History

steve sunsetstar by valentin boschi PHOTO: VALENTIN BOSCHI

2022

The SUNSETSTAR team grows with Anka & Chrissi. May finally brings all friends and most of the labels (in consideration of all Covid restrictions) together to celebrate 20 years of SUNSETSTAR.

2021

Time to celebrate 20 years of SUNSETSTAR. Special editions and cooperations with Scarti Lab, Momotaro Jeans, Indigofera Jeans and Luca Zamoc mark this year as extra special. Due to the worldwide pandemic the big celebration with our friends and labels will be held next year. What might sound like an inconvenience gives us permission to extend our gratitude and celebration.

2019

It didn’t take Steve long to find a new partner sharing the same passion and attitude. Flo (WERKDORF) joined the company to be part of the new era of SUNSETSTAR, setting new goals.

The biggest project this year, for sure, was the relaunch of our new webshop.

2018

One journey (and an era) comes to an end. After almost a decade as both a team and friends, founder Gerry decided to leave the company by the end of the year to break new ground.

2017

Second year at the new location, and already feeling at home. New brands, new customers.The girls are back: a stronger focus on women and an update of our selection.

2016

Finally, a new location! "For about 13 years, the RSG27 was our home, and always more than just 'the store'. An institution and platform for creative people, idealists and "makers", including a 'Feel-at-home' atmosphere. That's what we wanted to be. Much has happened in the last 13 years, we have experienced a lot together, celebrated, laughed, drank; Much has also changed, but our connection has remained and grown stronger.“

One thing is certain: everything that makes life feel like SUNSETSTAR, will also be at our new location: Freiheitsplatz 1. Welcome Home.

On December 10th we celebrated our 15th anniversary with a party inside our store, and a worth mentioning „After-Party“ at Blendend.

We welcomed friends, customers and brands: Melissa & Tony from Scarti Lab, Gianluigi from Captain Santors, Kari from Indigofera Jeans and Joseph Koo (Blaudruck Koo).

Additionally, we were more than proud to offer 5 collaborations especially for this anniversary. We’ve been dreaming of  getting into Japanese Denim: our „own“ pair of jeans with Japan Blue Jeans. We also teamed up with Scarti Lab & Joseph Koo to create a special vest: their iconic 403 waistcoat featuring an original "Blaudruck" fabric, plus a custom bandana. Last but not least, two collabo pieces with local WERKDORF Ledermanufaktur: a belt and a wallet designed especially for our birthday!

2015

Our dear friends Melissa & Tony from Scarti Lab visited us for an event in our store: our customers had the jeans and finally met the people behind the brand.

The day after the event we visited the Blaudruckerei Koseph Koo (Joseph is one of Europe's last manufactures for indigo dyeing & printing, est. 1921) to connect artisans and to establish a great relationship with Joseph himself.

2014

We have the honor of being "Retailer of the Week" in Sportswear International Magazine.

„Denim Origami“ Event with Brandon Svarc (founder of Naked & Famous Denim) appeared in store: Some say he’s the Willy Wonka of the Denim Industry. To him, "Innovation" is more than just an empty phrase, which is proven (and quite impressively) season after season in the Naked & Famous Denim collections.

The year of our second exclusive collaboration: "BIG JOHN X SUNSETSTAR Japanther Collaboration Waistcoat":  Japanther Collaboration emblem representing the cross-town collaboration of Graz and Kurashiki featuring the coat-of-arms of both cities: It was a limited run of 40 pieces – handnumbered.

2013

Shop review by Denimhunters (Online Journal focusing on Denim, etc.): getting known by a broader audience for our work. The search starts for a new location.

SUN/SET/STAR custom Fixie-Bike by TimeFlowCycles now hangs in the shop.

2012

A fine, young gentleman named Flo visits the store for the first time. He was customizing bycicles at that point, but more on him later.

The range of brands has been further refined. First sale weekend called „Restlshoppen“ which over the years, has pretty much become an institution.

2011

Japanese Denim becomes more popular, carrying new brands like Naked and Famous, Japan Blue Jeans and Momotaro.

First „late-Night-Shopping“ event.

10th anniversary: party at LILA EULE, and our first collaboration: a limited edition anniversary shirt with Naked & Famous Denim from Canada.

2010

Relaunch of our website, instore performance by Donots and Strike Anywhere, Meet & Greet with Darkest Hour.

2009

A very important year for partners Gerry and Steve. Trends come and go very fast nowadays. The year of the worldwide economic crisis seemed to be the right time to say "LET'S DO IT."  Expansion ,after all,can be a good thing. So they sent their longtime friend and die-hard rocker / biker, Herb, to open a SUN/SET/STAR store in Berlin, Germany. But that wasn't enough. They brought in even more new brands and revealed a newly renovated SUNSETSTAR shop in Graz in October 2009.

2008

The year of renewal. New goals. The next step had to be taken. But Gerry needed a new partner on his side. And soon one was found. Steve, well known in Graz for his style and his easy-going attitude would fit in perfectly. Together they started to bring in new brands focusing on quality and sustainability but tried not to forget the roots of SUNSETSTAR.

2007

In 2007, everything was growing at a comfortable level... but at the end of the year Gerry and Gazzy decided to end their business relationship. Gazzy left the fashion business to focus on other things. They achieved a lot together and ended their business relationship without any discrepancies. It started on the basis of friendship and ended the same way. Gerry moved on alone and led SUN/SET/STAR safely into 2008.

2006/2005

The Headquarters in Graz was doing much better than expected. One of the highlights in the history of SUNSETSTAR was when in 2004 the french film company Gaumont Pictures called us to order Hawaii-Shirts for the movie "L' Empire Des Loups" with lead actor Jean Reno, french movie star.  In 2005 the movie was in all cinemas all over Europe and our story was a headline event in Austria.

2004

In 2004 SUNSETSTAR was ready for improvement. Therefore, a bigger salesfloor was badly needed. They also started to organise more shows and events in Graz. SUNSETSTAR was soon well known for quality Rock'n'Roll concerts and parties. They also started to spread their network on an international level. They went to European business events and came home with new brands and trends to satisfy their customers.

2003

If you don't go forward, you wind up going backwards. 2003 was the right year to take the next step. A new shop location was badly needed ...and soon found. In July 2003, the new SUNSETSTAR shop opened its doors @ Reitschlugasse 27 in Graz. The opening party was one of a kind and the after party even wilder. SUN/SET/STAR also started to do local shows for bands like Strike Anwhere, Kings of Nuthing, Red Lights Flash or Mystery Gang, just to name a few. This was the starting signal for the next level. Soon SUN/SET/STAR became a householdname for young urban lifestyle fashion in Austria. First Austria, then the world...the story continues....

2002

In 2002 things started to take on a more solid shape. SUNSETSTAR became the hangout and meeting point of the local Rock'n' Roll scene. People liked the concept and started spreading the word. One person would tell ten people, and ten people would tell one hundred people. Suddenly even people from Vienna and other parts of Austria started to visit Graz on weekends to buy their outfits from SUN/SET/STAR, a small but unique shop. At the time, we also started the first SUN/SET/STAR online shop, open 24 hours a day. But something was missing. At the time, there was no place in Graz to get Rock'n'Roll, Punk or Hardcore records. So it was absolutely essential to add a record section, which drew even more attention.

2001

Customers like and appreciate the story and work ethic behind SUNSETSTAR. It all started in 2001 straight out of the local Punk Rock Scene. Gerry, former drummer of the Austrian Hardcore Punk Band Bounz The Ball and his mate Gazzy, thought it might be great to have a lifestyle fashion shop in their hometown of Graz , Austria. The idea was simple: "Let's bring subcultural lifestyle fashion and trends straight to our customers." The first SUNSETSTAR shop opened its doors in December 2001 on Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Kai in Graz. This first location became the preferred hangout for friends. Very D.I.Y., and the legend of SUNSETSTAR was born.