Bondi Speed Shop founder, Skip Waterhouse, talks to The Journal about the inseparable forces of fast rides and fast waves.
Tell me about Bondi Speed Shop, How it came about and your Brand?
I’ve always lived and breathed bikes and cars – according to my mum, “car” was the first word that I could say. From about the age of six, I used to help my dad in the garage… I pretty much learned everything from him, he was an amazing spanner man. I built a lot of cars, then about twenty years ago, I got really into building bikes. So much so, that I built a series of awesome bright orange Harley Flat Trackers in my North Bondi garage… I was going to do a café in Bondi called Bondi Café Racer, selling those things, then Deus sprang up in Camperdown, and after a visit, I decided that I could never compete with such deep pockets. Then, after a visit to the States, I had the idea of combining my first love of cars and car-builds with streetwear… and Bondi Speed Shop was born.
What Inspires you?
Boat people. They get such a bad rap, but in my view, you’ve got to be incredibly brave to sell all your worldly belongings to pay for a boat ride to a place on the other side of the world, knowing full-well, that you could be locked up in a detention centre.
Advice to your younger self ?
“Just do it.” I used to be an advertising creative director, and this strapline is not only timeless, it’s very pertinent – How different my life would have been if I’d just gone ‘F#ck it… I’m just gonna do that.”
5 words to describe yourself.
Best accompanied with strong alcohol
Something nobody knows about you.
I’m dyslexic… so I come from that skool of kids who can’t read good.
Fav Activity or Sport? Body surfing. Surfing’s great, but body surfing is so pure… it’s just you and the ocean, and on a great hollow wave, there’s nothing better.
