Then & Now: Nique

Every edition Ragtrader catches up with a previously profiled brand to see how it has evolved in the intervening period. Here Assia Benmedjdoub talks to Nick Ennis, co-founder of streetwear label Nique.

Company: Nique
Co-founder: Nick Ennis

What were the key issues or challenges for your company when you started out? What are they now?
Starting the brand straight after university meant we were very short on practical experience, so at every stage it felt that we were reinventing the wheel. Some of the early issues we encountered were difficulty in sourcing reliable manufactures and the costs of producing locally. Now the issue is managing our cash flow, adhering to deadlines and finding suitable retail sites.

What was the range like back then? What is it like now?
Nique was born in the '90s street wear boom and the product was reflective of the times. When we first started the label there was a real sense of trying to describe the future. We were using a lot of synthetic fabrics and the shapes were more angular. Over the years the brand has grown with Lucy and I - these days we're much more interested in drawing on the past for inspiration. Our collections are much larger with a lot of close attention to tailoring, detail and quality.

How many stores/wholesale accounts did you have back then?
We started off with a small selection of local stores in Melbourne that were very supportive of emerging designers. At that stage it was all sold on consignment in stores around the inner city. In a short space of time we grew from four outlets to 30. Now we sell to over 100 boutiques and mini chains across and Australian and New Zealand. We also have two of our own standalone retail stores.

What was the retail climate like for your business? How has it changed?
It seemed to be very buoyant at the time but we were also enjoying the initial growth phase of a new label. From our inception to the first few years we grew dramatically from a small operation in our St Kilda flat to a factory in Richmond. Currently there seems to be a lot of negative sentiment in the retail sector but mainly in the volume businesses. I believe niche brands like ours are a little bit protected. The other factor that seems to be working really well for us is our price point - we're certainly not cheap but we're a long way from being expensive so think I we're actually gaining customers from other markets.

What was your approach to marketing and promotions? What is it now?
Initially it was all guerrilla marketing, word of mouth, grass roots events and exhibitions. Anything we could do to get out name out there with no budget. It was exciting because it was all ideas driven. One of my favourites was organised by a boutique agency that approached us to try something different. Together we launched a fictitious Japanese band, that were going to tour the country. The response was amazing. They held press conferences and organised gigs where hundreds of people turned up. We ended up getting a lot of press out of that. These days we are represented by a PR agent and the focus is to put the product in the right places.

What was your approach to staff training? How has it changed?
We'll initially it was just Lucy and I and there was no training, now we have 16 staff and we're still learning the best ways to manage it all. I think it's really important to have a thorough induction to ensure that the staff member knows the full brand history and how they fit in to the organisation as a whole. It's really important to ensure that you're clear about your expectations and then regularly meet to ensure they are being met. As a general practice, we try to be honest and direct with all our staff and do what we can to look after them because so many times we ask a lot of them. 

What was the greatest moment/most significant development in the life of your label?
Opening our first store was particularly significant because it marked a new chapter in the brand's history and a new course for our future. That was just a little over 18 months ago.

What has been the worst experience?
Too many to mention - this game certainly doesn't come easy.

By Assia Benmedjdoub