The story of the Gumbies
In Australian Aboriginal society, the Walkabout is a ritual of passage in which children undergo a journey during adolescence, typically between the ages of 10 and 16, and live in the wilderness for a period of up to six months to make the spiritual and traditional transition to adulthood.
Gumbies founder Michel Maurer discovered the Aboriginal ritual – “Walkabout” – at the age of 16, when he and his family were granted an immigration visa to Australia. These were very exciting times, Australia was then a mystical land and still relatively unknown. He did not realise how much this would influence his original life and future career. Freedom and adventure were in his DNA, he never wanted to be confined by four walls and stare out the window, dreaming of the next quest or things to make from the mysterious pieces in his father’s garage. Many attempts at escape were made to avoid conforming to something that would get in the way of what he considered “real living”. But Michel was far from idle and eventually embarked on what was to be a long and often arduous journey of commitment, entrepreneurship and self-employment.
Leaving home with a few coins, a backpack and a mind full of dreams, Michel found work on his travels, fueling his passion for creativity. While working at an outdoor exhibition in Salt Lake City, USA, he read an article in a trade magazine that featured John Lobb the famous bootmaker, his struggle and success through innovation, hard work and determination. Something struck a chord. The idea of creating a brand of products that would encompass the lifestyle he enjoyed so much.
The prototypes were made using old tires, but realizing that car tires were too raw and not commercially viable, he began exploring the use of recycled rubber. He bonded it using jute (a type of plant used to make rope) for strength and then created a “sandwich” with an EVA insole for comfort, placing canvas on the upper for a more natural contact with the skin. He completed the construction using vibrant and contemporary colors, each canvas telling a story – a blank canvas to express his beliefs and unique view of the world.
The Gumbies are now worn worldwide, celebrating the outdoors, freedom, fun and functionality. Michel believes that life is too short to be complicated. Keep it simple. Catch a wave, climb a mountain, wear Gumbies.
Inspired by Australia. Worn all over the world.
