Breil keeps watch over Australian market

SYDNEY: Italian accessory label Breil is spearheading a move to build greater brand recognition in Australia.
Following a launch into the national wholesale market in 2003, the company is now in the midst of rolling out five stores across major capitals throughout the country.
Representatives from Fossil Group Australia - which distributes the label across Australasia - said while the Melbourne and Sydney stores launched in 2005/06, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth are also on the agenda with openings planned over the next two years.
Fossil Group Australia's Managing Director Annemiek Ballesty is confident the openings will increase Breil's presence within the local market.
"When we began wholesaling our product in 2003 we found it very hard to build greater brand awareness of Breil," she explained. "In Italy on the other hand, the product is so popular one in ten watches sold is a Breil. We feel that by opening stores in Australia, they will operate as billboards 365 days of the year and that way can work to inform people about the brand."
While Ballesty said the company hopes to have a total of five stores by the end of 2007, she also stressed its commitment to developing a strong national wholesale network.
"We want to keep building our connections and our clients as the business grows. That's been our strategy from the start so we think by opening five stores, we can manage to do both."
Looking extend the brand's Italian design aesthetic in store, the new locations will feature stainless steel and glass display cases and plasma screens which will run advertisements from current and previous seasons.
"This allows consumers to understand the brand's history, heritage and advertising. Our jewellery line is driving our store sales at this point in time so we want to emphasise how unique it is."
The stores will stock Breil's latest collection of watches, jewellery and small leather goods with watches priced between $245 to $825 and new season jewellery starting from $59 to $249.