In the midst of becoming a Marathon Runner because it was a Covid Trend,  Steak Night’s at Builders Arms & working as a dish washer to fund a Pipe Dream you can find that getting everything you ever wanted can be just merely an introduction to the rest of your life. The hangover that follows "perceived arrivals” can often reveal reflections and introspections that are far more interesting. None of what I say here will be original, it may not even be interesting considering the volume of larger narratives that have shaped the same course. It’s drawn me to the conclusion that only the curious can be creative. Any previous lapse in excitement can be attributed to a failure in self awareness and a misalignment of values. No one tells you what your values are & no one sends you a push notification when they change. Not having the carrot of merely getting Milkbar off the ground anymore encouraged an even deeper inspection into this & myself.

Whilst it is my job to create & express authentically it is also my duty to supply. After years of creating garments with nothing gaining much traction, the decision to express my aspiration to feel like a 1950’s movie star through the silhouette of a Fitted T-Shirt created a global demand. When this happens your job no longer becomes to create but to supply. In order to fulfill the shared aspiration I have with you all of wanting to feel like the lead in our own individual cinematic world. What this practically took is a story for another day but to summarise beyond the blessings, it ignited a sequence of events that brought learning opportunities in; Mindfulness, Health, Leadership, Identity, Commerce, Relationships & Presence.

In my Pursuit to supply the aspiration in which we share I feel as though I have failed in continuing to deliver on my own emerging perspectives at the standard I know I’m capable of. Mate, we spent a whole year literally just trying to make enough Fitted T-Shirt’s for you all. The irony being getting slammed on my ass from growing pains I am feeling more creatively empowered than ever. Whilst my direction is not yet distinct that may actually be what is fueling it, derived from the naivete, curiosity and humility in experimentation. My intention this year is to Explore all facets of Myself and succinctly express it to you all through varying thematic capsules. You could title them  autobiographical character studies. Whilst the Medium we work in is a collage of colour palettes, fabric selections & silhouettes, it is my aim to supply you all with new Aspirations. We will not be aligned on all of them but I look to connect with a piece of you that you may have never even known you had.

Our first endeavour will be the aspiration of Suiting. That feeling I’ve always had that maturing into adulthood meant Shoulder Pads, Lapels and 10cm Wide Ties.

Between the Knock off Drinks at Bar Carnation, Friday’s on Nicholson and staring a little too long at someone on Lygon St to see if the plain white tee is actually ours, I am excited to express more of myself with you all now that I have the means to do so. I look forward to our interactions in this New Chapter.

-Simon

Q&A from Customers

Below we have collated some questions from you all. Feel free to email or DM through any questions for our next Blog, always used to love chatting to you all after every week's blog post. Excited to have this line of communication again.

How’s the Success Feel?

My Australian Values trigger me to refuse the compliment but I do consider that I have succeeded in my original goal. Some people become entrepreneurial and state that they want to own a brand as big as Nike or be the biggest in the Country. All I ever wished for was that I could pay myself a full time wage so that I could be a creative Full Time. After 5 Years it seemed to have happened over night. In a matter of months we were not only finally profitable but I was able to go Full Time, Sign a Lease for our First Office and bring on board a creative Team of 3. In such a short time span I got everything I ever wanted and more. I still find it bizarre that without a few shifts of washing dishes, flipping burgers or moving furniture that I have been able to be full time and have a whole team for what will soon be a Year.

What’s your preferred fit/wash of denim and any plans to make any?

I have recently been wearing many variations of Straight Leg High Crotch Denim. I am aiming to perfect the shape of the Crotch and Seat of our current Denim Iteration. We look to release them mid 2026.

Is a man wearing a tight Fitting Tee the Ultimate Flex?

It can be one of them. Many forms of fashion if pulled off confidently can be just as aspirational. What I will say is the simplicity and effortlessness of a T-Shirt that fits well can be unmatched. What I realised after years of viewing images of thousands and thousands of aspirational icons wearing certain outfits, is more often than not the garments aren’t incredibly intricate. It is the simplicity and how they accentuate the best features of the wearer and highlight other assets such as hair styling. This is the core of what makes an item such as the Fitted Raglan T-Shirt so desired.

When did you first embrace the tight fitting tee as opposed to the baggy fit?

Probably 2018-2019. I felt as though it suited my proportions a lot better than Baggy. When I started Milkbar in 2020 I knew that it wasn’t the right timing for Fitted so I sampled it in the background for years until the eventual first release of it in 2024.