Walking through the doors of Michael Bennett’s pop-up shop is like stepping into a technicolour time machine. Row upon row of fluoro fashion leaps off the hangers and the room is floor to ceiling with treasured items that tell an alternate history of surfing through tactile garments.
Michael Bennett, aka Mickos, was just following a fashion muse. As a Torquay surfer his specific obsession was the official contest hoodies from the annual Rip Curl Pro Bells events. Through a friend of a friend, his quest for iconic, hooded cotton blends with a Bells twist, led him to a storage shed in the outer Melbourne suburbs. Mickos soon discovered the owners of defunct surf outlet, ‘Melbourne Surf’ had stockpiled all of their unsold retail goods from the 70s, 80s and 90s. The garments were untouched, many of then still in their original plastic sleeves.
When Mickos realised he had stumbled upon a bounty of vintage surf fashion, he couldn’t help himself. “I asked the stupid question on what it was all worth and I got a pretty silly answer and was able to make it all work.”
The deal all went down just before COVID kicked in a few years ago. Mickos, who use to run the storied Bird Rock Café in Jan Juc, was looking for a lane change and pursuing his interest in vintage surf gear seemed like a good move. “It’s basically something that I’m passionate about. And it also means that I can be my own boss and have a better lifestyle,” he explains from behind the counter of his temporary, Torquay store.
While online sales ticked over during COVID, at the start of last summer he decided to lease a space in surf city, Torquay and put his collection on show.
As you wander the aisles, the myriad of colours swirl with kaleidoscopic impact. The eclectic assembly of clothes hits all kinds of nostalgic notes, and I was instantly reminded of a time when I was a grommet in the mid 80s and I wouldn’t buy a pull over unless it featured at least three different pastel panels. “I think that’s what gets everyone the most is all the colours,” offers Mickos. “You can see the crew that are sort of probably 40plus just spinning out about their childhood… but the young kids love it too.”
All the brands you might expect are well represented. Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Lightning Bolt and Billabong, alongside many of the other labels that had their moment like Headworx, Mango, Salt Water and Platts. In addition to t-shirts and sweat tops, the liquorice all-sort collection includes everything from corduroy shorts and fleecy t-shirts to Bolle sunnies, peak caps, spray jackets and crochet bikinis. “We’ve got an amazing range of women’s swimwear too,” insists Mickos.
Some of the more obscure brands inspire the most curiosity, like the Grant Kenny gear. Anyone who lived through the 80s will remember that Kenny’s Iron Man exploits were a defining feature of the decade. However, most of us probably didn’t know that Kenny (his dad was a pioneering board shaper) had his own line of clothing, which it has to be said is pretty cool and understated when you put it in the vintage pile. “It’s been killing it for us,” explains Mickos.
Many of us have probably trawled through flea markets and stalls for vintage ‘Americana’ fashion, but this throwback range has a distinctly ‘Australiana’ flavour. In addition to the Oz made and designed surf gear, there are also original prints that celebrate iconic moments in Australian sport like the America’s Cup victory and the nascent phase of world-series, one-day cricket – aka pyjama cricket.
Asked if he has a favourite item, Mickos still can’t go past his Bells hoodies, which sell for $300-$350 a pop. Might sound expensive but if you are a lover of surfing and Australiana, it’s hard to find a piece of clothing which features the rock band ‘Australian Crawl’ as the sponsor of the Rip Curl Pro, which they were in 1984. “I’ve got ’87 Bells which is probably the best print,” indicates Mickos. “Even just some of the branding on the others, like Quiksilver and Rip Curl on the same print.”
In an era where disposable fashion has become an addiction, Mickos likes the idea that his rare, retro goods will hang in wardrobes as prized garments. “I think the best thing about it is it’s not like throwaway fashion. Like it’s the sort of thing when someone buys a piece here, they’re gonna keep it and love it. And it’s, you know, being reused and repurposed.”
While the temporary, Torquay shop has been a lot of fun, Mickos plans to dodge the frigid Victorian winter and take his colourful collection on the road. “I’m going to do some pop-ups around Sydney and Brisbane, maybe the Goldie or Byron. Just see where I end up.”
If you’re on the east coast keep an eye out for Mickos over winter and spring. You certainly won’t miss the splash of colour and iconic prints spilling out the doors of a pop-up shop or off the rack of a market stall. Who knows, amongst the miscellaneous items you might even find that one piece that transports you back to another time and place in your surfing life.
Check out all the gear and get in touch with Mickos on @retrosurf_skateclothing
