Shooting Stars: Aussie fashion takes on China

NATIONAL: Australian womenswear label Typical Star is set to burst into the Chinese retail scene.

Launched in autumn/winter 2006, the trend-driven label is already stocked in 200 boutiques and retail stores throughout Australia. Now founder and exporter Jimmy Liu is looking to grow the brand across a number of cutting-edge lifestyle stores in China. The stores, owned by Liu's export group United World Enterprises (UWE) and dubbed 1-Oz-3, will stock a range of Australian-only fashion, coffee and wine products with Typical Star dominating the apparel offering.

Liu said the company's flagship store had already launched in Shanghai and an additional 12 to 18 outlets were expected to open within the next 18 months. He said UWE hoped to unveil at least eight retail sites before the Beijing Games in August 2008.

"Chinese girls, especially Shanghaiese, are rapidly embracing fashion - they love anything that is designer and especially designer fashion from abroad."

Lui, who started his fashion career as broker between Chinese manufacturers and Australian designer brands, said he launched Typical Star last year with a view to expand it into the Chinese fashion market. In 2005, the exporter launched a fashion competition through TAFE NSW's Fashion Design Studio to find the brand's head designer.

"I wanted an innovative designer and I was offering a prize of a job with my company," he said. "I believed this would be a great opportunity for a young designer to not only develop his or her collection but to learn the reality of business including production."

The winner, Laura Nagy is now heading up the brand's creative direction, designing dresses, separates, coats and jackets priced from $60 to $250. The autumn/winter 2008 collection takes its inspiration from the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, with soft fabrications paired against rough studs, exposed metal zips and snap locks.

Lui said coupled with Nagy's creative talent and 1-Oz-3's unique proposition, he hoped to grow the enterprise internationally.

"The media acceptance and the fact we are now stocked in 200 stores gives us great faith in the brand. On the night of our Shanghai 1-Oz-3 launch, we sold most of our stock to both expats and local fashionistas."

By Assia Benmedjdoub