GEELONG: Cotton On Group is set to unleash increasingly trend-focused designs as part of efforts to further conquer international markets.
The fast fashion giant has appointed the former buying manager for Sportsgirl, Gavin Gage, to the newly created role of group trend director. Gage joined the company on August 16 and will work with Cotton On's buying teams to make the group more of an “authority on fashion”.
“The mass market consumer is becoming more fashion savvy, and with greater access to blog, e-commerce and global trends, it's really important that we are delivering trends at the most appropriate times to our customer,” Gage said.
“Also the fact that we currently sell in six regions globally [means] we need to ensure the product is focused and on-trend for those regions.”
The more trend-focused approach will roll out in the group's womenswear ranges first, across its apparel brands including Cotton On, Cotton On Body and Rubi Shoes. The new product will hit shop floors from February 2010 in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the US.
“If we're going for a particular trend for say a three-month cycle, we'll be focusing more heavily on what that needs to look like for the southern and northern hemispheres,” Gage said.
He said neither the group's price points nor its store designs will change to reflect the focus on up-to-the-minute trends, but nor is there likely to be a marketing campaign to communicate the change to customers.
“What we will be offering the customer is more value for her money in the product rather than saying the price points will increase,” he said. “We believe the customer will see it organically.”
Cotton On Group currently operates over 600 stores across six brands worldwide. The company opened 170 stores in 2009 and is scheduled to open an additional 200 stores this year.
Erin O'Loughlin