SYDNEY: Established label George is working with local textile suppliers to develop innovative new fabrics for its eveningwear designs.
Director George Spyrou said the brand predominantly uses silk for its gowns, but has invested time into refining polyester fabrics to create premium silk-touch alternative options at a lower cost.
“It is expensive when you are using silk georgettes and chiffon silks, and they are very delicate fabrics,” he said. “Better polyesters have been coming on the scene for years and some are still not there because it’s still crunchy, but we’ve come up with a few in the last six months that are ready to come through.”
He said one option in particular was super-soft, well-priced and did not run or snag as easily as silk. It could be hand washed rather than dry cleaned, depending on the level of embellishment on the garment. He intends to use the fabric in some styles for the summer 2010 collections.
“It is a shame you have to put a polyester label on it, as it isn’t like any polyester we’ve used before,” he said.
The Sydney-based company of 12 years has 300 Australian and 30 New Zealand stockists, as well as five of its own retail stores. It has ramped up its eveningwear offer to become the core business, keeping daywear steady. Spyrou said 10 eveningwear drops were offered each year, with 30 styles available each time. Daywear is offered 10 times per year, with a vast assortment of items.
For spring/summer 2010, Spyrou said the design team had put in a concentrated effort to ensure every garment has strong commercial potential.
“When we choose colours [we say] lets make sure they are the colours people want to buy. We know what doesn’t sell – let’s not put it in just for highlights.”
He said in-house cutting, house models and a large portion of local manufacturing means samples can be quickly analysed and altered.
The brand has embraced Facebook marketing in addition to traditional catalogues and is set to branch into online retailing in the near future.
“We are in the first stages of it, [looking at] how big it’s got to be, how much stock we will carry. We are full on in moving towards that,” he said.
Melinda Oliver