A team of fashion industry experts has joined forces to create a new kind of online shopping destination in support of Australian designers.
The platform, titled Fashionista Depot, is the brainchild of a group of women who have served their careers in the fashion industry and collectively have worked for brands such as Charles Parsons, Max frost, Castaway Trading, Kerry McGee, Pretty Girl Fashion group, Freidelle childrenswear, and Rockmans.
The site, which caters for high-end Australian fashion clothing, footwear and accessories, sources designers end-of-season stock and provides a warehouse sale experience in an e-boutique format, rather than just buying through a bulk excess stock website.
Co-founder and Australian fashion industry veteran Sara Toia said the site allows for four to six designers at any time to offer between 15 to 30 styles with all garments pricepointed at up to 80 per cent off recommended retail price (RRP). The site also features a style file which gives shoppers insight into the season’s new trends and ways to mix and match key pieces.
“Over the last two decades I’ve watched radical changes to the way Australians consume fashion. Online shopping in the fashion world is increasing dramatically and we are paving the way for established and up and coming designers to have a share of the online dollar,” she said.
“Fashionista Depot is an online shopping destination for high-end Australian fashion, where consumers can obtain beautiful pieces at amazing prices, and we also have a designer profile page for each designer, so customers get to know them. In this way, we give a presence to Australian designers in the ever competitive global online fashion market. It is also a way of moving stock that may otherwise be sitting in their warehouse costing them money. And we do this in a stylish way that does not devalue their label.”
Current designers include Something Else, Barkins, Peter Lang, Insight and Cheeky By Mandy, and Toia revealed that there are plans to build on the number of labels and product category options on the site in coming months.
“Our future goals are to keep delivering high-end, unique, boutique Australian fashion at affordable prices to our customers, but we are also looking to branch out into children’s wear, menswear and home wares, so we can become a one-stop shop for the whole family,” she said.