Streetwear retailer Incu will continue to stock Topshop at its newly launched womenswear store in Melbourne, as the international fashion giant prepares its assault on the Australian retail market.
While rumours of a Topshop Australia launch have been rampant since 2008, Incu co-founder Brian Wu confirmed recent trade speculation that the retailer is finally negotiating a franchise entry into the country. Wu and his brother Vincent have been operating an Incu Presents Topshop concept space in Sydney’s Paddington district since November 2009.
“From the outset we knew it wasn’t going to be a long-term partnership but a way to introduce the brand to the Australian market,” Wu said. “We’ve been communicating back and forth with the head of Topshop’s international [operations] and they’ve been very honest with us, keeping us up-to-date with their plans. At this point, we know they’re very close to bringing on board a partner to franchise in Australia.”
Topshop declined to reveal its plans for the local market at time of press, but it is understood locations across Sydney and Melbourne are currently under consideration for a 2011 launch. Wu said Incu’s new womenswear boutique in Melbourne will stock the brand as long as possible, while the Paddington venture will wind down later this month for an Incu Presents Marc by Marc Jacobs concept space.
“The Marc by Marc Jacobs [venture] will operate an entirely different business model,” Wu revealed. “It’s aligned more closely with the designer boutique buying market and we’re expecting about six to seven deliveries per year. It’s a concept space rather than a store.”
As part of Incu’s agreement with Topshop, staff at its Paddington site were required to submit fortnightly reports on top-selling items, purchasing trends and stock movements. Product styles were then selected by the brand’s head office in the UK, with fresh drops delivered every two weeks.
“July will be the last month we stock Topshop in Sydney, but we’re really excited to stock the brand at our womenswear store in Melbourne because we haven’t done that before,” Wu said. “We haven’t got a set date for how long that will last, it really depends on whether the company wants to set up a big franchise in Melbourne.”
Incu was established in 2002 and is a leading multi-brand retailer with stores in Melbourne and Sydney. Brands stocked by the company include Karen Walker, Acne, Arnsdorf, Comme Des Garcons Play, Ksubi, A.P.C and Cheap Monday.
Assia Benmedjdoub