Never Land

A burgeoning co-ed line with an age-old sensibility. By Loryn Hatch

There's wisdom to Australian designer Gareth Moody's unisex line, Chronicles of Never. Though the line was launched less than two years ago in 2006, it springs from ideas and materials rooted in the ancient and the transcendental. "I love books and have hundreds," says the young Moody. "But more than particular books, it's particular subjects—geology, architecture, anatomy, the space in space—that make a mark on me and my designs."

Moody's repertoire of influences can be clearly recognized in his androgynous line of jewelry, clothing, and footwear. The at times elaborate jewelry, crafted from aged materials like black brass and brushed silver, comes across as sculptural studies of shapes and space. The simple collection of T-shirts, hoodies, track pants, and scarves swathe and layer as if on their own, and offer more depth than your average basics. And the two pairs of shoes he produced for the latest collection, entitled Water Will Burn, have a classic oxford-meets-leisure shoe sensibility that works for both men and women.

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Part of Moody's success in expanding his line can be attributed to his experience at Tsubi where he learned the more earthly aspects of running a label. "The experience prepared me in all the obvious ways, from the process of design to the fruition of the product and the painful steps in between, and on top, what it means to be in business with your friends…the ins and outs of that delicate situation," he reveals.

These days Moody manages all of the above at a studio/art gallery in Sydney that's run by friends and houses a host of artists and designers. But now that he's on his own, the frustrations and minutiae of running a business are also his own, and prove to be a demanding but also rewarding aspect of his work. "Everything is a recurring challenge," he explains. "You can't rest on your laurels, the challenge is always biting at your tail—that's what keeps you keeping on."