Two iconic fashion destinations will exit the Australian retail landscape this month, having lost the war against challenging market conditions.
Brisbane boutiques Bessie Head and Dirtbox, both creations of fashion powerhouse Natalie Denning have shut down.
Bessie Head officially opened doors to the public in 1998 and was the first store for fashion retail veteran Denning. The store was quickly followed by six other boutiques – Bam and JuJu, Lotus76, Fallow, Bessie Head Black, Dirtbox and Angus and Black.
Once described as a “sanctuary for the Brisbane fashionistas”, Bessie Head previously stocked brands such as: Antipodium, Lover, Maniamania, Talulah, Norse Projects, Skargorn, and Song for the Mute.
Similarly, sister boutique Dirtbox was touted as “as one of the most fashion-forward menswear stores in Brisbane”. The store previously stocked a selection of Australian, New Zealand and international labels including: Claude Maus, Friedrich Gray, Grenson, Our Legacy and Dr Denim.
Explaining the causes behind the closure of both Bessie Head and Dirtbox, Bessie Head management released the following message:
“After 17 and 10 years respectively, Bessie Head and Dirtbox will no longer be a part of the retail landscape in the Brisbane. We have lost our battle in the new Wintergarden after 18 months of struggling to survive and have closed the doors...
There are many factors that have contributed to our closure - online shopping, decreased spending and lack of consumer confidence to name a few. It is however without a doubt the ongoing high rents in the CBD that have delivered the final blow.
Thank you to our family of staff – a passionate and tenacious group of people who believed in our brands and strived to go above and beyond on a daily basis.
Thank you to our loyal clients, we will miss you all terribly and the like minded community we felt proud to be a part of. It’s been most wonderful sharing both your fashion and life journeys over the years.
Thank you to all our suppliers for their support and flexibility during these difficult times. The Australian Tax Office, generally portrayed as sinister, has worked with us providing realistic payment plans in their efforts to keep our business afloat.
We urge you all to support local small businesses before your only option to shop will be with the big chain stores or online, as these hard working people are the backbone of our country - we must be more mindful of this moving forward and make a conscious effort to nurture them.”