SYDNEY: Locking in an Australian-first partnership with UK fast fashion giant Topshop did not come easily for brothers Vincent and Brian Wu.
The co-owners of Sydney-based mixed-designer boutique Incu put in 18 months of preparation before approaching Topshop management company Arcadia Group with a retail distribution plan.
As first reported on ragtrader.com.au, Incu Presents Topshop, a unique shop-in-shop venture in Paddington’s Oxford Street, will launch on October 29.
During negotiations, Arcadia Group investigated Incu to establish if it was the right avenue to enter the Australian market. The company’s support for independent and international designers – as well as the strength of its own dedicated wholesale arm – helped clinch the agreement, a Topshop UK spokesperson said.
“Incu also appealed as they [will] display Topshop and Topman product alongside each other, rather than splitting them up. Generally though, Topshop prefers not to wholesale its stock.”
The first floor of the boutique will be transformed into a dedicated Topshop space, with edited selections of apparel, footwear and accessories all bearing the ‘Incu Presents Topshop’ logo.
Vincent Wu said price points will be in line with those offered through Topshop Online, which currently ships to the Australian market.
“Topshop complements our current collections and just because the price point is different, it doesn’t mean you can’t mix and match high street and designer gear,” Wu said.
Stock management systems have already been overhauled to facilitate the new venture. Incu currently receives quarterly or half-yearly drops from designer labels, but will now process large, monthly deliveries of stock from Topshop.
“The monthly Topshop drops could become weekly, depending on demand,” he said.
“You are dealing with a vertical company – if we sell out of a really great product we can potentially get a new shipment straight away.”
Apparel will be delivered in line with northern hemisphere seasons with a focus on transeasonal pieces. Incu has also been encouraged to adhere to Topshop trend themes with buying and merchandising.
UK-based Topshop senior buyer Rachael Proud said the first collections, called Luxe Groupie, Horror Girl and Highland Fling, will focus on big and emerging trends.
“Luxe Groupie – think skinny grey jeans, studded suede jackets and body-con dresses with embellishment,” Proud said.
“Horror Girl is inspired by horror films. Highland Fling looks to Scotland for inspiration, featuring checked shirts and skirts alongside ditsy florals and chunky knits.”
Wu said weekly sales reports to Arcadia Group are part of the exclusive deal. He speculated that Topshop might delve further into Australia in years to come, possibly with a franchise outlet.
“We are ‘intelligence gathering’ for them,” he said, adding Incu currently has no plans to take the concept beyond its Paddington store.
Incu operates four stores nationally, in addition to a wholesale distribution arm. A number of other projects also run under the ‘Incu Presents’ banner, spanning fashion collaborations, art, film events and music.
Melinda Oliver