SYDNEY: Womenswear retailer Rodney Clark has restructured its portfolio of stores to target growing demand from regional Australia and Queensland.
General manager Marina De Luca said the 40-plus lifestyle brand has closed sites which no longer present growth opportunities, including closures in Crows Nest and Mosman. The company currently operates 25 stores, six of which have recently been refurbished as part of the new retail strategy.
“The new store concepts are a mix of recycled timbers with beautiful ivory coloured walls and sofas, so it really makes a woman feel like she is at home,” she said. “We think there has been a bit of a backlash against chain-type stores where the look is all very similar.”
Key to this initiative has been the introduction of sister labels Gordon Smith and Hammock & Vine across a selection of its stores. In recent seasons, Rodney Clark ranging has also been adapted to reflect a more contemporary handwriting, De Luca said.
“We drop a small capsule of coordinated items almost every week through the season and we have classics ongoing,” she said.
While accessories currently comprise 10 per cent of sales, the company intends to boost this to 20 per cent in the next two years with the introduction of more styles. De Luca said this will also address growing product demand from regional and holiday destination stores, particularly within Noosa (Queensland) and Bowral (NSW).
The company is planning to capitalise on this sales growth with more store openings.
“We took the plunge and jumped into Orange in regional NSW three months ago,” De Luca said.
Queensland also presented strong potential for Rodney Clark, with retail locations currently being scouted.
“A lot of our fibres currently revolve around natural linens and cottons so [the climate] is perfect,” De Luca said. The company has no current plans to expand into Western Australia.
Melinda Oliver