We met Nick through a friend of ours. We'd heard he'd been recently crowned Mr Gay NZ and was going to be representing New Zealand in the world competition.  When I asked Nick what it took to win, I expected to receive what I imagined as a standard answer from pageant-contenders; "ohh, um, world peace?"  What I discovered was a personality that resonated so strongly with the Sweepstake Winners brand that it was a match made in heaven.  Humble, thoughtful and articulate, Nick's approach is somewhere been social activism with a message of radical acceptance.  With World Pride Month coming to...

When we first hit upon the idea for Sweepstake Winners™, it was the culmination of sharing a lot of thoughts back and forth about what we’d stand for, what our look would be, how we’d initiate the gender-hybrid aspect of the brand, and what was most important to us, above all.  We knew we had the answers, the question was how to unlock what was inside. As a teenager, I saw suits as a symbol of everything that was boring; conservatism, maths, work, routine.  My view probably also the bi-product of a having a slight, gangly frame that never filled...

Inspired by the sounds that inspired us.  Remember those golden days kicking back in your best friend's garage, taking a break from the sun, easing back and listening to your crew's favourite tunes, always with the chance to discover something new and existing?  We do.  In  this spirit, through a haze of blissed out 70s guitars, dirty LA bubblegum pop, 80s future funk, jacked up Zamrock and more comes Sweepstake Sounds Vol. 1. Music to live to, enjoy!

The idea for Sweepstake Winners was borne out of a 2017 trip to Thailand, a visit that offered welcome respite from the hustle and grind of daily life at home. With splashes of red, green and yellow as far as the eye could see, the soft lilt of reggae became the soundtrack to our journey. The roots of the concept were galvanised in Bob Marley’s “Don’t Rock My Boat” – “when we bend new corners, we feel like Sweepstake Winners”.  As being a beautiful set of words, the idea of bending corners and doing things differently was integral to our...

SWEEPSTAKE WINNERS BEND NEW CORNERS WITH OFF-BEAT, GENDER FLUID FIRST DROP  SWEEPSTAKE WINNERS is a new, forward-thinking fashion initiative created by local designer Julia Ford and musician Matthew L. Paul. The couple launch their debut collection, New Corners, online on Friday 6th December with a collection of bright, chic summer suits, t-shirts, silk scarves and at accessible price points just in time for Christmas. The boutique, Auckland-based brand pays no mind to gender, bridging the gap with non-binary silhouettes and an inclusive attitude, while drawing style inspiration and muse from their personal library of music, art and other memorabilia. The first collection takes notes from the legendary 70s New York...