Best independent menswear - WINNER: Arthur Galan (AG)
When it comes to retail therapy it's safe to say that Aussie males have very different but no less significant shopping habits to their female counterparts.
There is one retailer who has consistently proven its ability to understand this fact, and in doing so has successfully attracted style conscious men into its stores for almost a decade.
That retailer is Arthur Galan AG. Since its establishing his self-named brand in 1998 founding designer Arthur Galan has provided a broad target market with high quality, well-executed and reasonably priced elegance, distinguished by an ageless approach to cool, wearable style.
With men's jackets at $549 to $598, pants for $298, shirts $159 to $169 tees for around $49 in a mix of premium fabrications, the label's typical customer is, says its creator, "assertive and modern" without being a slave to passing trends. Arthur Galan stores are elegant, cool environments in which the label's full wardrobe offer can be easily read, while staff receive regular product updates and training with a strong emphasis on customer service.
The brand's high recall has also secured it some pretty impressive marketing opportunities along the way, including joint ventures with male grooming brand American Crew, high design home entertainment technology brand Bang & Olufsen and telco Motorola, the last of which featured exclusive giveaway mobiles not yet available in Australia. There is also substance behind the style however.
A rarity in an age of dropping tariffs, one of Arthur Galan's most precious assets is the fact that it is still manufactured almost entirely in Melbourne. This has given it the enviable ability to retain tight control over quality and a close eye on shifting consumer demand in terms of design direction and test marketing new concepts.
With 2008 signalling Arthur Galan AG's 10th birthday, the label can no doubt look back with satisfaction on a successful retail offer and strong design focus that has seen it regularly featured in leading men's magazines including GQ Australia, which recently recognised Galan's contribution to male style by nominating him designer of the year.
At a glance
STORE Arthur Galan menswear
OWNER Arthur Galan
FOUNDED 1998
STORE TYPE Men's fashion
LABELS AG