Fashion brands in northern New South Wales and south east Queensland have spent the last two weeks rightsizing operations following disruptions from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s sweep through the area.
Retailers and brands in the area have reported major disruptions to production and operations. Grace Loves Lace chief people officer Sharon McLeod told Ragtrader the main effects were felt by the bridalwear brand’s staff.
“The local authorities did a good job of providing early warning to business and individuals,” McLeod said. “We started to prepare early for how we would respond to the potential of being out of the workplace for at least a few days and preparing the site to reduce any potential damage.
“With this early warning we were able to plan to make sure that all deliveries as far in advance were shipped and then we also could contact brides to confirm any risk to their orders.
“The team did an amazing job as we really got ahead of what was to come. We sent staff to work from home (even roles that are not traditionally WFH roles) to ensure that the team were safe. This occurred from the Wednesday after noon after we had fully prepared the site and secured as best we could.”
McLeod said many of its people were left without power or had been evacuated from their homes for up to 11 days. “This naturally made us not be able to get back to full strength immediately,” she said.
“We didn’t ask the team to use leave and continued to pay all staff during this period. There was a small loss in productivity, but this was worth it to make sure the team felt supported in difficult circumstances. Luckily, we had no major impact to our site and there was no lose of inventory or assets and the team are now back to full strength.”
In the end, McLeod said the bridalwear brand was lucky.
“There was some water leaks but nothing that we were not prepared for. The team handled the situation extremely well and we had little to no impact on our brides.”
Meanwhile, Nat’v Basics founder Sandy Ronalds said the cyclone definitely threw a wrench in its operations, saying the brand’s HQ on the Gold Coast was without power for over a week.
“This meant no lights, no coffee machine, and a whole lot of creative problem-solving,” Ronalds said. “We had to work remotely, relying on hotspot connections and sheer determination to keep things moving.
“On top of that, deliveries to our customers in Queensland were heavily impacted, with delays due to road closures and shipping disruptions. It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, but we powered through (eventually—once the actual power came back on), and we're now getting everything back on track.
Ronalds added that she and team have been working hard to get everything back to normal after the weather event.
“Once power was restored at our HQ (cue happy dance), we focused on catching up on Customer Service, resuming full operations, and coordinating with shipping partners to get delayed deliveries moving again.
“Our team also reviewed and reinforced our remote work systems to ensure we’re even more prepared for future disruptions.
“While most things are back on track, we’re still ironing out some final delays and working closely with carriers to speed up the remaining deliveries.”
Ronalds said the response from both the industry and the community has been incredible.
“In times like these, you really see the best in people – suppliers, logistics partners, and fellow businesses have stepped up to support one another, finding workarounds and offering help where needed.
“Our customers have also been absolute legends, showing patience and understanding while we got back on our feet. The community as a whole has rallied together, proving that resilience (and maybe a little shared frustration over delayed packages) brings people closer. It’s been a tough ride, but the solidarity has been inspiring.
Sabo founders Thessy Batsinilas and Yiota Kouzoukas also weighed in, saying that disruptions were felt across its two stores in Chermside and Pacific Fair, alongside its warehouse and HQ in Queensland.
“Prioritising our team's safety, we made the tough call to close everything until it was safe to reopen,” they said.
“We were fortunate that our store locations and HQ didn’t suffer any major damage. However, as a global brand shipping to over 200 countries, even a brief disruption has a big impact. Our team put in an incredible effort to ensure every order was fulfilled once they returned to work.
“One of the most important things for us was keeping our customers in the loop, ensuring they never felt left in the dark. The support and empathy from both our team and customers were overwhelming, reminding us just how strong our Sabo family really is.”