Raglan based online streetwear retailer Fallenfront has been steadily positioning themselves as one of the country’s leading online stores for men’s apparel, footwear and accessories. This week, just in time for summer, they have opened a unique concept store in Raglan’s CBD, Fallenfront presents the Good Times store.
The new project offers a collaborative space for key brands to showcase their range in a unique space for a few months at a time with each brand creating a fresh vibe over the duration of their installation. The new space will also be offering womenswear as well as menswear.
Fallenfront’s director, Raglan born and bred Steve Crowhurst is pumped about the brand’s first foray into bricks and mortar retailing with an approach that is far from traditional.
“The Good Times idea was born from the growing number of people living in Raglan and the increasing flow of visitors we see coming to our home town and the desire to offer them an experience that is different and special, right from the product we are retailing, to the store fit out and overall presentation,” says Steve. For their launch, Good Times have teamed up with one of New Zealand’s best loved and iconic streetwear brands, Huffer. With their recent ‘Locals’ campaign and acclaimed closing show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Huffer is a key player in New Zealand Fashion and has supported Fallenfront since day one.
“Fallenfront has been a long term consistent customer of ours and we are so proud to represent our brand through Good Times over the endless Raglan summer. We are looking forward to showing our respect for the locals in a magical iconic town, a town close to the heart of Huffer,” comments, regular visitor of Raglan and founder of Huffer, Steve Dunstan.
For Steve Crowhurst, the new bricks and mortar store has another layer of significance. In a sense, the cycle has come full circle for Steve and his family.
Steve’s dad, Graham Crowhurst (Crowie senior), had a hand in developing one of Raglan’s first surfboard shops, Wilson Surfboards, when Don Wilson moved his shop to Raglan in 1973. Wilson Surfboards was first located where the current INDI’s and Hong Kong Kitchen are. Don had teamed up with Graham and Kevin McKell, a pair whose influence inspired the shape and designs of many of the boards the team was producing.
Graham is also excited to see his son’s new shop come to fruition.
“I’m proud and very impressed with the look of the store, they’ve done a good job,” he says.
“I was one of three who owned and ran the business back then. I looked after finish coating and sanding. The store itself definitely wasn’t as flash as the new Good Times shop but back then we thought it was flash.
“The difference with us was that manufacturing surfboards was the main part of the business and we had a few clothes for sale in the front, but it was pretty much all about the boards.
“The clothes usually got covered in foam dust and resin so we ended up wearing it ourselves. Raglan in the 70s was so quiet, there weren’t the people around to support it like now.”
Having seen Raglan change over the years, Graham also adds that “fashion now is way more educated, stylish, and not as grunge. The cuts and style are better. Back then we were basic: board shorts, jeans, sweatshirts and T-shirts. The designs and trends weren’t too unlike today, there were abstract designs, motifs etc. but we had some day glow orange kit that was pretty out there, no where near as classic as it is now.”
With Huffer’s men’s and women’s spring/summer installation currently in the shop as well as accessories by Adidas, New Blance, Atlas, Moscot and Herschel, the new space has been fitted out by local designer William Worsp (WRW & Co) using rustic and recycled local timber and complemented with artworks from local artist Sam Mathers.
“Our next installation in the new year with be our ‘Fallenfront presents Good Times’ concept where we showcase product from the Fallenfront webstore.
“This is exciting because we’ll be bringing brands to Raglan which haven’t been offered here before like menswear and womenswear from Thing Thing, JanSport, Dickies, Stussy, On & On, and lots more.
“The idea is to keep things fresh for both locals, visitors and ourselves,” says Steve.
Steve and his team have worked hard getting the new space ready in time for October and hope that locals can enjoy a new retail experience.
“I’ve always had awesome staff working with me at Fallenfront, and I think it’s pretty important to have good crew around when most of our lives are spent at work. We all work hard, trust each other to get the job done and enjoy a beer together at the end of the day – which is what it’s all about.
“With the webstore and the new town shop, it would be great to continue to grow the business creating as many job opportunities for the Raglan people as possible,” says Steve.
