Mallet London creative director Tommy Mallet discusses the brand's strategy for Australia.
What were the driving factors for Mallet London to launch in Australia?
Launching Mallet London globally has always been a dream of ours since we started the brand in 2015, but we never thought it would happen so quickly.
Australia is top on our list because it has such an exciting and robust fashion scene that has not only caught our eye, but the global eye and it’s definitely something we want to be a part of.
Which Australian retail partnerships is Mallet London pursuing?
We are pursuing a partnership with renowned, iconic retailer David Jones.
David Jones is synonymous with style and known for curating the very best in men’s and women’s fashion.
There was never a question where we wanted our introduction to the Australian consumer to happen and we are happy it will be with David Jones.
What are the long-term plans for the brand in the Australian market? What goals in the next three years does Mallet London want to achieve here?
We are excited to get started in this market with such a high profile department store.
Our goal is for brand recognition to grow and for Mallet London to become known in Australia for high quality, premium footwear that offers great styles every season.
We would love to collaborate with some of the homegrown talent here.
There are so many amazing artists and designers that call Australia home so exploring a partnership is a top priority.
We did a limited release collaboration with Coogi a few years ago and it was wildly successful.
What is different about the Australian market compared to the UK?
Australia is more relaxed compared to the UK.
You can see this reflected in the fashion which is often versatile, taking people from brunch, to the beach to dinner.
Sneakers are a key component of Australian style and with global influences shaping the fashion landscape, Australians tend to have a range of sneaker styles in their wardrobes.
We expect some of the same styles that do well in the UK will also work in Australia but as Australia has its own personality and lifestyle, we will quickly learn which styles resonate well with this customer and how they wear them.
Did the brand experience any challenges when looking to come here? If so, how did you overcome them?
With any new market entry, there’s always the challenge of understanding the business landscape, the culture, and the consumers; what they want, and how they shop.
We felt it was important to have feet on the ground with an expert who could guide us on the right path.
We have a marketing and public relations agency we work with that was able to introduce us to the right people to speak to so we could explore the launch in detail before making any major moves.
What are the opportunities in the Australian market?
Certainly building a name and presence in Australia is an opportunity as it’s such an important fashion market.
As mentioned prior, we would love to explore a collaboration opportunity with a local artist or designer to support the incredible talent here.