Asos.com womenswear brand buyer Jo Hunt revealed Australia as its third largest market at a conference during the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) last month. The e-tailer, which attracts 11 million unique visitors per month, currently stocks a number of domestic brands including Sass & Bide, Stylestalker and Reverse.
Asos.com fashion scout Jemma Dyas said Camilla and Marc will be joining its stable for autumn/winter 2011.
“As with all brands we buy, we are looking for something special and unique. We love the Australian aesthetic; it’s feminine and sexy whilst still maintaining a tougher, grungier edge.”
Dyas and Hunt said they had visited a number of designers and stores during their LMFF trip, with “some exciting partnerships” set to launch as a result of the tour.
Several well-placed sources told Ragtrader that Melbourne-based retailer Sportsgirl could look to sell its designer capsule collections through the website. It is likely the recent collaboration between Richard Nicholl and Sportsgirl will be the first cab off the rank, with the Australian-born, UK-based designer enjoying a strong profile in both markets.
When contacted by Ragtrader regarding a launch date for the venture, Sportsgirl public relations representative Kate Evans said she could “not confirm anything as yet”. Romance Was Born, Ellery, Alpha 60 and Dhini are among brands to have collaborated with Sportsgirl.
Assia Benmedjdoub