Band of brothers

Sourcing international designer labels for the Australian market is tricky business. Can trends really defy geographical borders or is each season an expensive gambling game? Incu is one domestic retailer that's got the betting formula down pat, as Assia Benmedjdoub discovers.

The old saying goes that 'great minds think alike'. But in the case of fraternal twin brothers Vincent and Brian Wu, they happen to behave a hell of a lot alike too. Commonalities, in all their various forms, run deep at the Wu clan.

Prior to May 2002, when Vincent and Brian first launched their upmarket streetwear concept at The Galeries Victoria (TVG) in Sydney, both occupied the white collar world with respective jobs in IT and sales.

"We were both getting sick of the corporate life," former sales buff Brian admits. "During lunchbreaks, we used to discuss the idea of opening a store that would stock young, emerging local designers coupled with fashion labels that weren't in Australia yet. We were really keen to create a new shopping experience in Sydney."

So they did and decided to call the retail venture "Incu" - a play on the idea of design incubators, which often act as a launching pad for the young, talented and largely undiscovered. The brothers currently operate three retail sites across Sydney - two of which cater to the men's and womenswear markets specifically - and travel across the globe four times a year to scout for fresh talent. 

Along with a smattering of local designer brands such as Lover and Life With Bird, Incu sources its collections from the US, France, Japan, UK, Sweden, Belgium and New Zealand with labels including Acne, APC, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Karen Walker and Surface 2 Air.

So what is it that enables this retailer to compete with Australia's big boys? After all, department store giants Myer and David Jones are both located within metres of the Incu flagship store at TVG.

"It's the whole package that makes Incu unique," Brian says, waving away suggestions both are competing for a similar brand of consumer. "It's about walking into our store and escaping from the pre-packaged, commercial, off-the shelf shops you see spread across Australia. We've developed a pretty extensive network around the world and if there is something that is suitable for us, then we tend to find out pretty quickly."

Targeted at the 21 to 40-year-old demographic, all three Incu boutiques are also pitched at the higher end market with T-shirts starting at $69 and heavy jackets priced at around $900. The signature 'Incu' look is a vital point of difference, Brian says, with an emphasis placed on quality products that aren't heavily trend driven.

"We travel quite a bit so we see what is happening overseas really quickly through tradeshows in New York and Paris, showrooms, overseas stores, new brands that are launched and people on the street," he explains. "We stay in touch with what's happening but we try to ensure our products remain quite timeless."

In some instances, Wu has also been able to secure exclusive distribution rights for international brands, meaning the store is able to retain its own unique portfolio.

Incu customers, some of who visit the store on a weekly basis, are notified of fresh merchandise regularly through newsletters, special product launches and VIP nights. Broader strategies such as organising tickets for movie premiers and issuing music samplers also cater to the globally minded consumer, Brian says.

"It's about starting a dialogue and creating a community. We even look for staff that have outside interests and are well rounded so fashion isn't the only thing in their lives. Our staff can talk to customers about the latest movie they watched, the art gallery they went to or the band they saw last night."

In a bid to further boost their offering, the brothers have launched a menswear store directly opposite their flagship TGV site. This will allow them to introduce more product categories such as footwear and accessories, as well as allowing for more innovative visual merchandising. The brothers currently collaborate with leading artists on store window designs and installations.

"We try to educate our customers as well to the product so we put information cards on our table next to particular T-shirts to inform them of the story behind each design," Brian says. "We're looking beyond space as just a shop but as a gallery."

As for the future, Brian believes the key to Incu's success will be the premium it places on quality not quantity.
"We will look to expand inter-state but not more than one store in Australia. We feel the 'less is more' approach works best so we would rather focus on expanding our existing stores. At Incu, we are all about creating an inspiring retail experience."

By Assia Benmedjdoub