Australia is known for a lot of things. Coral, opera, kangaroos, surfing, heat and Deus Ex Machina. It was the optimistic, adventurous and open-minded culture that led Dare Jennings and Carby Tuckwell to take a gamble on an interest they had in common. Why not have the freedom to do something you love?
In 2006, their passion for motorbikes, surfing and fashion led to the creation of the Deus Ex Machina brand. The expression, which means god from the machine, comes from Latin and refers to the appearance of something or someone who will give a solution to a problem that seems impossible to solve. The Greeks and Romans used it in theatre and the two Australians chose it to name a brand that would come to be recognised as a culture.
For years, surfing and motorcycling were intertwined and somewhere along the way they drifted apart, forming very distinct fan groups. Jennings and Tuckwell wanted to create a space where the two realities could come together again and thus came the idea behind Deus Ex Machina.
Deus Ex Machina is a brand of motorbikes, surfing, snowboarding, clothing, catering, music and cinema. It brings everything together in its shops, which are better known as cultural temples. For the founders, creating the brand was a cathartic experience, which allowed them to put into practice the countless ideas they had. They wanted to show that making something was more fun than simply having it. So the Deus culture focused on the creativity of rebuilding bikes, creating clothing designs and opening up a space for resources, socialising and business.
Deus Ex Machina's shops are a shrine, a showroom, a workshop and a café all at the same time. With specific names for each, the brand has 25 spaces spread across all continents. The first, in Sydney, is called The House of Simple Pleasures. The one in Bali, the company's spiritual home, which attracts many surf enthusiasts every day, is known as The Temple of Enthusiasm.
Each Deus Ex Machina shrine is the same and different at the same time. Although they all follow the brand's philosophy, each temple is specific to the culture in which it is located, adopting the architecture and traditions of a particular country. The Australian company prides itself on being different from a Prada, for example, which has the same shops all over the world. Once again, the role of freedom and creativity is central. The brand's visual aesthetic will draw more from the issues of the moment and what the team experiences than from pre-existing motorcycling culture.
At BZR-Street Style Culture you can find the Deus Ex Machina clothing line, which has a more peculiar place in the business than you might expect. As you might already imagine, the Australian brand works largely with customisable motorbikes. In fact, they produce such high quality equipment that they are often approached by actors, musicians and personalities. According to our research, it is at the Los Angeles temple called The Emporium of Postmodern Activities that Michael "Woolie" Woolaway works on high-end motorbikes for famous people like Ryan Reynolds, Orlando Bloom, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Jason Mraz. These custom bikes, however, bring the company a loss. "That's why we make clothes" confessed Dare Jennings in an interview with the Los Angeles Time. However, the bikes are an intangible investment in terms of marketing, due to the media exposure of their future owners.
Deus Ex Machina doesn't exist to make money, according to the founders. The aim is to have a good time working on what you love. So, this summer' collection bets on fun patterns and basic colours, with dynamic logos, so that we can feel and wear a little of the Australian company's philosophy.
Now you know a little more about this brand that evokes what many are looking for: the ability to break free from the mundane situations of life and enjoy it in every possible way. Deus Ex Machina does this through the production of films, surf competitions and socialising in their cafés. And what about you? Do you know how you can do the same?
