MELBOURNE: The son of a prominent clothing supplier to Target, Kmart and Myer is building his own business specialising in childrenswear brands.
Managing director Trent Hibbs, whose father Michael Hibbs launched the CK Clothing Group in 1988, will open a flagship retail store for young children’s label Run Scotty Run and relaunch urban kid’s brand Scooter.
Hibbs said the childrenswear venture was a standalone business, but backed by the manufacturing resources and support of the CK Clothing Group.
Run Scotty Run was taken over by Hibbs in 2007 after its retail stores and wholesale operations were wound down by its previous owners. He has since secured 150 boutique stockists for the brand, including 30 Myer stores, with a flagship boutique in Chadstone Shopping Centre set to be unveiled on 1 April.
Hibbs said the product design team had kept the original child-friendly essence of the label, avoiding the broader trend towards ‘mini-adult’ attire. The new 100 square metre store will reflect this approach, presenting a fun brand story to consumers.
“It has finishes and fixtures representing monkey bars and playground tunnels, that kind of thing,” he said. “That can seem tacky, but here they are just little touches.”
Hibbs said further stores were likely across Australia over the next few years but no plans were confirmed.
“I also have international plans... I am looking at China as a retail option – it is likely to happen this year,” he said.
The label has undergone a slight logo change, with the original Scottish dog image made more prominent to appeal to children. Hibbs also reviewed the price structure and reduced the cost of garments to fit the middle-market sector. For example, a boys’ T-shirt was previously around $44.95 and is now around $29.95.
“That has had a very positive reaction. I think we’d probably only have half the stockists we now have if prices were still high,” he said.
He also introduced a baby basics collection, from size triple zero. Styles are colourful and feature the brand’s dog logo.
Girls’ and boys’ brand Scooter was purchased by Hibbs in early 2009, with the first collection under new management, autumn/winter 2010, due to hit stores this month. The brand was first launched in the ‘90s and offers sizes zero to 12.
He said Scooter had secured over 70 boutique stockists to date, with key department stores Myer and David Jones expressing interest for next season. The brand has a dedicated design team based in Melbourne, with manufacturing done in China.
Melinda Oliver