Gem: Mambo – Iconic Australian Surf Label

Like a lot of Aussie kids, James Mighell grew up wearing Mambo, an iconic Australian surf label that has always resonated with him. As a youngster, he used to visit their flagship store on Oxford Street, Sydney. The store opened in 1995 and was also known as the ‘The Mambo Friendship Store’.

When James opened his vintage store New Traditions on King Street, Newtown, Sydney in September 2020, he made sure to have some killer Mambo tees in stock. Since that day he has strived to go deeper learning about the label, constantly sourcing rare Mambo items. He also set about building relationships with the original Mambo artists and affiliates.

A strong part of the New Traditions ethos is to “be known for something” – a philosophy James has stuck to over the years, gaining him a reputation for his collection of unique and rare Mambo items.

“We’ve held in-store events such as exhibitions and a showcase extraordinaire and there are certainly more ahead. Our range stretches far beyond the humble t-shirt. In store you will discover various displays, archives and an array of original artwork and prints. Anyone who grew up in Australia in the 90s knows Mambo – they recognise the Mambo farting dog logo, playfully coined as ‘the call of the wild’.”

How would you describe Mambo to someone who is not familiar with the brand?

Effectively it’s known as a surf brand but it’s honestly like no other. The brand was created by Dare Jennings in 1984 and it quickly gathered a group of talented, quick-witted artists and musicians wanting to express their anti-establishment culture to anyone who would listen.

What made Mambo special was the creative direction, not to mention the humour often involved. Mambo flourished based on good Australian satire, often poking fun at things like politics and religion. Even the seemingly small things like swing tags were thoughtfully designed, often funny, elaborate and completely unique. There wasn’t just one logo or tag design, there were masses.

Because of the wide range of contributing artists and the depth of products, the range is deeper and wider than most people expect. With their loud shirts alone, there are over 200 designs making the company’s output truly incomparable. I am amazed to be still finding unseen articles to this day.

Mambo was truly on another level – the humour, the complex screen prints, the variety of products and stand out artists really made the company what it was.

Is it collectible?

You bet! There is strong demand for vintage Mambo (1984-2003) in Australia which is where it resonates the most. There’s also strong international desire, for example in the UK and Indonesia.

Since opening the store, we have really tried to immerse ourselves into the wonderous world of Mambo. Every day is a school day!

How do you source new pieces?

Every which way unimaginable and the usual spots of course get scoured. Over the years we have built and developed relationships and connections in the industry. We’ve obtained a lot of artwork directly from the artists. That’s part of the fun, the chase. Having a passion in a niche sector helps.

Australian vintage

Can you tell us about these two shirts?

These two are quite rare – deadstock, still new with tags. I found them from a lady who had the foresight to hold onto them all these years after she once stocked them in her store. The artist is Jim Mitchell who is based in New Zealand. Mambo worked with a core group of Australian artists like Jim plus some guest contributors. You start to recognise their styles over time.

There are a lot of fakes out there and I’ve learnt how to differentiate them mainly by the quality and understanding the graphics and details. Also, with vintage Mambo, dating pieces is relatively easy as most items have a copyright year printed on them. This rule is not foolproof, for example with Richard Allan’s farting dog you can find it with 1989 copyright but the graphic was rereleased thought the 90s. A lot of the Mambo tees were Australian made and you can recognise the distinctive care tag. That said, Mambo did produce pieces in countries such as Italy, Fiji and England under licence. So there’s a lot of variation.

90s short-sleeved sweatshirt

90s deadstock

90s short-sleeved sweatshirt

What are the most special items at the store at the moment?

This short-sleeved sweatshirt is special as it features a Reg Mombassa print titled Rare Hens from 1994. Despite the amazing design the garment alone is interesting and not overly functional. It’s whacky, it’s loud, it’s Mambo. You’ll make it work. This bad boy is made in Italy which to me, makes it just that more exciting to find.

The colour range across Mambo is also incredible. Of course there are the bold and loud pieces, but the more subtle pallets also hold their own. You simply can’t argue with good design.

This shirt is another great example. It’s a sample from artist from Robert Moore which he also wore himself. It doesn’t have a standard label, just a handwritten tag. I also acquired Robert’s old painting jacket, covered in paint from years in the studio. He even wore it onstage with Neil Finn. That kind of history is unmatched.

How do you decide what to sell?

Being so fond of the label, I’m also a collector myself. Fewer small sizes were made which makes it easier. I mainly look for watches these days and other oddities such as store displays and catalogues. It brings me joy to always have a solid range to offer. To document what’s out there is seemingly never ending. Mambo is such a vast world and I try to immerse myself in it, day in day out.

What stands out about Mambo pieces to you?

For example the construction of the loud shirts is incredible. The way the patterns line up, the level of detail. That’s not easy to produce. Mambo has a part of every Aussie’s heart, I’d say, and the humour, the selected artists and their styles are honestly unmatched.

Iconic yet ironic, with every measure correct.

New Traditions
463 King St
Sydney, Australia 2042
@itsnewtraditions

Mambo – Iconic Australian Surf Label