The Sportscraft Signature menswear collection, which will debut as part of the brand's summer season launch, will include a mix of suiting, shirts and knitwear using premium European fabrics, and will be complemented by a range of ties, bow ties and pocket chiefs.
Sportscraft Signature menswear buyer Fiona Gardiner said the decision to expand the offering, which launched via womenswear in October 2010, came from a perceived niche in the market and a desire to strengthen the brand.
“We identified a gap in the market and saw this as a good opportunity to expand our menswear offer and create a stronger brand presence, and we have created a timeless classic collection while maintaining the value proposition of our brand,” Gardiner said.
“The global trend back to refined simple sophistication made this the right time to add this category for our current customer, to better service his business attire needs.”
Gardiner said Sportscraft plans to produce eight collections of Signature menswear per year, but will only drop the debut collection into its e-store and “hand picked” urban locations throughout Australia initially.
“We have cherry picked select stores for trial purposes with the intention of expanding rapidly,” Gardiner said. “However, we anticipate a healthy sales growth and brand awareness from our initial launch with the goal to create a complete wardrobe solution for our customer.”
Sportscraft, owned by Apparel Group, also recently completed a roll-out of its Signature womenswear range into a further 21 stores, following strong sales for the fledgling label.
Daniela Aroche