In the high pressure, sometimes fickle world of fashion there aren’t always too many stayers but classy menswear outfit Joe Bananas is one of them.
The company recently reopened its original store in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building after undergoing a smart, modern refit.
Joe opened his original store in 1986 and the store remains a foundation tenant of QVB. The store's makeover mirrors the company's newer store at the Rocks, in Sydney's heritage area, which opened six months ago. Both stores are open seven days a week.
The store has been run by Evan Sturrock and Kim Bourke who have continue the founder’s legacy since his death from cancer in 2012.
Joe extended his passion for designing clothes to handpicking outfits for his clients and dressed he has dressed many famous personalities including Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, George Benson, and Stephen Fry, as well as many other famous musicians, comedians, actors and successful business men and women.
Joe always described his menswear collection as “enhancing character and complementing to your individual style” with the unofficial motto that clothing be powerful, individual and relaxed.
Joe got his start as a designer of womenswear but graduated to men’s fashion in the eighties as his dynamic ideas presented men with a chance to express individuality as an alternative to the stereotype.
Formerly a professional geologist, Joe spent a great deal of time in the Australian Outback and this gave him a vast appreciation for the sensations of Australia. This perspective has been translated in his garments through colour and texture.
By hand weaving fabrics to his own designs, Joe fed his designs with his visions of Australian landscapes, rocks, treebarks and other natural inspirations. As a bartik artist, he had a passion for colour and originality which are as striking as they are unique.
Joe Bananas have two workshops, one in Sydney and the other in Singapore (where Joe's roots are from) where the fabrics and garments are hand made