Melbourne-born fashion brand Feathers Boutique has launched into David Jones, Adelaide.
This is the first time the brand will be stocked in South Australia. A full range will be stocked in-store, with a selected range via David Jones online.
Feathers Boutique shifted into the premium department store in March this year, following an 11-year stint at Myer, across four Victorian locations: Melbourne, Doncaster, Chadstone and Highpoint.
“We are pleased to welcome Feathers to our growing portfolio of designer brands and to support its expansion into South Australia,” David Jones GM of womenswear, footwear and accessories Bridget Veals said. “Margaret Porritt is an icon of the industry and we look forward to partnering with her, to drive future growth of the Feather's brand.”
Feathers Boutique founder Margaret Porritt said the move from Myer marks a new step in the brand’s 50-year history.
"Being a part of the Myer family for so many years has been fantastic for both of us, but as Myer has differentiated itself in the market, we thought it was time to transition over to a department store that aligned with our commitment to quality and customer service," Porritt said.
"Our plan has always been to ensure we can deliver the same quality of service with our full range in every concession, no matter how many we had. It’s not a matter of quantity for us, more so the quality.
“I believe change is imperative for progression and growth," Porritt said. "David Jones has great energy. It’s youthful, innovative and has a long-standing reputation, this is exactly what Feathers needs.”
Porritt said she hopes to expand its David Jones presence into 2024, both store locations and online range.
"In making the move to David Jones, we have also joined their online store," she said. "We currently only have a segment of our collection on David Jones online, but we hope to see that offering grow over the next 6-12 months."
In recent years, Feathers expanded its offering into occasion wear. Porritt said during the pandemic, there was a major shift into online spending.
"We find that this has eased off, but it is still one of our strongest performing channels," she said. "In saying that, brick and mortar retail is still vital to our business, being able to interact with our shoppers and deliver a high level of customer service has always been a core part of our ethos.
"Customers in general are becoming more discerning in where and how they spend their money. There is very little brand loyalty, compounded by the uncertain economic climate; we find customers are shopping ‘safe’ and sticking to our ‘classics with a twist’.
"One of my key learnings is to always be open to change. Even in my 52nd year of Feathers we are still changing and growing."
The brand has now grown to five stand-alone boutiques as well as six David Jones concession stores nationally.
Porritt continues to run the business full-time from her head office in Hawksburn Village, Victoria.