Its trading history dates back to a building now home to some of the country’s most prolific designers, including Akira Isogawa, Jayson Brunsdon, Alex Perry, Leona Edmiston and Alannah Hill.
Yet it has taken over 40 years for Cue Clothing Company, which opened its first store at Sydney’s historic Strand Arcade building in 1968, to consider a design partnership outside its own offices.
Founder Rod Levis maintained his nonchalance when major international chains such as H&M and Topshop, both operating in markets which inform Cue’s trend-driven design direction, started to collaborate with major designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney in the early noughties.
“In all the other collaborations that have been publicised, a high-profile designer has released a range at the lowest possible level,” Levis explains. “The point of difference with our collaboration is that our Cue:Dion Lee product retails at a price relatively higher than the Cue product.”
The first seed was sown in late 2010, when the young designer sent an email enquiring about the prospect of a partnership. A week later the collaboration process began, and unlike “hands off” ventures from some competitors, Levis insists Lee worked tirelessly to design, fit and sample the garments in-house, consulting the company’s team of 10 patternmakers where necessary.
The designer was also given access to the company’s network of international fabric suppliers, working with options such as cashmere coating and double-faced ponti from Italy, light and heavy cotton twill, micro check cotton and cashmere/cotton blends from Japan. A majority of the collection was produced onshore – knits and shirting were sourced overseas – with a limited run of between 50 to 150 units per colour, per style.
Unsurprisingly, the 50-piece collection was priced higher than the standard Cue garment, with a floating yoke trench at $550 and a slash sleeve blazer at $450. Levis admits it was an expensive venture but one which endowed Cue with a “cool factor” and backed by strong sell-through on shop floors.
Womenswear designer Michael Lo Sordo will be hoping for much the same effect next month, when his collaborative range with PeepToe launches online. Much like Lee, it was Lo Sordo who approached the footwear retailer about the prospect of a partnership.
“For me, it offered a great opportunity to work with a large retailer in an area that I haven’t been in before, which is footwear,” he says. “PeepToe and I have had a relationship for the last four years; they’ve supplied shoes for my Rosemount Australian Fashion Week shows and I’ve given them garments for campaign shoots. So I guess this collaboration is the next stage of that.”
Just two key styles have been developed for the exclusive line: an 11cm heeled sandal and a 10cm wedge sandal, both featuring blushed, neutral tones to complement his spring/summer 2011 collection. Priced at $299 a pair, this is a slight premium on the standard.
PeepToe strappy styles often average between $249 and $275 each season, while wedges normally retail at $249. Nikki Hager says the Lo Sordo collection, which feature supple napas and key eyelet detailing, was created using PeepToe’s sweeping infrastructure.
“Michael had the complete PeepToe portfolio to choose from which includes an array of mould, colours and materials,” Hager says. “All moulds are specifically designed for PeepToe, by PeepToe, and all materials and colours are sourced with quality and attention to details at the forefront all times.”
This collaborative process was even more loaded for UK retailer Donna Ida, who operates boutiques in Chelsea, Belgravia, Westfield and Guildford. She has just capped off her first venture with cult denim brand Nobody. The Australian-born retailer travelled to Melbourne to work with creative director Wesley Hartwell on seven exclusive styles for a spring/summer 2011 capsule line.
“Working with the boys in their laundry and design room brought me so close to the process,” she says, with Hartwell confirming Ida was “very hands-on” in the design and customisation stages.
The styles range from a high-stretch skinny jean (£175) to a boy-fit short customised with holes and distressing (£110). The initial collection will drop from May to July, with new injection styles set to land from August.
“[The brand] is designed and made in Australia in our own facilities,” Hartwell explains. “We do everything from concept, designs, patterns, sampling, production, hand customisation and finishing in the same facility.
He says no major production changes were introduced to facilitate the collaboration, which merged Ida’s aesthetic with Nobody signature fits. While the two will play with new fabrications and cuts in future, this does not concern Hartwell in the least.
“Donna Ida is world renowned as one of the ultimate denim destinations so as a denim brand, you really relish opportunities such as this.”