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When Pip Edwards and business partner Claire Tregoning decided they wanted in on the activewear game, they launched P.E Nation and aimed for a total of 10 retailers to pick up its debut collection.
After meeting with buyers, 45 Australian retailers snapped up the collection with General Pants Co., David Jones and Stylerunner at the forefront.
Edwards says after a 15 year stint in the industry working for Ksubi, Sass & Bide and General Pants Co., the recipe for success has a key ingredient – branding.
“It seems as though everyone is getting into the activewear game from startups to established retailers – new entrants are being announced weekly.
"According to research, the activewear category is on the rise and will continue to grow.
"The global sports apparel market which includes womens active is set to grow to $178 billion by 2019.
"So while other people are doing classic activewear, clashing print on print combos, P.E Nation has its own take. We are our target demographic - we are the active mum, we are the fashion girl, we are the fitness enthusiast.”
At P.E Nation, this sort of confidence is paying off.
On its launch day, P.E Nation ran out of product and had to action replenishment orders immediately.
For Edwards, this is where leveraging off of existing relationships comes into play.
“P.E Nation is actually a perfect example of all crucial elements aligning. From timing to synchronicity, to planning to utilising the network and existing relationships.
“The structure of the business is paramount and getting the right people on board is essential for success. Claire and I partnered with production house Hotsprings to bring their manufacturing, distribution and logistics expertise to the table.
“This partnership meant that Claire and I have been able to fast track our business with all of our combined talents.”
Edwards and Tregoning are now gearing up to present at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) and while confidence backed by a wealth of experience in the game and a knock out debut collection, how are other labels holding up?
Rebecca Vallance has just returned from the international circuit showing at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) and trade show Coterie before jetting to Paris to meet with potential buyers.
What Vallance discovered is that as a brand, it's crucial to play to your strengths and run with them.
“It was great for us in Paris to be able to continue the conversations we had in the US.
“For example, there's a retailer that was interested in picking us up in the eveningwear category and that was something I wasn't totally convinced about and then once we got to Paris, there was an etailer who suggested that as well and I was like, 'hang on, there's something going on here'.
“In addition to that, we had another agent say, 'I'd love to pick you up in eveningwear' so the message was really clear for me to launch, at the very least, a capsule so we're launching that at fashion week for the very first time in May that will be supported through our retail stores.”
Vallance is one of many Australian designers establishing their brand in the global arena.
Ellery, Dion Lee and Tome have all flown the coop and are gaining major traction at international fashion weeks and securing stockists such as luxury etailer Net-A-Porter.
Vallance says that while there are major opportunities to be harnessed overseas, it's critical to set out with a clear vision of what your brand is, who you are selling to and what your unique proposition in the market is.
“There's very exciting opportunities for showing in Paris, we picked up a collaboration with an international designer which was great from a branding persepctive, but I think you need to be doing things that are authentic.”
Iconic Australian label Ginger & Smart is no stranger to this notion.
Also fresh from the global circuit, the label joined Bassike, Romance Was Born, Michael Lo Sordo, Camilla and Marc, Strateas.Carlucci and Christopher Esber in Paris as part of the Australian Fashion Chamber's Designers Abroad program.
In the domestic market, the label's cofounder Alexandra Smart knows the importance of creating brand value to sustain business.
In 2013 Ginger & Smart launched its diffusion line Akin by Ginger & Smart as a way to try and include a younger market into its proposition.
“We introduced Akin by Ginger and Smart as our sister brand a few years ago. We really wanted to cater to a more casual market.”
Landing with an offering of playsuits, relaxed shirts and pants, Akin by Ginger & Smart continues to sell at a significantly lower price point than its older sister.
As a diffusion line, that seems pretty standard, however when tapping into the youth market, price is a key ingredient in creating brand value.
For the record, the global spending power of millennials was projected at US$10 trillion in 2015.
Today, Akin by Ginger & Smart has forged distribution partnerships with David Jones and The Iconic.
This year, Vallance will release her capsule eveningwear collection at MBFWA following her interactions with global buyers.
Like Edwards and Smart, Vallance made a strategic decision to join the MBFWA line up for the first time, showcasing her wares in front of an audience of domestic and international buyers – perhaps the same ones who have encouraged her to move into the eveningwear space.
“We're showing on schedule at Sydney Fashion Week for the first time which we're really excited about and that will be out first full resort collection. It will also include evening as well to showcase the new line.”
For Edwards and Tregoning, it's still early days for P.E Nation, but it seems as though the duo are demonstrating all the hallmarks of becoming a major player in Australian fashion.
“I've been privileged to work for the three iconic and pivotal Australian fashion brands, each with their own individuality and their interesting take on what makes fashion and what makes success.
“It is these experiences that have enabled me to understand both commerciality and creativity and how the two must fuse to ensure longevity and success.”
Watch this space.