Arnsdorf launches showroom shopping experience in Melbourne's QV
Transparent and ethical fashion label Arnsdorf has announced the launch of its first city showroom shopping experience, as part of a pop-up concept store at QV in Melbourne. Opening on the 31st of July, the month long pop-up will provide shoppers with a curated selection of Arnsdorf pieces, available to try on with the assistance of the brand’s stylists.
Garments are not available for customers to take home immediately, instead all orders are shipped from the brand’s local factory in Melbourne directly to customers homes or offices. Customers are encouraged to book ahead online with a stylist to ensure they have adequate time to explore the collection which will be catered to the individual needs of each client. The aim is to provide a modern, experiential way of integrating a meaningful and purposeful wardrobe.
“We believe that the current retail model is failing consumers, the environment and ultimately the brands themselves,” says Arnsdorf’s head designer and founder Jade Sarita Arnott from her Melbourne studio.
“The way that retail currently operates creates excessive oversupply and waste, while also signalling to customer to wait for a discount. Our showroom experience explores a new model that puts the focus on the unique and limited nature of sustainable fashion. By making all pieces to order we only use the amount of resources needed to create each garment, therefore eliminating overstocking and the residual waste of materials and resources that follow.”
The concept of carrying items for ‘try on only’ in a retail experience has been pioneered by brands such as Bonobos in the United States and local shoe retailer Sneaker Boy, however local womenswear brands are yet to make the move in a meaningful way. The store launch is shadowed by a broader downturn in retail as legacy retailers are struggling to connect with customers and significantly reduce their retail footprint.
The Arnsdorf pop up store on the ground floor of the QV shopping centre in downtown Melbourne is yet another chapter in the label’s groundbreaking story, recommencing last year.
Jade Sarita Arnott created Arnsdorf in 2006 and it quickly gained a strong following across Australia for its relaxed tailoring and sculptural silhouettes. Arnott moved the label to New York in 2009, while continuing to show regularly at Sydney Fashion Week. However, she closed the doors to the company after growing frustrations around the industry and its practices.
In 2017, Arnsdorf was reborn as a modern transparent retailer, focussing on providing “transparency and traceability” to consumers. This included moving almost all of its production in house and providing full transparency on its costs and supply chain on its website. As a result, the company has quickly grown over the past twelve months and now employs over 15 people across its factory and retail operation. The brand first experimented with offering a showroom and fitting experience at its headquarters, before opening its first store in Fitzroy’s Brunswick St.
“As a brand, our mission is to bring about a new consciousness in fashion retail. Our customer wants to be able to understand their impact on their community and the environment. You should be able to know where your clothes are made and by who, as well as having a clear understanding of the impact you have in the world”.
The brand plans to open its first flagship store in Melbourne in 2019 after first trialing a range of potential city locations.
The Arnsdorf Showroom Pop-Up is open 7 days a week from July 31 - August 31.
For all media enquiries please contact Olivia McCrimmon at olivia@arnsdorf.com.au or on 1300 269 406.
www.arnsdorf.com.au