MELBOURNE: Coquette Red is flirting with expansion. Again.
Since its official Australian launch last September the handbag and accessory brand has moved to drive market penetration from Victoria and Tasmania to the rest of the country.
The company had appointed leading sales agents or distributors in Western Australia (Sinclair Product Management), Queensland (Caxton Street) and New South Wales (Lappin Agencies), Coquette Red COO Phil Hayes-Brown confirmed.
"We are in over 85 fashion boutiques and contemporary lifestyle stores now including Cinori, Yeltour, Sketa and Mulberry Hill; around 80 per cent of these accounts are in Victoria and Tasmania so with our new national sales team we're excited about building a truly national presence," Hayes-Brown confirmed, adding Coquette Red's latest collection would be officially launched at Sydney Fashion Exposed in March.
"We've also taken back in-house all sales for Victoria and Tasmania so we manage those directly now; and we've appointed [Melbourne based] Spice & Soul as our PR agency to generate increased media coverage," he said.
Established by lawyer-turned-designer Marita Hayes-Brown, Coquette Red first showcased its current brand identity at Melbourne Fashion Exposed last September having re-branded from its previous identity, Coquette Hong Kong.
Coquette Red bags were designed to be "high quality and classic with an edge," she said.
Priced around $59 to $199 the bags feature premium fabrications – including luxe suede, mock-croc, micro fibre and leather – as well as high quality design, finish and detailing.
The Coquette Red jewellery collection, priced around $150 a piece, features necklaces incorporating sterling silver and semi-precious stones.