Two Years of Surf Shore

The Backstory

Two years ago Surf Shore started in my bedroom, not a big studio or warehouse.

I was 16, working shifts at KFC and Rebel Sport, saving whatever I could because I knew I wanted to start something of my own. I didn’t know exactly what that was yet, just that I wanted to build something real.

I kept coming back to clothing.

So I used the money I’d earned and bought a small batch of blank tees. No big plan, just an idea that I’d try printing them myself and see what happened.

Challenges

• Learning how prints actually work.
• Balancing school 
• Figuring out where the print should go 
• Re-doing designs.
• Trying to figure out what looked good and what people actually wanted. 

Starting at the markets

A few months later I took it to the Manly markets.

Early mornings, packing the car, setting up a stall and hoping at least one person would stop and look. Some days were quiet, some weren’t, but every market taught me something.

• Better layouts.
• More stock.
• Better designs.

This meant that Surf Shore never really had a big launch moment.

It’s just been steady, improving pieces, learning fabrics, and slowly making the brand closer to what I imagined at the start.

Every drop has been a step forward from the last one.

What the rest of 2026 holds

Instead of doing a big anniversary sale, the next few months are about what Surf Shore is becoming.

New pieces, better cuts, and ideas I’ve wanted to make since day one but needed time to get right.

Two years in and it still feels early.

Thanks to everyone who stopped at the stall, bought a tee, or wore it out somewhere I never expected to see it.

– Gus