Durban-born Holmes Brothers brand goes big in Japan

Holmes Bros grew out of a love for the ocean and the South African community. Founders Gary and Laurie Holmes are active Durban surfers which is where their inspiration comes from. According to the company, it aims to avoid the mainstream and mixes a classic surf approach with vibrant tones that shout ‘Africa’ from the rooftops. All Holmes Brothers garments are 100% locally-made in South Africa. In addition to their apparel, they also produce a range of surfboards.

The brand's entrance into Japan began when The Freak’s Store contacted the brothers and expressed interest in the offering. Laurie explains, “They had researched us, the history of our brand and they knew more about us than we do. It was a real pleasure to work and hang out with such smart, refreshing, and enthusiastic people.”

Gary comments on the trip, “We arrived at their flagship store in downtown Tokyo at about 2pm and it was chaos from the word go. We sold more than half the stock in one afternoon. Every customer wanted their picture taken with us and wanted us to sign catalogues, stickers, and their t-shirts that they had just bought. Japan had not seen anything like Holmes Bros.”

Holmes Brothers also has its own store in Marseille, France and supplies independents in France and the UK, proving that SA fashion has plenty of appeal in the international arena. For local shoppers, there are Holmes Bros stores in Cape Town (Lifestyle Centre, Kloof Street), Johannesburg (Rosebank’s the Zone) and in Durban (La Lucia Mall and Water Crest Mall) and Holmes Bros gear is also stocked online and in select independent stores throughout South Africa.

The Holmes Bros are now working on a range with The Freak’s Store for the summer of 2018 and their Japanese agent Kaori, is about to launch a Holmes Bros website specifically for Japan.