Dunlop broadens sporting field

MELBOURNE: Legendary brand Dunlop looks set for a dramatic expansion of its sports fashion range with a boost to its current apparel offer and several fresh labels in the Boydex International, a subsidiary of branded product giant Pacific Brands, has revealed plans to add to its Gaze by Dunlop range - named for basketball star Andrew Gaze- with plans for a "significant expansion" of the label's current 12-strong range.
The Gaze range has been available through Target since late last year.
Dunlop product and marketing manager David Kahanoff said the company also planned to release three additional Dunlop lines for winter 2007, including Dunlop Volley, Dunlop Sport and Ellis by Dunlop, named after netball star Liz Ellis.
"Dunlop Volley will target the younger end of the menswear market with denim, T-shirts, woven shirts and polos, while Dunlop Sport features a more contemporary sports fashion offer including tracksuits, tees and athletic performance gear, targeting both men and women. Ellis by Dunlop will target the girls' and womens' market," Kahanoff said.
Each range would feature around 20 styles, he added.
The Dunlop brand expansion represented the latest move to expand Boydex's branded sportswear offer - which included the Slazenger and Exacto ranges - in line with Pacific Brands' long term strategy of building its presence in the branded apparel sector.
Boydex - which was still finalising price points for the products - would focus on both large and small retailers and had entered initial discussions with a number of companies, Kahanoff confirmed.