Victorian retail chain City Chic has had an unusually busy week.
The normally media-shy womenswear brand went from virtual obscurity to being one of the most talked about companies in the fashion sector last week after becoming the first Australian retailer to use plus size models on the catwalk at Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival (RSFF).
All 16 models in the parade, held to launch the brand’s spring/summer 2009/10 range, were size 14 or above.
The event also served as the high-profile launch pad for the label’s newly inked deal with global streetwear brand Ed Hardy. The deal means that from September, City Chic stores nationally will stock the Ed Hardy range in sizes 14 to 28.
City Chic general manager Phil Ryan said the company had first spotted Ed Hardy in a plus size store in the US and had “chased” it down in Australia. The range, which will feature jeans, signature T-shirts, singlets and tights, will feature price points of between $170 and $450.
Ryan admitted this was slightly above City Chic’s core price structure where basics retail for $20, jeans sell for $90 and cocktail, party and eveningwear dresses are priced at around $300.
However, he was confident the City Chic consumer would not be put off by the price. This is not the first time the brand has spotted the chance for a unique collaboration, having teamed with Billion Dollar Babes in late 2008. Ryan said the tie in with Ed Hardy was “definitely an ongoing partnership”. Ed Hardy did not repond to questions by the time of press.
The RSFF launch capped off a busy period for The Specialty Fashion Group-owned brand which has opened eight stores in the past 12 months to take its total to 50 across Australia and New Zealand. Other brands in the SFG stable include Millers, Crossroads and Katies, Autograph and Queenspark.