Nina Maya starts global assault in Dubai

High-end womenswear designer Nina Maya has cracked the international market.

Two weeks out from her first showcase with Austyle 07 – a four-day Austrade initiative aimed at building ties with the United Emirates' TCF sector – Maya has confirmed a regional stockist in Dubai and interest from Asian, European and South African fashion agents.

Maya, who currently wholesales to Australian department store David Jones and premium boutiques such as Cactus Jam, Grace and Directions,  predicted that 90 per cent of her future clients would be sourced from abroad.

"We are a high-end designer brand and the market for this overseas is very strong and where I see my label growing. We have [already] begun exporting to Dubai and hope to grow our market there."

Maya said she had been approached by buyers in previous seasons but only commenced trade when a client flew over to Australia to meet her team personally.

"We have also been approached by different continents such as South Africa who have presumably found us online," she said. "The most challenging aspect has been the distance of Australia from the rest of the world and the logistics involved in getting our prospective clients to view the range in person."

While Maya has no formal marketing strategy in place to push her international profile, she said recent buyer interest had come as a result of press coverage in Australia. She said inclusion on websites such as vogue.com.au and 2threads.com and exposure through internationally recognised stores such as David Jones had attracted attention.

Since launching her eponymous label in March 2006, Maya has secured select stockists throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and New Zealand. She said along with her growing international portfolio, she hoped to maintain local clients and "add a few more".  

Maya's autumn/winter 2008 collection includes transeasonal coats, dresses and separates in patent, metallic and matte accents.