instead, it’s wild color, print that punches you in the face (in a good way) and easy-breezy silhouettes. It’s the kind of resort the naughty kids in the back would wear, an irreverent, rebellious breed that makes you want to sip Sundowners midweek or go for nudie swims after dark. You can’t feel anything but excited, reenergized, and happy.
Happy clothes made by happy guys for people who need a little happiness in their lives, wearing Double Rainbouu feels like a pot of gold.
Ahead of the brand’s VAMFF show, powered by GRAZIA and ICON, we chat to one half of the two-man band, Mikey Nolan, about escapism, coastal vs city dressing and how best to style the sunny pieces – even in “black” Melbourne.
What can we expect from your collection at VAMFF?
The collection is an extension of the ideas we explored in our MBFWA 19 show which took inspiration from the alt tourists of the overland hippie trail from Europe to Asia in the 1960s.
Who / what has inspired you – and inspires your design aesthetic as a whole?
Mostly we are inspired by the idea of escape.
How would you define Melbourne style, compared to Sydney?
Melbourne style is pretty diverse, I think. But if it’s anything ,I guess its a bit more urban than Sydney. Not ‘urban,’ but I guess just more ‘City’ dressing than coastal, which Sydney tends to be more.
How would you incorporate your pieces – inherently sunny + loud – into a Melbourne wardrobe (black and armed for all seasons)
Melbourne in Summer is almost hotter than Sydney, so I think they can handle some sunny and loud clothing. We have a solid customer base there, so they must figure it out! Maybe pick a print with some black in it so it ties in with your predominantly black look and then just let the color pop / scream.
What are your biggest trend predictions for the year ? And what would you like to see the back of?
Lots of black and lots of color. Quite a lot of pink.
you can purchase tickets to VAMFF runway 7 presented by GRazia and icon here
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