If you know us at all by now, you’d know that two of our favourite things are fashion and art (What can we say? We like pretty things.), so naturally, Somedays Store and Gallery in Surry Hills is one of our favourite places ever. Not only does it celebrate everything that is aesthetically pleasing, but it’s aesthetically pleasing itself! Does that make sense? What we mean to say is, the interior décor complements everything that the store represents ever so perfectly. Featuring timber floors, vintage trinkets and downlights, the space has a refurbished warehouse vibe to it with a little bit of old world charm thrown in there. Stocking an awesome selection of Swedish (and a few Australian) brands and holding exhibitions regularly, it’s pretty clear that the people behind Somedays have managed to successfully merge the same passions we have. We sat down with the owner, Mattias Friberg, to talk about the concept and the journey.


Please explain the concept behind Somedays?
The concept is fairly simple – to sell nice things in a nice space to nice people.

Why did you want to focus on Scandinavian brands?
Well, half of us are Swedish so we thought it best to stick with what we know. There are also some really great labels coming out of Sweden and Denmark at the moment.

How come you operate as a gallery space as well? What has the process of merging a retail shop with a gallery been like?
The space was previously used as a gallery and it lends itself well to housing exhibitions. There hasn’t really been a process of merging because the retail and gallery sides of the business have always co-existed. There are obvious links between fashion and art and people who have an appreciation for one generally seem to like the other.

What was the start like for you?
A little daunting but mostly exciting. There was always an element of apprehension about how Swedish brands would be received in Australia. But oddly enough, we began to attract a devout clientele almost immediately.


How did you get your name out there and attract a client base?
It was largely through word of mouth and friendly associations. At that time, Surry Hills was a very grass roots area and I think people really appreciated the fact that we were trying to do something a little different. The gallery openings and occasional party also helped.

What is the biggest lesson you have learnt in the time you have been a retail owner?
So many, it’s a difficult business.

What would you say has been the key to the success of Somedays?
I would have to say it is our approach, we like fashion and we like art but we try to shy away from a lot of the pretension and snobbery that surrounds these industries. We just try to have fun with it, which is how it should be.

What are you looking for when you decide to pick up a brand?
There are a whole host of things we look for but most importantly we value originality and quality. We try not to buy into passing fads and look for labels that have a bit of longevity.


Who do you have design the interiors of your shop? What is your inspiration/design process?
We do it all ourselves, we are lucky to have staff with a great eye for colour and detail. We’re all pretty hands on and I think everyone has had a drill or a paintbrush in their hand at some point.

What are some of the most difficult parts about owning a store? The best?
It can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride at times, it takes a huge amount of dedication and the odd sleepless night. But, in saying that, we get to meet wonderfully creative people on a daily basis and it is a lot of fun.

Any exciting plans for the future?
So many, we are in the process of publishing a magazine, which will be released in a few weeks time. We have a really solid line up of exhibitions for the gallery, an online store in the works and few parties thrown in for good measure.

Tell us something about your shop that might surprise people.
After dark, we close our doors and transform into a swingers club.

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interview: Seema Duggal