Mambo Old School Skate / Surf Sticker from 1996
15 cm across approx.
Mambo isn’t just a skate company—it’s a full-blown cultural explosion wrapped in surfwear, streetwear, and irreverent art. Born in 1984 in Australia, Mambo was the brainchild of Dare Jennings, who also founded Phantom Records. It started as a side project in a screen-printing studio and quickly evolved into a brand that blended surf, skate, music, and art with a heavy dose of anti-establishment humor.
🌀 What Makes Mambo Unique
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Art-Driven Identity: Mambo’s designs are wild, weird, and unforgettable. Artists like Reg Mombassa, Richard Allan, and Jeff Raglus helped shape its visual language—think psychedelic surf scenes, surreal dogs, and cheeky religious parodies.
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Skate Culture Roots: While not a traditional skate hardware brand, Mambo’s loud board shorts and graphic tees were a staple in skate shops during the '80s and '90s. It rode the wave of crossover appeal between surf and skate scenes.
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Humor Meets Fashion: Mambo is famous for mixing high art with lowbrow humor—fart jokes, bizarre creatures, and slogans that make you laugh and cringe at the same time.
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Global Reach: After gaining cult status in Australia, Mambo expanded to the UK, US, and beyond. It even designed the Australian Olympic team uniforms for the 2000 Sydney Games.
🧢 Today’s Vibe
Now owned by Caprice Australia, Mambo continues to produce clothing and accessories that reflect its original rebellious spirit. Their official site still oozes personality—cheeky, nostalgic, and proudly unpolished.