Photograph by Simon Lekias
Shot on Wilyakali and Barkindji Country
To mark our 50th year, we have created a limited-edition collection of products that are made to be loved and passed from one generation to another.
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Our story began with a simple idea—to create quality clothing designed for an Australian way of life.
A quintessential cotton shirt became our first success, celebrated for its timeless simplicity, quality construction and effortless style. Symbolising the principles on which our brand was built, this shirt became an icon that changed the fabric of Country Road forever.
Photograph by Graham Shearer
Photograph by Graham Shearer
We made clothes to fit the way people wanted to live.Stephen Bennett
Founder
From Coober Pedy to Falls Creek, Sydney to Broome—our campaigns were designed to reflect a sense of home and the beauty of Australia. Natural tones of eucalypt green, red earth and soft sand became synonymous with Country Road, and remain deeply woven into our DNA today.
We produced a lot of really good images at the time, groundbreaking because they were Australian, quintessentially Australian.Graham Shearer
Photographer
My mum always wore Country Road growing up. I remember her looking through the Country Road catalogues and I always loved how they reflected the Australian way of life.Gemma Ward
Model
The Icons
Join us as we journey through the archives and reflect on some of our most iconic designs of the past five decades. Curated to reflect moments in time, these pieces have been handpicked from Stephen Bennett and Jane Parker's personal collection. In celebration of our 50th year, selected styles can be found on display at our Chadstone and South Yarra stores throughout February.
Natural fibres were core to every piece we designed. Everything we did, in our product, in our photoshoots and in our language, always referenced a sense of the natural and a sense of place.Jane Parker
Former Design Director
The Ticking Stripe Shirt
Stephen called his menswear 'Workwear'. Why, because we grew up in an era where clothes were sturdy, repairable and well-made with natural fibres, built to last. These values were instilled in us as children. This shirt is a representation of these values—the fabric was tough, long-wearing and the yarn dye design is timeless.
The Tuxedo Jacket and Pant
We always sourced the best quality natural fibres which meant that our customer's garments could wear and wear and get more beautiful as time went on. I crafted this tuxedo from long staple Australian wool, in a beautiful sharkskin weave from one of our Italian mills that used only premium wool tops from a farm in Tasmania.
The Navy Tote
Travelling overseas, I was always inspired by how environmentally conscious the Europeans were.Travelling by train to my favourite village, I would see all the recycling carriages at the stations. At the supermarket, customers would always bring their own bag. This brought to mind my childhood, a canvas bag my mother would take when she went shopping; so, the CR Tote was born and is still an iconic piece in the collection today.
The Camberwell Apron
Our customers embraced Homewear because of the trust they had built up in buying and wearing our garments. Our philosophy was not only did the product have to look great, it had to feel good against your skin; whether it was a sheet, the apron that you wrapped around your body or your morning coffee cup that was comfortable to hold.
The Stripe Shirt
Stephen and I loved, and still do, the old traditional working man's stripes with military-styled pockets. Nothing sets off these stripes better than the colour blue, but it had to be the right blue.
The CR Singlet
In 1990, with Stephen's love for the sport of rowing, we sponsored the Australian men's team in the World Rowing Championships—one of the biggest events on the Australian sporting calendar. To support this event, I did a range for womenswear of rowing tees and singlets.
The Urban Denim Shirt
We love indigo and denim and this style encapsulated the dye and the weave in a modern way. The denim was a Japanese quality. The yarn was much finer and mercerised which gave the surface a sheen, the buttons; a touch of military, the buttoned-down collar; a chic city look. It was a beautiful timeless shirt.
The Corduroy Stirrup
This design was inspired by a ski holiday in the 1980s, when stretch ski pants were still being worn. When I came home, my mind raced to think about stretch wools in daywear—it was the start of a best seller.
The Orange Tote
Another treasure of our collection. In 1990 we delivered a colourful range to brighten the lives of our customers. This tote was made in a textured Ottoman weave, and was loved for many years.
The Wordmark
Together with master typographer Andrew Woodhead, we've created a suite of new wordmarks that pay homage to our design legacy while inspiring the road ahead. Timeless and sophisticated, the marks reference design elements of the past 50 years while creating a seamless harmony between serif and sans serif typefaces.
1. Classic
The new wordmarks strike a balance between Country Road's history and its future. The designs aim to be versatile, living in any moment in time, and serve as a bridge connecting the brand's rich legacy with its evolving journey ahead.Andrew Woodhead
Master Typographer
2. Compact
-1974
-1979
-1984
-1989
-2004
Our Country Road 50 Years Collection - Country Road
Country Road's 50th anniversary campaign celebrates the brand's heritage while looking to the road ahead. Explore the editorial and discover iconic Country Road designs such as sweats, shirts, suiting and knits in classic colourways and seasonal tones.