SYDNEY: International denim labels Lee, Riders by Lee and Wrangler are set for a flagship rollout and product overhaul in Australia and New Zealand, under new domestic management by brand house True Alliance.
The brands, owned by US company VF Corporation, were formerly licensed to Pacific Brands in Australia. True Alliance general manager David Smith said the company stepped in to take on the licenses when Pacific Brands did not renew its contracts late last year.
“True Alliance have been working closely with them [VF Corporation] on Nautica and The North Face for long time,” he said.
Smith said a small number of flagship stores for each brand will be launched to showcase the full product range. These will be created over the next three years. One store for Lee exists in Melbourne which True Alliance now operates.
“We are not planning to become a chain of retail stores as obviously that would cannibalise our very well established wholesale business,” he said.
Stockists include General Pants and Glue Store as well as independent boutiques. Smith said a department store deal has already been struck, which will see Lee have a shop-in-shop presence within 12 months. He could not disclose which department store at this stage.
A key move under the new ownership will be a revamp of the product offer to suit Australian seasons and consumer size fits. An early change has been the inclusion of Japanese and European denim. Going forward the company will increase “above the waist” options for the brands such as T-shirts, shirts and jackets.
“We believe there is an enormous opportunity in that area to take the brands to the next level,” he said.
Marketing strategies for each brand will focus on creating a powerful overall brand message for each label.
“It’s more than just some jeans on the wall; what we want to do is create the identity of the brand,” he said.
This will begin with a new lifestyle oriented campaign for winter 2010 for each label.
“We have a brand manager, designers and a marketing team for both brands, which I think is vital as...you get your own independent message,” he said. The Lee campaign was shot in New York by photographer Ben Watts, which Smith describes as a “very urban, sexy, rock and roll kind of feel”.
The winter 2010 campaign for Wrangler has a slightly sparser, grungier edge. Both are due to be released on billboards and in fashion press this month.
The brands join the True Alliance stable of international labels including Ben Sherman, Nautica, Speedo, The North Face, Lacoste and Reebok among others. Smith said the attraction of the denim labels was their iconic status and that they offered a youth denim division to the group.
Melinda Oliver