Barkers

The goal of almost every fashion student is to start their own label. To create incredible clothing that makes the wearer look and feel amazing, while displaying the designers unique point of view. Failing that, they want to work for the cutting edge design houses, they want to contribute to dressing the sartorial elite.

But why?

Fashion affects everyone. By a huge majority, most people buy their clothing from ever present chainstores. Barkers, Dotti, Glassons, Hallensteins, Postie and Wild Pair. Surely it's more affecting to work for one of these low-cost chainstores, and change the way people dress from the grassroots up.

Barkers are doing incredible things at the moment. After booting out almost every single member of their creative and managerial staff in April 2010, Barkers avoided their expected path towards Hallensteins mediocracy. Taking a cue from the success of international mega-brands H&M, Topshop and Zara, Barkers went to work reinvigorating their brand. Emphasising design quality without inflating price, the idea was to create a boutique fashion feel, while still catering to their reliable mainstream consumer.

A prime example of Barkers revamped direction is their new in house magazine, 1972. It nurtures a brand loyalty that every retailer desires to create. It enriches the purchasing experience, and further connects Barkers with their customer. Rather than spending thousands of highly distributed advertising dollars, which will most often reach anything but their target market, the magazine showcases the Barkers product and attitude directly to their customer - those who have, and will, spend money instore.

Well done Barkers. If every retailer took a page from your book, we would be a much better dressed nation.