A co-founder of Zanerobe and former Oroton Group executive were among those that gathered to impart export advice to emerging labels yesterday (May 27).
The gathering was instigated by the Australian Fashion Export Cluster (AFEC) and marked the cluster's second workshop for the year. The theme for the day was 'designing fashion for export'.
Zanerobe co-founder Leith Testoni, former Oroton Group marketing director Janine Garner and former designer and exporter Amber Renae discussed their respective export experiences as part of a question and answer panel.
Testoni explained Zanerobe's export business has grown to represent four times the size of its Australian business, with the US now the streetwear label's primary market.
Among Testoni's advice to emerging exporters was to take on PR agents that were willing to work on performance based contracts rather than upfront fees or commissions, and to re-jig price points for new markets.
Testoni added he was a “big believer” in trade fairs in the US such as Project and Blue: “buyers from department stores will actually write orders on the show floor”.
Garner meanwhile emphasised that brands must have a 'story' if they wish to be successful in export markets. She also recommended brands design and manufacture in line with northern hemisphere seasons rather than southern hemisphere ones.
Other speakers included Paula Rogers from the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries Australia (TFIA) who spoke at length on the export opportunities in Indonesia. Mutsumi Watanbe from Japanese trade fair Rooms discussed what the fair sought from international exhibitors.
Other topics addressed included the need to protect intellectual property when exporting and the availability of export grants and scholarships.
A joint initiative of the TFIA, Austrade and NSW Industry and Investment, AFEC is a group of fashion businesses and organisations that regularly meet to discuss best practice exporting. The cluster is designed especially to help fashion businesses that don't have much export experience.
The next workshop for the group is on July 28.
For more information on AFEC and its activities, visit http://www.tfia.com.au/afc-export-cluster