Fraser Live: Jeans lament

My friend Neville Davis, who runs a jeans retail business on Sydney's Central Coast, returned from trade fair Fashion Exposed shaking his head.

"Nobody seems to want to service independent jeans retailers," he told me. "Fashion labels might throw a few jeans into the mix, and after that you're left with a couple of big general brands like Levi and Lee. They don't do a bad job in basics but the bias is towards male styling. Where are brands like Britania, Corfu, Marcel Dachet, Staggers, Durango and Cliff Vincent's Jeans One?"

It must be said that Neville's market would blanch at the likes of True Religion and other amazing jeans brands available from David Mendels' International Fashion Group. As the name implies, Neville's Jeans Warehouse has to work in lower price points to suit the folk of the NSW Central Coast.

Another problem is the demise of independent jeans retailers. Once a thriving market sector, they have fallen prey to a changing fashion landscape. If they were resuscitated, mid-priced fashion labels would follow.

Neville reported that he did find one new jeans fashion label offered by a Chinese company. Prices were quoted at $165 retail and the sales person manning the stand was surprised to be asked for a wholesale price. Finally it was quoted as a "discount" off the retail price. Nobody had told this company, it seemed, that it was not selling to the public.

Neville is still looking for bamboo shirts and T-shirts at reasonable prices. He's repeated many times from Kingston Grange, but now people in Woy Woy are meeting themselves coming down the street, which means either new styles or new suppliers are needed.

Like me, bamboo has become Neville's favourite fibre.

Chickenman has a go

I've had a letter from Chickenman. He's hidden himself behind anonymity but gave me a few clues as to his identity: once a fashion agent, Chickenman says he now has a design/distribution house, retail stores, concessions and a number of wholesale accounts around Australia and New Zealand. He admits to slogging it out in this industry for 25 years.

I normally wouldn't bother with such Chickenpeople, but this one took the trouble to ask seven questions of the trade that are worth repeating. Obviously his silent scream is that he's not making enough money and is looking for somebody else to blame, as many of us do, including me.

1. Have David Jones and Myer created their own competition with their suppliers at retail, based on their selfish and unrealistic buying demands? If so, what does the future hold for both parties?

2. How does the bottom end of the market continue to trade and survive at the same ridiculously low price points when they are paying A-grade shopping centre rents and the Aussie dollar has depreciated by 30 per cent?

3. Are the rumours out there that a number of retailers that would fall into the above category (no matter what demographic they target) are in a world of financial pain to the point of being unprofitable? If so, who are these traders and how bad is it?

4. If, or should I say when, the unfortunate thing happens and a couple of larger chains of stores do fall over, will the major shopping centre owners finally address their obscene rental rates (in relation to performance) and give fashion traders a chance to survive within, or will they just find another sucker wearing a straw hat and increase the competition in current 'hot' categories.

5. Taking into account all of the market constraints and all of the traditions, how could the Australian fashion industry change its buying and selling season to meet current weather patters and to increase the products' relevance rather than follow the delivery seasons of the 1960s. Could all categories, including department stores, vertical retailers and boutiques agree to follow the new seasons or would the visionaries just be a minority and it be another failed attempt at a sensible solution within the industry.

6. How does the industry help Fashion Exposed reinvent itself where it is more necessary for both the manufacturer and the retailer to attend? Costs need to come down for the exhibitors and reasons need to be created for the retailers to attend both fairs regularly.

7. How can the industry recognise the likes of Rodney Levis (Cue) and Mr Freddy and Mrs Khedouri for their ability to survive at both wholesale and retail for so many years and still have the energy to keep driving their businesses forward?

I am tempted to point out some gaping holes in Chickenman's arguments but I'd rather my readers did it for me. If you want to reply to Chickenman or guess at his identity, I'll grant you the same Chickenanonimity that he enjoys.

Fraser McEwing