Garments for the Surf Renaissance

Words by Ali Klinkenberg

Menswear for the forward-thinking surf gent’s a tough space in which to differentiate yourself. The options for wearable mens clothing are so limited, and the corridor of taste so narrow, that if you actually want to sell anything, your garment choices are restricted. Pants, jackets, trunks, jumpers, tees, shirts. Short of making brash statements, or attaching yourself to a Japanese sub-culture that you have no prior ties to, what you must do is put your faith in your product. The design, cut, and fabric has to be scrupulously selected, and from there the foundations are set from whence you launch your precious vessel. One brand that’s becoming so precise with their releases that you could throw a pub dart at their lookbook and hit something that’s going to go straight into high rotation in your wardrobe, is Banks.

Chris Del Moro looking thoroughly regal in the Seamore jacket.

“The design has to be great,” says Banks co-founder Mr Tim Cochran, “great furniture or great architecture creates an emotional reaction. It should be the same with clothes.” Tim’s a genuine Renaissance man from the cultural hub of Byron Bay, and credits his own enlightenment, and the resulting direction of Banks, largely to travel. “Travel spawned my appreciation for industrial design and architecture, and that’s materialised in my design,” says Tim. But, we’re not painting the ceiling of the Sistine chapel here, we’re making garments that have to accommodate the needs of the protagonist. “Architecture has to function well too, it has to be cool in summer and warm in winter, so it’s design with purpose. We believe it’s the same with products. They have to function where it’s needed.” Looking at Banks garments, it’s clear that the chaps at the helm aren’t your regular graduates of the surf rag trade. There’s something far more refined going on.

Simple, effective, divine.

The latest offering from the Banks family is rife with nods to the staples of iconic menswear. There’s trench coats, Barbour’s with a twist; solid garments with clean lines. Clothes for men who’ve got stories to tell. And, it’s all manufactured in a way that’s as eco-friendly as possible. “Banks is the contemporary surf & lifestyle label, we blend function & sustainability into modern pieces. We want our label to be a journal of stories,” continues Tim, “We want to create special pieces and create an accessible, sustainable model that everyone can be part of.” In a time when possessions are so disposable, it’s comforting to know that there are businesses being launched that’re concerned with the longevity of not only their products, but also the environment from whence the materials come. “Travelling through factories around the world really made me want to be part of the movement towards a better environmental change.”

Like leather jackets, tennis, and German cars, stripy tees’ll never go out of fashion.

Along with childhood pal Rama McCabe, and Art Director Jay Quirk, Tim Cochran and the gang are set to continue to make retail for the surf dandy infinitely more interesting. They recently launched a collab range (including an uber-sleek wetsuit jacket) with Barneys New York in Tokyo, and that’s just a taste of what’s to come. “Over the next 3 years, we will be to launching our premium jacket collection that we teamed up with Event Fabrics on, we’re also are working on a USA made collection, and a wetsuit program, and a Japanese made denim collection,” says Tim without taking a breath, “we’re always having fun.”

Come flick through the meticulously designed Banks racks, right here.