Paddington retailers reach out to customers

Paddington retailers will strive to attract customers and boost sales during Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival (RSFF), through a complementary event, Paddington Alive.

Fashion retailers In Sydney’s Paddington are hoping to attract customers and boost sales during the impending Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival (RSFF) through a complementary event named Paddington Alive.

Retailers including Wayne Cooper, Camilla Franks and Leona Edmiston will participate, with in-store events, designer talks, product launches and special incentives for customers.

Paddington Alive is the result of a collaboration between festival organiser IMG Fashion Australia and the Paddington Business Partnership.

IMG Fashion Australia general manager Daniel Hill said the aim was to run a largely free, consumer-focused “satellite” event, in conjunction with the festival’s main catwalk shows held in Martin Place. “Our job is to put fashion retail on top of people’s minds,” Hill said. “Paddington has been and always will be seen as a great source of fashion retail.”

Hill would not put a figure on the retail spend he hoped the event would generate, as “those sorts of numbers are hard to accurately come by”. However, he said he intended following up with retailers and designers to “get a good handle on the impact”.

Paddington Business Partnership president Kane Kelfkens said all landlords and tenants participating in the event were keen to drive more foot traffic to the area.

The administration costs have been covered by an annual grant from City of Sydney council, so it was up to the individual stores how much they would invest in activities, Kelfkens said.

A key focus will be the Little Paddington Laneway Festival on August 22, which will see William Street shut to traffic.

Angela Backshell, co-owner of new womenswear boutique Lucette, said she planned to use the event to drive spring/summer 2009/10 sales, build brand recognition and attract new customers, offering a free gift with purchases as an incentive.

Backshell said the trading climate had shifted into a more positive phase in recent months, but believed the initiative would “definitely help to boost retail in the area”.

A further drive by RSFF towards generating retail spend is the Festival Buddy, a mini-magazine available to festival ticket-holders which is full of discounts and incentives to shop at numerous retailers in Sydney. Ginger and Smart, Camilla, Myer and Alpha 60 are among those included.

Another key activity is the Fringe Bar Emerging Designer Market, with 20 new labels available to purchase. Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival and Paddington Alive will run from August 17 to 22.