MELBOURNE: Streetwear wholesaler Blu Galaxy Trading has landed its first chain store accounts, 10 months on from its entry into the Australian market.
The Williamstown-headquartered wholesaler of eight menswear labels, including Crosshatch, Ripstop, Smith & Jones and Nippon, has secured an account with 12-store chain Planet Surf. The retailer has signed on to trial the spring/summer Crosshatch range in three of its stores.
The Planet Surf deal comes of the back of Blue Galaxy's securing of an account with Melbourne chain Hizz. The retailer debuted the Crosshatch label in its 15 stores six weeks ago, stocking Crosshatch t-shirts, denim shorts and hoodies.
Blu Galaxy co-owner Fergal Mackey said the company is also set to roll out its brands in New Zealand after signing with a distributor in August.
“Our roll out to New Zealand has been a little bit slower than we would've liked but happy that it is starting to move now,” Mackey said.
He said the Hizz and Planet Surf deals were not part of a larger strategy to target chain stores, with Blu Galaxy's 230 stockist base made up largely of independents.
“We don't want to take orders from retailers that we cannot fulfil. We're happy enough to take on the smaller, independent retailers, the one-shop or the two-shops. The bigger chains, we would have to do a lot of planning to make sure that we can supply them in time."
The bulk of Blu Galaxy's labels originate from the UK and are manufactured in Turkey. Each label offers two seasons per year, with two product drops per season.
Blu Galaxy is co-owned by Mackey, his partner Brenda Mackey and sales representative Pat Hennessy.