The catalyst for Trenery’s recent rebrand announcement came after a few key business misfires, according to GM Melanie Remai.
In the past, Remai says the brand introduced fabric bases and styling that didn’t quite connect with its core customer. Trenery lost sight of responsible stock management and was chasing top-line sales growth through an unsustainable discounting cycle - behaving more like a retailer and less like a brand.
“We also under-invested in stores experience and brand building as well,” Remai admits.
“So, when I joined Trenery just a little over a year ago, we started with this robust data and insights, and just completely refocused on our customer.”
Remai says being part of Country Road Group, Trenery had access to an internal insights team to form an overview of its customer. Recently, they conducted a big research project - “one of the biggest that the group has ever undertaken” - to really understand not just Trenery, but all the brands under CRG and their key differences.
According to the research, Trenery customers prefer natural fibres over polyester, they’re not price resistant, and they value quality.
This buoyed Country Road Group to approach Remai and offer support for a total rebrand of Trenery - which Remai readily accepted.
“When you start with the data and insights, and then you have this deep understanding of the customer, alignment becomes so much easier with all the stakeholders,” Remai says. “So, really, through group research and analysis, there was a clear data lead case for change.
“We had the facts - they informed the strategy - we had the product direction, there was absolute, laser-sharp clarity around the shifts we needed to make.
“We needed a disruptive and distinctive change to our brand identity to really signal the renewed vision for the brand.”
During the rebranding process, which is still ongoing, Remai says she received support from the top, including CRG CEO Raju Vuppalapati and managing director of Country Road and Trenery Elle Roseby.
She also says the rebranding process has generated renewed energy for the wider team.
As part of the rebranding, the biggest change was made to its product range. This includes a return to European fabrications which the brand had moved away from in recent years, along with the introduction of new key categories.
The brand will reveal its first-ever event capsule for its October collection, with a new range of accessories launching early next year. Remai says the event-wear launch coincides with the spring racing season alongside expected growth in weddings.
“Vikki Glover, who has been within our business for many, many years, and also our fabric expert Jackie, have been absolutely instrumental in helping us with this change,” Remai says. “So, we've had the support of people with a high amount of expertise in the business, which has just been phenomenal.”
Alongside the revamping of its product ranges was a logo change, designed by Australian typographist Andrew Woodhead, with the new brand aesthetic rolling out across all channels - in-store, online, and department stores.
In the online space, Trenery launched a new look and feel for its website, with more changes in the pipeline.
“We've already made some significant changes,” Remai confirms. “So we've reimagined the way we create our campaigns and content, it's already proven to do a much better job of positioning our brand and celebrating our collections. You'll see the campaign that we have online and also the lookbook for our September collection.
“But we'll also completely refresh our online experience later this year, which I'm so excited to see come to life.”
Remai says the online revamp is a collaborative approach between in-brand teams and the wider group.
“We have an incredibly refreshed leadership team, all working together to bring the new vision of our brand to life,” she says. “We also have some amazing Country Road Group teams who are subject matter experts in a range of fields, and we've really leant on them for expertise and guidance.”
On the physical side, Remai says the brand will take a gradual approach in order to minimise waste and overall impact.
This includes a slow revision across existing stores and David Jones concessions, with the new concept already on display at its three Myer locations. Regarding Myer, Remai says Trenery will open at least 20 more concessions across Australia ahead.
The brand will also open a new store in November this year featuring the new concept.
“At the same time, we'll introduce our beautiful new packaging once we've depleted our existing stocks, and our product labelling will update from our April/May collections next year.”
Remai says the experience Trenery offers its customers is very important, which is why the process is gradual and considered.
"We've come a long way, though, in one year, but we are taking a long term view, and building something that our customers and our teams can be really proud of."
Prior to joining Trenery, Remai held creative/leadership positions across other local and global fashion retailers, including Calvin Klein, Gap, Fiorucci, APG & Co., Victoria’s Secret, Pacific Sunwear, Abercrombie & Fitch, Marcs, Sportscraft and SABA.