We caught up with a pretty special customer, Zeb from Noosa Vibe House in Noosa, Queensland, Australia. Zeb was one of our original AS Colour crew, who successfully launched and scaled the brand in the Australian market.
But what exactly do you do after helping build a globally recognised brand from the ground up? You launch an advisory and creative studio dedicated to sharing those hard-won secrets to brands ready to level up.
We’re incredibly proud to continue our relationship with Zeb and witness his evolution. He's now applying his industry-shaping expertise to brands, using Noosa Vibe House to build the next generation of brand success stories.
Tell us about Noosa Vibe House?
Noosa Vibe House is a strategic advisory and creative studio shaped by decades of experience at the forefront of the apparel industry. We give brands a competitive edge through business consulting, mentoring, and full apparel strategy - from design through to production and launch. Whether it’s an emerging label or a global brand, we know how to tap in and scale at any level.
What’s your background?
As Director of AS Colour, I led the launch into the Australian market in 2008 - introducing a premium quality blank that redefined expectations across the industry at that time. It’s hard to imagine now but back then, we were such a fresh proposition, setting a new benchmark for how blanks should fit, wash, and print. It was a whole culture shift.
Building a brand like AS Colour from the ground up gave me incredible exposure to every part of running a business. I was hands-on with everything - from driving sales and setting budgets to retail, stock management, warehouse logistics, relocations and new market launches. Along the way, I worked with hundreds of client brands, guiding them through just about every challenge imaginable. Each phase and experience taught me something new, honing my ability to spot challenges and unlock growth opportunities in any business.
What gets you out of bed in the morning/What keeps you motivated and passionate?
Probably checking current trades in the NBA?! My love of basketball is completely unhealthy at this point haha.
From a business standpoint nothing gets me more fired up than driven clients who are ready to put in the work and build something really special.
On a deeper level, spending special time with my family is the ultimate motivator and I never take that for granted. Parenting has challenged and rewarded me in more ways than I thought possible. Our son is autistic and has ADHD, and moving to Noosa for the outdoor lifestyle has been a game changer for our family.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when first starting out, and how did you overcome it?
Without a doubt, my biggest challenge career wise was stepping away from AS Colour. I loved it so much and genuinely never thought I’d leave. But after a really challenging period on the personal front, we needed a lifestyle reset. Prioritising mental health and family was the right call at the time, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. Going from being “the guy” leading the charge for an industry leader like AS Colour and working at such an intense pace every day, to suddenly switching that off - I struggled with that more than I expected. In terms of overcoming that, I threw myself headfirst into building Noosa Vibe House with Cat. We started from scratch and have worked incredibly hard to shape something we’re really proud of.
What excites you about the future for Noosa Vibe House?
Noosa Vibe House is unique in the apparel industry because we’ve lived it first-hand. I’m not your typical consultant, and honestly, I don’t really like that word. Too many advisors stay disconnected from the brand and the people actually driving it, often adding to frustration and challenges rather than solving them. When I work with a client, I’m fully invested - honest, hands-on, and pushing for real results.
Never content with sitting still, we’re constantly evolving our business to deliver the best possible results for our clients. In addition to creating premium apparel solutions, we recently launched Zeb Aitken Advisory, a high level advisory service within Noosa Vibe House, which I’m really excited about. I only work with brands that have the drive and vision to really go after their goals, and I push hard to keep them moving forward. You can’t succeed in this market with half effort or hesitation so if you’re ready to go all in, I’m your guy!
What’s your history with AS Colour?
Where do we start here! Larry and I go way back to the pre-AS Colour days - we worked together in the action sports industry and quickly bonded over our mutual love of skateboarding, snowboarding, shoes…..and eventually blank tees!
When we moved to Australia in the early 2000s, and Cat was working at one of the surf industry giants, we could sense a big shift away from the loud, graphic-heavy prints which dominated the industry at that time. I reached out to Larry to see if he was still sitting on that wild idea of launching a blank apparel brand. Turns out he was, and he needed someone to lead the charge into Australia. I guess from there, the rest is history!
Nothing could have prepared me for how exciting that trajectory would be. As an ambitious 23 year old in a new city it was a dream come true. We were juggling huge demand and the logistics of where to hold all that stock, building out a constantly growing team and product line, setting up and outgrowing multiple warehouses, opening retail stores and launching into new markets - it was such a wild ride! AS Colour has such a special place in my heart and always will.
What is your favourite ASC product over the years?
The early 2010s was a time! Shadow Tee, Barnard Tank and Traction Zip Hood was a cult uniform! My favourite product now for sure is the Heavy Faded Tee. This is elite in cut, wash and print quality.
Why is a quality blank so important to you?
Aligning with quality suppliers is such a critical part of any business strategy - it signals that you’re building your brand with integrity and a long-term mindset. Now, more than ever, customers want to work with apparel partners known for consistency - from fit and wash to print performance and ethical production standards. AS Colour is the market leader in the blank apparel space by a long shot.
What has been your favourite memory working with AS Colour?
Launching AS Colour in Sydney, for sure. We were this fresh-faced bunch of Kiwis hustling a blank apparel brand in an industry which at the time was dominated by low priced promo quality gear. No one was doing what we were doing and there was such a fun, dynamic energy - full scrappy startup vibes with everyone just getting stuck in across all areas of the business. No one could believe that a pack of kids with a skate ramp in their warehouse were completely shaking up the industry. I loved subverting everyone's expectations like that.
On a personal note, I’ve worked with some amazing people over the years, both customers and staff, who have become some of my closest friends which is pretty special. A few of us from the early days of ASC in Sydney have been talking about getting together to share stories for a content series. Stay tuned - some wild yarns could come out of that one haha.
Who’s your go to person at AS Colour if you need something?
I love bombing Sam Sharland and Elijah with my constant ideas. Their product knowledge and passion for the brand and apparel industry is all time. I was fortunate enough to hire both of them and work alongside them for a long time. I’ve loved watching their progression at AS Colour over the years.
Cam is an amazing sounding board and good friend. We became super tight navigating the rollercoaster of Covid in NZ and we’ve stayed in constant contact.
I have known Larry for over 20 years now and we have a really special relationship, born out of working together for so long on something as industry defining as AS Colour. It’s always so good to catch up with him and hear about everything that is going on, both in the business and for him personally.
Additional thoughts or advice I would give:
Don’t go into a business idea chasing quick wins, cutting corners or relying on social media or a “contact” who is going to blow up the business for you. Put in the work, constantly interrogate how you can do things better and always celebrate the wins, no matter how big or small! Stay true to your brand principals and assess the business with emotion removed and keep on pushing. Having the right strategy in place is absolutely critical.
Find out more about the high-level services Noosa Vibe House can offer on your next project here. Follow their journey @noosavibehouse