Centurian still putting runs on the board

The apparel arm of global eyewear brand Bollé has appointed a new licensee to oversee its Australasian operations - the second such change in the past two years.

Pelaco International has been awarded the green light to manage the brand across the two markets after Robert Nossbaum - the owner of Bollé's incumbent distributor RJN Australia and also a part-owner of Pelaco - opted to merge RJN's apparel operations with the Melbourne-headquartered business.

The move has resulted in the 100-year-old company - whose portfolio also includes the Toronto Australia range - reshuffling its office space to accommodate the five existing Bollé team members.

Bollé Clothing brand manager Catherine Hammill said from a buying and design perspective it was "business as usual" for the unisex brand.

"[It's] just a change of address. The product team remains the same and will continue to ensure consistency of product, marketing and distribution."

Hammill said the brand, positioned within the 'active lifestyle' category, had operated exclusively within the Australian market for the past 13 years.

Trialled as a test market for the collection, which features 60 per cent womenswear and 40 per cent menswear, Bollé's success in Australia meant it was now considering tapping into other markets with a French distributor recently being appointed to sell the apparel collection through Europe, she said.

Hammill said the ongoing success of the brand here was in part driven by its stringent marketing campaign, with its advertising schedule including spots across consumer fashion magazines such as Shop Till You Drop, OK Weekly and InStyle.

The extensive advertising campaign had been supported by Bollé's sponsorship of Australian aerial skier Lydia Ierodiaconou and Kangaroos player Jess Sinclair, both of whom fronted marketing campaigns to help promote the apparel line.

Targeting men and women aged between 25 and 39 years, the brand is currently stocked across boutiques as well as sports stores with retail price points ranging from $29.95 for a graphic T-shirt to $149 for a down-filled puffa jacket.
Manufactured offshore, sizes vary from eight to 16 for women and from small to XXL for men.

By Tracey McEldowney