MEN PROVE THEIR WORTH NATIONAL: David Jones chief executive Mark McInnes said menswear sales had been surprisingly pleasing last month, and contributed to what he called a “fantastic October”. Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, McInnes said men’s shirts and business apparel had performed very well of late and that most categories had now recovered from this year’s economic slump. Core categories including womenswear and cosmetics remain the retailer’s “best performers by a mile”, he said.
RETAIL SALES DROP IN OZ NATIONAL: September sales in the clothing, footwear and accessory sector were down 0.8 per cent on August in seasonally adjusted terms. Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show seasonally adjusted sales fell across the retail industry as a whole by 0.2 per cent. Department stores recorded the largest drop, down 2.9 per cent. The area most affected was the Northern Territory, down 0.7 per cent, while Victoria bucked the trend with a sales increase of 0.4 per cent.
PICTURE BRIGHTER IN NZ AUCKLAND: Retail recovery continues in the land of the long white cloud. Retail sales were up a seasonally and inflation-adjusted 0.1 per cent in the September quarter. Clothing and softgoods helped the sector recover, with a 3.8 per cent rise in volumes. Department store volumes, however, fell 3.1 per cent, according to Statistics New Zealand.
NEW FASHION AGENT FOR SYDNEY SYDNEY: Veteran manufacturer of ageless womenswear, Brian Cronin, has severed his ties with Aboud Apparel, where he was national sales manager for FM labels. Cronin is in the process of setting up a fashion agency in Sydney, specialising in medium-priced garments for the 35 to 60 age group.
FRENCH INVASION SYDNEY: Parisian jewellery and accessories label Skalli Paris has launched in Australia, with a concept store located on the ground floor of Chatswood Chase shopping centre. The label is known for its colourful designs, incorporating smooth and rough stones, coloured mirrors and metallic pieces. It has flagship stores in Hong Kong, London and Paris. Designer and founder of the brand, Jean-Marc Skalli, attended a recent launch event held in Sydney.
