Australian apparel company Gazal will open a flagship Brisbane Trade Secret store in the Homemakers Centre, Fortitude Valley, Queensland this week.
The new Trade Secret store, set to launch on Thursday, April 14, will follow the usual Trade Secret business model, selling off-price fashion apparel, accessories and lifestyle items from popular brands.
Gazal would not reveal which big name labels would grace the floor at the new the Fortitude Valley store, but a company representative said the stock would be more “fashion forward” than ever before.
Brands previously sold at Trade Secret stores include Van Heusen, Pierre Cardin, Bonds, Osh Kosh, Fila, Slazenger, Bont, Russell Athletic, Mambo, Trent Nathan, Driz-a-bone, Back Bay and Bisley. Womenswear has also featured Living Doll, Sass, Itsu, Corfu, Berlei, Kayser, Kookai underwear, Triumph, Morrissey, and Bassoni.
Trade Secret, which is owned by the Gazal Corporation, first opened doors in Queensland in 1992 and has made its name by selling popular brands, often for for up to 60 per cent less than in other retailers, through a combination of low overheads and shrewd buying practices.
Although this form of off-price retailing is relatively new to Australia, the concept has proved successful and since its initial launch, Trade Secret has expanded its reach across the country, opening additional stores in New South Wales and ACT. The new Fortitude Valley location will bring the total number of Trade Secret stores around Australia to 23.
Trade Secret merchandise controller Scott McManus said the fact that stock for Trade Secret is delivered daily as opposed to seasonally also gives the off-price retailer a competitive edge.
“This allows us to be flexible in the way we purchase merchandise,” he said. “Our buyers are continually on the lookout for an opportunity to negotiate great deals on famous brands, [so] it’s important to us to secure our products at a price that will translate to great value.”
Gazal is also planning to re-open it's Trade Secret Oxley store on Thursday, April 21, 2011, after flood damage forced it to close down earlier in the year.