What's Selling In: Cobram, VIC

Exclusivity is crucial to the success of any independent fashion retailer - no more so than in regional Australia. When you've got a shopping strip that can be covered in a matter of hours - and a modest population to boot - a unique stable of brands is imperative to capturing local foot traffic.

That's why Cobram's Sattinehe Boutique, which stocks premium brands such as Morrison and Moss & Spy, is not averse to a little "cut and delete" when the occasion calls for it.

"We've discontinued lines because competing boutiques have carried the same," manager Fiona Bracken says, explaining that not all wholesalers are willing to ensure their labels are carried by one local retailer rather than several. "We like to offer things that are special and unique - we only ever sell one or two pieces of the one style." 

In fact, the boutique is introducing a host of exclusive domestic and international labels for the spring/summer 2008 season, including US giant Tommy Hilfiger. Hilfiger will join the likes of George, Vertise and VSSP in the upper end of Sattinehe's apparel offering.

"The great thing about the Tommy Hilfiger brand is there is no minimum, so we can work at introducing it to our customers a little but at a time," Bracken says. "People are becoming more selective with their buying because the cost of petrol, diesel and interest rates keep going up."

Bellas Wear manager Fay Sheade agrees, adding the national drought crisis has also forced consumers to curb their fashion spend.

"The good thing for us is that we're located opposite the Post Office so we get a lot of customers that way," she says. "We've got a Target store in the town but we're offering a totally different concept to them all together.

The boutique stocks a range of middle-market labels including Free Woman, Ping Pong, Mosaic, Catalyst and a small collection of designer brands such as Charlie Brown. Price points are equally broad with "a pair of knickers" starting at $5 and an after-five gown priced at around $450.

For Bracken, the challenge lies not in the pricing of items but re-educating consumers on the value of quality clothing.
"It's ironic because people spend a lot of money on occasion clothing - pieces they'll wear once or twice and then store away," she says. "I'm a big supporter of buying beautiful quality basics that you can wear every day and that will last you for a long time to come. It's hard to educate customers when the money's short - that's the big challenge for us."

Lowdown
Location:250km from Melbourne
Population:5531
Stores: Bellas Wear, Sattinehe Boutique.  
Brands: Gordon Smith, Free Woman, Mosaic, Catalyst, Howard Showers, Charlie Brown, Philosophy, Moss & Spy, George, Morrison, Tommy Hilfiger, Vertise, VSSP, Marco Polo, Citi.

By Assia Benmedjdoub