How the global giants are squeezing out Australian fashion

It's been a bloody few weeks for Australia's apparel sector as retail's killing season claimed its annual bounty of weak and weary brands.
                                     

Four national apparel chains have collapsed in just two weeks and insolvency specialists claim the combination of rising costs and weak or falling sales have pushed a number of other, prominent fashion chains onto the endangered list.

The carnage of the last fortnight follows the collapse of kids clothing chain Pumpkin Patch as well as Payless Shoes at the end of last year. It's sharpened the focus on Australia's mid-market fashion chains and the immense challenges facing this broad swathe of the retail market.

The storm clouds that gathered over Australia's apparel sector in the past 12 months weren't just the result of the unpredictable weather conditions.

Winter arrived late on the eastern seaboard and then the chilly start to spring forced fashion retailers to cut prices again to move stock.

International fast-fashion superstars like Zara and H&M have taken hundreds of millions of dollars in sales out Australia's apparel sector, leaving long-established brands subsisting on the thinnest of margins and vulnerable to even minor shifts in spending.

JP Morgan analyst Shaun Cousins said the globalisation of Australian retail was most apparent in apparel and it had left domestic chains vulnerable to even relatively small market fluctuations.

Zara's sales in Australia have retreated from their initial "elevated levels", according to Macquarie Wealth Management, but along with Japanese giant Uniqlo and H&M these three brands captured $600 million in Australian apparel sales last year.

Macquarie reports that margins are under pressure at all three of the international chains, but they're still driving sales growth through new store openings and squeezing domestic chains out of the market.

What a fashion buyer thinks you should invest in for work in 2017

Finding the inspiration to get dressed successfully every morning can be a challenge even for the most sartorially astute. So to save you time and pain we’ve quizzed My Chameleon owner, Giselle Farhat on the must-have buys for the working year ahead.
               

What pieces should every woman look to invest in 2017 for work?
1. "A pant suit in a cool grey,
2. A sharp tailored jacket that sits past the hip either single button or double breasted with a wide leg pant or straight cropped pant,
3. The tailored dress with a T-shirt sleeve that finishes just at the knee,
4. A neck tie in silk ivory or classic black,
5. The bold striped shirt with a hint of colour.”

What advice do you have for approaching 2017 with a fresh eye when getting dressed in the morning?
“Start with an open mind and look at incorporating other elements of your wardrobe into your ‘corporate’ attire, whether it be colour, a print or more prominent details such as a bellowed sleeved shirt. Corporate wear doesn’t need to be mundane - we should feel comfortable, confident and fresh.”

Talk us through the thought process you go through when getting dress in the morning.
“My approach to dressing is simple, it is dictated by how I feel in the morning and the weather.  It is also important that I dress appropriately for the day ahead.”

What accessories should one invest in for work?
“Subtle earrings that can be worn back with any look - round stud or small drop earrings. A chic black bag with minimal hardware should be big enough to hold a laptop and other daily essentials.”

Are there are rules you think people should follow for work wear dressing?
“Take note of your working environment and industry, in my view it is always better to be more formally dressed than too casual, it shows thought and professionalism. Keep a pair of heels in your office drawer for emergencies. Avoid see-through pieces and even miniskirts. Wear dresses and skirts that are tailored but not tight.”

Yellow wins the gold in the fashion stakes at Werribee Cup

Fillies and fashion dominated at Werribee racecourse on Sunday for the annual Werribee Cup.
               

More than 4000 people frocked and suited up to see the Darren Weir-trained High Church storm to Werribee Cup victory during the eight-race meeting.

Meanwhile, there were fascinators, gloves and heels galore for the annual Fashions on the Field competition.

Geelong’s Peta Bell took out the ladies’ open division with a yellow Thurley slip dress with lace overlay, matching fascinator by Admelda and contrasting pink accessories and lipstick.

Ms Bell, 26, said she had taken part in a number of Fashions on the Field competitions in the past year and taken out top spot in fashions at Dunkeld, Colac and Yarra Valley meets.

“I wasn’t expecting to win at all,” she said.

“I’m a little bit overwhelmed. [My dress] is a nice, bright colour, especially in summer and spring.”

Luke Perkins impressed the judges with his navy suit and fedora to take out the menswear section; Joy Erkine won for ‘most elegant hat’; and young Werribee resident Xavier Pedulla was ‘best dressed child’.

Fashions on the Field organiser Heather Marcus said she was impressed by the calibre of entrants.

“We had some extremely high-quality entrants,” she said.

“What the judges were looking for is the complete outfit: the dress, the hat, the shoes, the gloves and the fit.”

Werribee Racing Club manager Glenn Scott said following two successful years, the Werribee Cup would be held each year on the second Sunday of December.

The next Werribee Racing Club meeting is on January 27.

Vogue says cleavage is now out of fashion and women are having none of it

Vogue is taking the term "fashion bible" far too literally. The British version of the magazine has featured an article in its December issue on the "debate" (was there one?) about the end of cleavage.
               

"Whatever happened to the cleavage?" they asked under the story by Kathleen Baird-Murray with the headline, "Desperately Seeking Cleavage". They also went to the public with a Twitter poll asking, "is cleavage over?"

Their research notes "the distinct lack of pertinently pushed-up breasts everywhere from runway to red carpet," sales for padded bras slipping, and singled out those wearing high-necks on the red carpet, like Alicia Vikander at in Louis Vuitton and Jennifer Lopez in Giambattista Valli at this year's Golden Globes.

The writer says: "The cleavage — those magnificent mounds pushed together to display sexual empowerment, to seduce, to inspire lust or even just to show off — is over, or at least, taking a well-earned break," adding, "The tits will not be out for the lads. Or for anyone else, for that matter."

Amidst the controversy, Baird-Murray responded to suggest her Vogue article headline, online blurb and Twitter poll were all misleading as her story is not about "breast size, large or small, being 'in' or 'out'."

"It's saying that fashion designers are creating more natural, comfortable clothes that focus on other erogenous zones than just the cleavage," she wrote on Twitter.

Marie Claire launches fashion influencer network The Style Set

Pacific Magazines’ Marie Claire is looking to leverage the booming influencer marketing space with the launch of The Style Set, a network of fashion and style influencers who will create content for the magazine’s website.
               

The Style Set will create create content for marieclaire.com.au as well as regular looks and shopping stories for Styledbymarieclaire.com.au, the brand’s curated, interactive personal shopping platform.

Style Set influencers will also collaborate on selected Marie Claire advertising briefs.

Jackie Frank, general manager – fashion, beauty and health said: “The Style Set pairs the authority of the Marie Claire brand with the individuality and reach of some of Australia’s best-known influencers. This allows us to deliver our clients and brand partners authentic content that can be amplified across multiple platforms.”

The Style Set’s founding members include Sara Donaldson of Harper and Harley, Jessie Bush of We The People, Brooke Testoni and Kaitlyn Ham of Modern Legacy.

Nicky Briger, editor at Marie Claire, said: “We’re delighted to launch the Marie Claire Style Set. These style powerhouses, together with the Marie Claire brand, will deliver the very best in fashion and style trends and I’m confident our readers will relish the regular contributions which will further transform the way consumers interact with brands.”

The launch of The Style Set follows on from rival publisher Bauer Media launching an influencer network connected with its Beauty Directory brand.

Additional influencers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Miranda Ward is the publishing and PR editor at Mumbrella. She edits the weekly PR newsletter CommsCon and the weekly publishing newsletter Publish. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.