Another Boy hits youth scene
It was there that Mic Eaton, creator of edgy high end menswear label Material Boy, staged the off-schedule launch of his new diffusion line 'Another Boy'.
"I'm a big supporter of [Rosemount] Australian Fashion Week, but for this launch I really wanted to take a more low key approach," said Eaton. Material Boy fans will not be surprised to learn there's nothing low key about Another Boy, a wide-ranging collection of around 200 styles inclusive of print combinations; including tees, trackies, jeans, jersey shorts and hooded tops in a vibrant palette highlighted by bold fluoro hues.
In keeping with the brand's positioning as a mass market foil to Material Boy, prices start at $59 to $69 for tees, while jeans retail for around $149 and hoodies top the price range at $160. Retailers' responses to the range had been strong, with numerous stockists including leading youth chain store General Pants Co expressing strong interest in the brand, said Eaton.
Another Boy allowed him to grow his business "without cannibalising" its founding label, he added.
"I launched Another Boy to balance out the business. There's been quite a lot of demand for Material Boy but I really wanted to keep Material Boy directional and ever-changing. Another Boy will act a bit like its little brother," he said.
The designer - who spends around seven months a year in Indonesia working hands-on with beading and finishing specialists - is relieved that the new label will free him up to focus on creative and directional work on Material Boy.
"I've been working with new fabrications including beautiful silks and jerseys and I'm very excited about it. I don't want to saturate the market with Material Boy, but at the same time we're a growing company. Material Boy has always been quite niche and I want to keep it pure."