Wholesale fashion house The Hopkins Group (THG) has started the new year with a flurry of activity aimed at taking its portfolio to a broader audience.
The Sydney-headquartered group, which operates lifestyle womenswear labels Capital M, Marco Polo and Sirroco, has expanded its product offering, taken on additional staff and shifted to new headquarters as part of its rejuvenation.
The move is the first significant change to be adopted by the 35-year-old group since its acquisition by the Eric Morris-led PAS Group in March 2006.
THG New South Wales account manger Amy Farrell said the first of the changes had already been rolled out with the employment of former Stitches executive Gavin Boardman, who has joined the Marco Polo label as brand manager.
Boardman had made an immediate impact on the brand, helping to oversee the brand's 400 styling options for the new season and introducing a more expansive woven component and additional fabrications into all three collections, she said.
These included a focus on luxury and eco fabrics including silk prints, silk/cotton essentials as well as silk/linen and linen/cotton yarns.
In spite of the introduction of the new fabrications, the company intended retaining the price point status quo.
In addition to the changes to the core collections, THG had also added the extra, extra large option in knitwear to coordinate with its existing size 18 offer in wovens, Farrell said.
While reluctant to divulge the cost of the rebrand, Farrell said the company's evolution would be complete with the move to a new head office in George Street, Waterloo in the next few weeks.
Chief executive officer Gordon Devin said the group would continue to be excited by its focus on developing and delivering brands that spoke "to the fashion conscience of Australian women".
"Our current re-focus will continue these relationships and offer specialty retailers just what they need - special pieces from a reputable brand."