In the mundane of daily life, we can often get swept up with our own ‘troubles’ and forget to take stock of just how lucky we are and the genuine battles many others face. Finding small ways to support those facing tough times should be a priority, as we never know when we may need the support ourselves. So, when the opportunity arose for Out Of Comfort to get involved in the M Factor Events Fashion Show for Ronald McDonald House, it was a no brainer.
Held annually, the Show has built a name for itself in Christchurch due to the level of support it receives from incredible sponsors, partners and donors. This year saw the Tannery as the chosen venue and a diverse mix of designers take to the catwalk in support, including Trelise Cooper, Annah Stretton, Disciples of Discipline and more.
Models were provided by Portfolio Model Agency, but there were some more familiar faces too. The Crusaders were on hand to try out a new career path and Out Of Comfort were lucky enough to work with the guys on our section of the show. We showcased items from Long Time Come, along with a few sneak peeks at the new collection, Comfort in Chaos. Working was the team was a super fun experience and I would like to thank Harry, Sevu, Jordan, Scott, Bryn & Will for making showing items from my new collection so special.
The experience was a whole lot of fun with great people coming together for a great cause. Thanks to strong ticket sales and an auction featuring some pretty sought after gifts, the Show managed to raise $76,000 for Ronald Mcdonald House. Big congratulations to the organiser, Maree, for giving so much time and effort to help others.
No matter your lane, supporting others can only enrich your journey and can often provide meaning to others we can’t quite comprehend. Nowhere shows this kind of heart better than Christchurch and I am super proud to be involved in such events and to call this place home.
]]>A guy who has constantly shown resilience, power and boundless talent, I have long been a big fan of Stan for his music, his heart and his incredible eye for setting a trend, not following. He is not afraid to push the boundaries and express himself in a truly authentic way, aligning with the core of everything Out Of Comfort is about.
After taking the leap and reaching out, all my sentiments on Stan were proved accurate and having the opportunity to work with him was a beautiful process and one I will cherish forever. Stan gave us the honour of wearing the Out Of Comfort Frankie co-ord for a special tribute performance at the New Zealand Music Awards, remembering all those talented souls from the music industry who passed away in 2018. The chance for Out Of Comfort to be involved in such a significant performance was incredible and definitely a moment that will be memorable always.
Stan’s support did not stop there, allowing Out Of Comfort to provide outfits for his New Zealand Takeover Tour and also featuring our clothing for promo of the Gimme Love single. Seeing influencers from the creative space adopt and love Out Of Comfort will always be heart-warming for me and is something I will never tire of.
I am always interested in ways I can collaborate with, support or grow with other creatives and would love to hear from you if you have a project you are interested in working with Out Of Comfort on, get in touch!
]]>Out of Comfort officially launched as a new brand in the menswear scene of New Zealand on Saturday 14th of October. An eventful night held at The Anchorage Cafe in Christchurch central, a dark industrial building set the perfect scene for the brand, with the collection inspired by a New York Photographer named “Jamel Shabazz” who captured much of the late 80s early 90s scene in New York focusing particularly on the urban streets and hip hop culture. Shannon Thompson, Designer and Creative director of OUT OF COMFORT attended his exhibition in New York city at the “Whitney Museum of American Art” and was instantly captured by his imagery, emotion, and overall vibe that carried through his work. “He captured such honest moments in time, and this is what i loved about his work the most, it inspired me to create memories within the clothing, a story with an authentic process whilst keeping the fulfilling substance that represented Jamel Shabazz and his work.” The collection itself comprises of Woollen coats, sheepskin wool jackets, parkas, to denim and bomber style outerwear, through to your classic dungaree, cotton tapered trouser, and beautifully cut denim jeans are only some of the pieces presented by OUT OF COMFORT. “Staying away from synthetics as much as possible was and always has been an important component to my design and clothing, using as much 100% wools, cottons, and cotton denims all sourced here in New Zealand was something i didn’t want to compromise on” The night included amazing support by local DJ – Bc Beats on the tables, an incredibly delicious array of platters presented by “The Nourish Food Company”, beautiful wines by the GIESEN wine company, Dan Shanks for the perfect wine glasses, Iohangwai Te Pahi for creating the most amazingly crafted cubes that the models stood on, Platypus for supplying the fresh footwear, and the team at “The Anchorage” holding fort and bringing the vision to life! OUT OF COMFORT navigates itself as an inclusive movement and was created for anyone and everyone who feels comfortable wearing the pieces. There are no rules! “Embrace self expression and challenge conformity”!
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