Iconic Australian fashion designer Jenny Bannister speaks out on "boutique territorialism" and its impact on the local fashion industry. Bannister's legacy continues, with her work still collected and exhibited by major Australian art galleries and museums.
What I am hearing loud and clear from our emerging designers - and even established designers - is where can I get small quantities made in Melbourne?
Due to boutique territorialism, unique and creative designers are being told by their stockists not to sell anywhere else in the same city. Boutiques do this to keep the label exclusive to themselves, thinking they will make all the profit from" the next kid in vogue" and have a product of difference to entice people into their store.
Unfortunately, these retail owners only buy a few of each style and never the entire collection. This causes the designer to source manufacturers who will make maybe only seven units of a style. In the past, designers had only to look up the local paper and phone all the dressmaker adverts. This was very workable: local dressmakers were all set up to only make one or six of a kind, as local customers used these services for bridesmaids, wedding gowns and other one-off dresses.
Now with the advent of cheap imports flooding our market place, and the lack of skilled dress makers, the adverts have vanished. None of the last factories left standing are interested in a small run. Time after time they will say, "sorry love, to cut seven is the same as cutting 100. If you had 30 units I might do the work but I will have to charge you another 30 per cent for a small run as I have to make some money myself to keep this factory open".
All this is sadly killing our future design industry.
The only youngish designers doing volume are the lucky few who have been picked up by department stores. These designers are not necessarily the most creative designers, they have been chosen because the stores can see some profit in their work. At the other end we have the independent, innovative, exciting designers who are "too fabulous for the majors" and sell to "cool" boutiques only.
My big question is; where are the small run manufacturers hiding and why? Why can't we find them in the phone book? Or on the web? I always get a call from a youngish designer, asking me advice on this matter. Can someone please open their heart and mouth and help this new generation? Otherwise it's futile having 2,500 fashion grads pour out every year in Melbourne alone from approximately seven fashion schools.