New fashion concept defies majors

MELBOURNE: A specialist fashion quarter in the renowned fashion Chapel Street strip looks set to provide much needed support for designers and would-be retailers.
The Victorian capital's newest fashion district is titled "Bedizen District" - "bedizen" is an old English adjective meaning 'to be fitted out in fashionable attire' - and would live up to its name, enhancing fashion choice for consumers and giving emerging designers a kick start, confirmed Bedizen director Lisa Harris.
"Bedizen District aims to give labels that would usually go the wholesale route a real shot at retailing. If you're a designer who gets a wholesale deal with David Jones or Myer there's little you can do if six weeks in they decide to discount your stock," Harris said.
The district - scheduled to open to the public next month - would be split into two distinct areas; a new designers' cooperative - allowing tenants to sell and display their stock full time while only staffing their boutique one day a week - and exclusive concept boutiques housing cutting edge fashion.
The district's affordable rent - from $200 a month for a rack to $500 a month for the cooperative or cut price rates for concept boutiques - would be a boon to designers, she added.
"We've got one tenant who's moving in from [off-Chapel fashion hub] Greville Street and their rental is going down from $5000 to $900 a month. That can make a huge difference for a designer trying to improve the quality of their product."
Tenants were not required to commit to the project for more than three months, Harris said.
"This is not about us locking them into an arrangement. We want to reassure tenants that we will continue to work hard on their behalf."
Housed under a vast art deco warehouse on the corner of Chapel Street and Toorak Rd South Yarra, Bedizen District would also revitalize Chapel Street's reputation as a fashion groundbreaker, she said.
"Melbourne's traditional cutting edge fashion precincts are increasingly over run by chains because of high retail rentals. We hope this will restore some innovative edge to the area."
A rollout of the Bedizen concept is planned for every major city in Australia, starting with Brisbane in early 2007.