Cylk executes brand turnaround
Seamless basics label Cylk has undergone a major overhaul including the appointment of a brand manager, market repositioning and expanded distribution and export strategy.
Cylk - a sub-brand of seamless garment specialist LM Australia - has appointed Amber Renae as its international brand manager. Previously the designer and director of her own high recall brand ARX, Renae had re-designed the Cylk silhouette and re-focused it as a luxury basics brand.
"The newly developed style is clean, modern and shapely. The range will work as undergarments for layering or stylish outerwear, complemented by key fashion elements," she said. Titled 'A Quieter Shade of Loud', the collection had been categorised into three main sections: essentials, luxury and ready-to-wear.
"The essentials line is a stock service basics line, incorporating luxurious blends of organic silks and bamboo yarns, all manipulated into truly beautiful and timeless pieces to suit all wardrobes," she said. Meanwhile the brand's 100 per cent Silk Rib fabrication formed the centrepiece of the luxury collection.
The overhaul, which would see the brand expand from a small capsule range to around 35 styles across the three categories, also entailed a lower pricing strategy, she said.
"In the past Cylk was very much a high end label and you'd find it in boutiques like Cactus Jam. We've repositioned it to be more affordable while retaining the luxe profile, so for example camis used to retail for over $100 but now they're priced around $69," she said.
Prices for the essentials and luxury lines are: $79 to $139 for tops and $119 to $189 for dresses. In the ready to wear line tops range from $119 to $219, while dresses are priced around $369. Revised pricing would see the brand expand its distribution to a broader market, with department store David Jones named as one potential new account.
As part of its expansion, Cylk had also appointed new domestic and international representation, in the form of Susie Sharrock Agency as national distributor and Haynes Agency in Europe.
Sharrock Agency currently represents a range of labels including Alex Perry, Mela Purdie, and Verge, while Haynes Agency's clients include Ksubi, NomD and Kraft. As well as domestic expansion, Cylk's export strategy would concentrate on Europe in the immediate future, while continuing to nurture its strong profile in the US, Renae said.
By Belinda Smart