Subscribe for 10% off your first tease
Got your attention!! We are not quite there yet not by a very long shot, but It is great to have goals but on the 1st of July 2022 Stanley Burton Australia turned 1.
We could have just opened another underwear online store to flood the saturated market with cheap underwear and the same old advertising campaign that features of 20 something white men with 6 packs and glistening tan bodies.
Wouldn’t that be a lot easier than trying to change the world? It seems everyone is doing that right now, lacking innovative ideas and without diversity, it reminds me of the men photography industry in Australia from last 5 years, everyone copying each other for some kind of mass validation. If you want to choose a path that you can be proud of and be a champion, it takes a lot of hard work. It is not a popular contest or having a mass followings on Instagram.
Strike while the iron is hot!!
Burton and I conceptualised 'Stanley Burton' a few days after I finished my 5 months work as content creator at Dailyjocks in December 2020. Burton also worked on one of their ad campaigns for Elia Beachwear as hair and makeup artist (Actually I referred him to the job) - I am a great connector in business) which makes me an ideal candidate for creating opportunities for people in the marginalised community.
I ruffled some feathers when I reached out to twinks, Asian men, black men, average joe, slender guys, inter-racial couples, mature men and to customers who never got any attention. The progressive approach has opened many doors for the business because visibility is important. Previously I have worked for some of the biggest ecommerce like GraysOnline and Catch.com.au over the last 20 years, every so often they would hire new breed to drive growth with innovative ideas. Working with big corp has taught me to think global. I also ruffled some feathers at Catch, but that's a story for another day.
It’s no secret that Stanley Burton influenced Dailyjocks in a big way after our Asian Empowerment editorial was released in DNA Magazine in November 2021. We worked on that idea since the conception of our store, then discussed with DNA about our native core value in April 2021.
As an influential photographer for men in Australia, DNA Magazine knows me very well. I have contributed photography towards DNA since 2012 and the editor personally reached out for an inclusion of an Indian cricketer I shot in 2013 to launch a cricket season story. DNA Magazine has a long history and commitment to the LGBTQI community not just in Australia but globally, so it is a great publication to introduce Stanley Burton to the society with its reach. At the same time we bring a diverse palette of men and culture to their publication. We also introduced DNA to our followers in Asia who don't necessary get exposed to DNA. Who doesn’t like growth?
When our "All Asian empowerment campaign” was released, it took on a life of its own. It has never been done before, not even in the mainstream market. Has anyone seen a Bonds ad with a group of Asian men with confidence? I don’t think so. It is in our blood to change, shaping small ideas and moulding them into greatness with positive impact, powerful influences. As game changers, we give ‘real people’ opportunities.
We are different. Our skin colour, experiences, journey, mindset and intelligence are different. I think a lot of people get the wrong idea between 'being inclusive' and 'inclusion'.
You can be inclusive of everyone but if your intention is to tell the world that you are allowing everyone to buy your products by showing a group of different men in an ad campaign, this is just tokenism and some may say it's smart marketing but for your own benefit. Consumers in the LGBTQI community really need go deeper than what they want to see, seek out the people behind a business and their experiences.
Just under 12 months, we have brought new joy to the LGBTQI community with new underwear brands, premium quality and great designs. Guys love the fine hand painted and iconic prints by Skull & Bones, the bold, daring and adventurous 'ready to wear' fetish underwear and harness by Alexx Underwear. Then there’s the fan favourite by Marcuse, classic and premium quality response to local Bonds is Lure from the UK. Also the functional underwear from SvenNordin Co. from Korea.
Our original ideas and amazing photography isn’t just one dimension but for the first time men’s underwear are featured by different men from the community. For our international collaboration, we commission _Bam_guys , a British photographer based in Tokyo. We like collaborating with people who have global view of culture and the world.
Click to view his Instagram
We make great underwear designs accessible without the international shipping cost that usually costs an arm and a leg. Also our exceptional service for fulfilling customers' orders on the same day or on the next business day is non-negotiable. we have received great reviews from customers about our speedy service.
We introduced Skull & Bones to Australia with their iconic underwear, true to heart with New York state of mind. In comparison to Aussie themed underwear which you can only find at souvenir stores on Flinders Street or Sydney Darling Harbour can be tacky and forgetful. Skull & Bones underwear is something that you buy, wear it over and over, show it off, without regrets and the best bucks you spent on any underwear with prints. I can’t remember the last time anyone flaunted a koala motif on his underwear. We continuously bring great quality and design underwear from NYC design Skull & Bones. Our latest release has a few mesh underwear ideal for sports and fitness.
Alexx Underwear is very different from other ready-to-wear fetish underwear and harnesses available in Australia and we like to have a bit of fun with the concept. Just think of Alexx Underwear as something you would wear to an underwear party knowing that the whole town will be there. You most likely will bump into your ex who is hanging around his new boytoy.. Why not make him a little jealous? Why would you want to miss out on a party when you are wearing hard to find Alexx Underwear products that are only available in Australia, purchased from StanleyBurton.com It makes no sense. You will probably stick out in the crowd but that’s the whole point of going to an underwear party. Get in, strut, flaunt, show off your Alexx Underwear, the rest is up to you.
Last month, we released Alexx Underwear’s third collection - Army Collection. This comes at the right time while we are harnessing the power of fighting spirit for bringing awareness for diversity and inclusion to the LGBTQI community. At Stanley Burton, we are thinkers, activists and we make things happen.
Marcuse and I go way back. I photographed their second and third collection's campaigns back in 2010 / 2011 (pics below). The brand has been around for over a decade, practically a staple in every gay men's wardrobe. Some of you know that I am also a fashion photographer and have shot over 100 guys in the past 20 years across Australia and Europe until Covid happened. I only styled the guys in Marcuse underwear and swimwear, just because I was a loyal fan and I have an ongoing working relationship with the owner. So it’s no secret that we stock the brand given our decade old working history and knowledge of Marcuse.
We source underwear brands strategically with a process and checklist and a lot of research. On top of the underwear quality and designs we also look at their values and if the brands align with our core values with diversity and inclusion. Lure from the UK is a social inclusive brand. Their classic design underwear are popular because people want simple things life but authentic and classy, also they know what they want which are reflected in their marketing ideas and representation throughout their website and social media.
From the first point of contact there was solid ideas and direction which is rarely seen in a lot of local independent underwear brands that eventually faze out after 9 months. That’s another thing, we always ask about their goals and roadmaps, when you know you are heading towards the right direction you take your challenge up another notch. Watch out for Lure's latest collection which will appear in our stock later this year.
We collaborate with Lure on bringing the community closer by empowering individuals, rarely do retailers collaborate with brands but we like to maximise our resources. You can read more about Lure's empowering words 'socially inclusive' in this column.
This is our latest find. Actually I saw a hot older man in an underwear brand, that’s how I traced the underwear back to SvenNordin Co. the brand. Smart marketing, great minds, intelligent businessman came to mind. Having an open mindset is definitely crucial when building a new brand and being aware of what is going on around the world can have a huge impact on the presence. You can read more about SvenNordin’s mindset in my last column here. Such an inspiration and also sexy design with functional underwear. Don’t miss out!
