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It wasn't so long ago that any girl worth her $1500 Jimmy Choos wouldn't be caught dead in a chain store such as Sportsgirl, Portmans or Jeans West, let alone Target. These days, however, not only do the well-heeled love nothing better than to snare a fashion bargain at a discount fashion chain, they are proud to admit it.
With today's fashion moving at break-neck speed, forking out hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a garment that might date before you even get it home is so last season. Even those who can afford designer goods are opting for cheaper, so-called High Street options - simply because the options are so darn good.
Take Kate Moss, for example, who was spotted recently with a £2.99 bag from discount retailer Superdrug; or Prince William's long-time girlfriend, Kate Middleton, pictured leaving a London nightclub in a frock from popular disposable fashion retailer Topshop.
Melbourne "It" girl Tess Thompson, a 25-year-old model turned fashion wholesaler, pulls Target's $129 sundress from the rack at the M cover shoot, and discovers it's by one of Sydney's hottest labels, Alice McCall.
"Wow, she's one of my favourite designers," she says.
"I love Sportsgirl, too," says Thomson, who also lists Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana, True Religion jeans and Arabella Ramsay among her favourite labels.
"They're great because they keep up with all the latest trends, but they're cheap," she says. "It's the place to go for all that in-and-out fashion at great prices."
"We hear that all the time," says Gavin Gage, Sportsgirl's apparel buyer. "Whether they be 'It' girls around town or fashion editors, we'll be out at a function and they'll tell us, 'Oh, I go to Sportsgirl all the time and mix your pieces back with some of the great pieces I bought at Cactus Jam or Scanlan', which is really exciting for us."
Chain stores have become the masters of fast fashion. They can spot a trend on the catwalks or streets of New York and have it in-store within weeks, with a price tag that doesn't scream "more credit card debt".
Many chain stores are now going direct to the source, teaming up with high-end fashion designers to produce low-budget gear. It's a trend that started a few seasons back in Europe when Karl Lagerfeld and then Stella McCartney knocked together one-off diffusion collections for discount retailer H&M - at a fraction of their normal four-figure prices - which sold out within hours of hitting the racks.
In the US, discount chain Target has teamed up with a handful of big-name designers, including Mossimo, Isaac Mizrahi, Luella Bartley, Tara Jarmon, Paul & Joe and Behnaz Sarafpour.
Closer to home, local fashion chains are scrambling to sign up Australian designers. Last week, Target launched its designer collections from Alice McCall, TL Wood and Tina Kalivas. Prices for the garments range between $70 for a printed silk camisole and up to $150 for a dress. A TL Wood jacket, for example, will cost you just $140 compared with the $580 you'll fork out for one at its Chapel Street boutique.
The week before that, Portmans unveiled its Kit Willow for Portmans collection of dresses that will set you back anywhere between $159.95 and $259.95 - a drop in the ocean compared with the $550 to $1250 you can normally expect to pay.
Also in-store now is Jeans West's Alba Fan Club label, by hot denim brand Ksubi (formerly Tsubi), Vicious Thread's diffusion line, Vicious Denim at Myer and Sportsgirl's capsule collections with young designers Sisnme and Jo Nation.
Collaborations with Metalicus and underwear label Sabi will hit Sportsgirl stores next month.
Gage says the limited edition designer collections are a sure-fire way to attract new customers.
"These sorts of collaborations appeal to a customer that doesn't already shop with Sportsgirl. They appeal to that girl who is very on to the latest trends, who is wanting a real point of difference and perhaps not wanting something that is mass market."
Portmans' merchandising director, Peta Rooney, agrees the new chain-store customer doesn't want to turn up to an event in the same outfit as someone else. For that very reason, when they teamed up with Kit Willow, they produced less than 800 dresses in each of the eight styles - a tiny run in comparison with its usual volumes.
Retailers not only hope to entice new customers into their stores through their designer offerings, but hope that, once they have done so, they will buy other apparel and accessories, too.
At Target, they have even compiled booklets that show customers how to match their designer garments with accessories throughout the store - from footwear, belts and handbags to cosmetics, hosiery and underwear.
"We don't just want to sell the designer garment. We hope that they will look at our other merchandise, too," says Larice Lewis, general manager of apparel, womenswear, footwear and accessories at Target, or "tarjay", as it fondly known. These days, the shop is living up to its French-inflected pronunciation.
WE RATE THE CHAIN STORES ...
TARGET Chadstone
Myer bought the 250-store department chain in 1968, later re-naming it Target Australia. In 2001, Target began to evolve from a discount store competing with the likes of Big W to a fashion- forward department chain. Now that Coles is selling Myer, the corporation is grooming Target to become its hot one-stop shop.
Fit-out
Well-styled mannequins in the windows and women's fashion directly inside the entrance made you feel like you were entering a fashion shop rather than a discount department store. However, the layout was a little confusing, largely due to the large volume and range of stock.
Shopability
The leisurely ambience made you want to meander aimlessly through the store. The change rooms were terrific - roomy with three mirrors each. But the service was disappointing. In the 20 minutes I was there, I was not approached by one member of staff, who were more concerned with tidying the racks - many of which were in need of tidying.
The gear
The clothes were fantastic - particularly on-trend casual wear at cheap prices. A knock-out mini ruffle skirt was just $24.95 and a stripe jersey dress, $29.95.The accessories were also impressive - including fabulous fascinators starting at $19.95.
Inquiries
9577 7400 (Chadstone) www.target.com.au
The Verdict
The stock is great but lack of customer service and some untidy racks let it down.
PORTMANS Chadstone
Portmans was founded by Joseph and Bella Bloom (Melbourne beauty queen Natalie Bloom's grandparents) in the early '50s. In 2002, Barry Bloom (Natalie's father) and brother Norman sold the business, with 87 stores, to the Just Group, who now boast 97 stores.
Fit-out
The Chadstone store is impressive - a huge space with polished floorboards, minimalist white and steel fit-outs and clever styling, which last week included a pretty, high-tea window display incorporating iced cupcakes and mannequins decked out in demure black and white.
Shopability
Despite the volume of stock, it was easy to navigate. I thought the new Kit Willow for Portmans collection, which had arrived just that morning, could have been given more prominence. Sure, it was racked within millimetres of the entrance, but just one small poster communicated that it had been put together by one of Australia's finest designers.
The gear
The current stock has a strong racewear bent, including plenty of gorgeous sundresses in black and white and pretty lace tops and skirts, all at affordable prices. Not as many accessories to play with compared with Sportsgirl.
Inquiries
www.portmans.com.au
The Verdict
The fit-out and styling made for a pleasant shopping experience and I was excited by the fashion offering. But they should give Kit Willow's gorgeous dresses more prominence.
SPORTSGIRL Chadstone
It's been a rocky road for Sportsgirl since the first store was opened on Swanston Street in 1948. The chain lost much of its excitement after David Bardas sold it during the '90s recession, but the Sussan Group, owned by Naomi Milgrom, bought the company in 1999 and transformed it into a thriving fashion business with more than 100 stores.
Fit-out
Sportsgirl's window displays are known to stop even the most intent "not-shopping" shoppers in their tracks. Last week, at Chadstone, it was a window inspired by a '50s sewing room - with mannequins dressed in some of the season's must-haves - leggings, bubble skirts, shorts and peep-toe pumps in eye-catching primary colours. And if that didn't get you in, a young girl holding an oversized glass bowl full of lollies probably did.
Shopability
The atmosphere was lively and unhurried. Scissor Sisters filtered throughout the store at a volume well below the nightclub levels often heard in discount fashion stores these days. The staff were helpful without being overbearing. Shame only four garments allowed per person in the change rooms.
The gear
The clothes were terrific - on-trend, well-made and affordable. The accessories were particularly exciting - necklaces, hats and belts from $14.95 and a great pair of patent leather pumps for just $89.95.
Inquiries
9426 0600 www.sportsgirl.com.au
The Verdict
Fresh, fashionable and affordable.
JEANS WEST Chadstone
Jeans West was founded in Perth in 1972 by Alister Norwood. In 1985, it expanded into Queensland and, a few years later, into NSW and Victoria. In 1994, it was bought by Hong Kong business Glorious Sun and turned into a 150-store chain.
Fit-out
The poor window display (a few mannequins dressed in jeans, shorts and basic tees), the tired wooden display tables and the bad blue carpet in the change rooms made this store feel more budget-conscious than fashion-conscious.
Shopability
Despite being a big store, the racks seemed cluttered, which made shopping hard work. However, the men's collection (on the right) and women's (on the left) were clearly defined (which isn't always the case), and the Alba Fan Club stock was displayed prominently at the front of the store.
The gear
It was a bit hit and miss. There were knock-out cotton sundresses for just $69.65 and striped tanks for just $19.95. However, other pieces, at close inspection, felt a bit cheap and nasty. The Alba Fan Club range was a highlight - especially the printed tees and denim dungarees ($89). Jeans cost just $130, compared with around $240 for Ksubi's.
Inquiries
9860 8888 www.jeanswest.com.au
Verdict
A facelift - particularly in the change rooms - would do wonders, elevating it from discount to directional.
[ 本帖最后由 午夜飞行 于 2006-10-28 16:27 编辑 ] |
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给戴隐型眼镜的朋友的忠告 (2009-9-10) lifengj 
发表于 2006-10-28 16:25
