33south catches the export wave to Japan

Austrade media release

6 December 2005

Austrade assisted fashion house 33south has caught the export wave and this week delivers a first shipment of its premium surf fashions to Japan’s funkiest and leading fashion department store, Beams.

Managing Director of 33south Andrew Jones said if you think of suits and ties you think of Italy or Germany, for couture you think of France, but when it comes to beach fashions, you think of Australia and that’s why 33south is taking off overseas.

“Our competition, such as American surf wear brands are a bit more basic than what you’d expect, whereas Australian designs are adventurous. In our case, 33south has broken new ground by creating a label that takes wearers from the beach to a bar,” Mr Jones said.

A combination of a life long love of surfing and a well developed fashion sense led Mr Jones to creating his new concept in beach fashions.

“I used to have a surf shop in Manly and realised there wasn’t a label that produced up-market beach fashion that was sophisticated enough to be worn anywhere, yet reflected Australia’s laid back and coastal living lifestyle. It’s how Australians live, 90 per cent of us live in close proximity to the beach/coast. 33south is the latitude of Sydney and created to be sophisticated and urban,” Mr Jones said.

“After not being able to find labels that achieved what I wanted them to, I packed my bags and went to New York to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology. After three years, I completed an Associate Arts and Science Degree in menswear design and marketing. I was also involved in opening the first surfshop ever in London – it was called low pressure and received extraordinary media coverage – they didn’t know quite what to think at the time – it was a very funny time. It still trades today in Notting Hill.

“I wanted to marry my design skills with surfing. We’ve done innovative things such as license the original artwork of Surfing World Magazine – which is only three months off from being the oldest surfing mag in the world. Their artwork is incredibly good, hand drawn artwork from the 60s and 70s. 33south’s Surfing World collection has been extremely successful. In addition, we spend a lot of time working on the artwork, getting garment colours and blending right, even down to the heavy vintage wash look,” he said.

Mr Jones said his business strategy right from the start for 33south was to succeed in selling garments in Australian stores as well as exports. “I created the company with extensive expansion capacity to cater for the international markets as they were developed. When you compare a population of 20 million in Australia to the population of the world, the possibilities are huge,” he said.

“The first export opportunity was made possible after I spoke with Austrade and developed a good relationship with Austrade staff in Japan. Whenever they brought buyers to Australia, Austrade contacted us and its representatives from Osaka and Tokyo referred 33south to important contacts, leading us to our deal with Beams in Japan. In addition, to help us get started in exporting Austrade accepted us onto its New Exporter Development Program which enabled us to receive free market entry advice.

“We just opened our Paddington store in Sydney last week and in a strange twist of fate, some Japanese girls purchased thousands of dollars worth of our garments and will sell them in their shop in Japan. 33south is also available throughout Australia in premium surf and fashion stores including the new concept store in Melbourne called ‘the basement’ in Lonsdale Street (the basement will be launched this Wednesday, 7 December).

“Every season we launch a new website in addition to all other marketing. It is of particular help for exporting as we shoot all styles in studio to ensure clear images which international customers can easily and clearly access. Buyers are able to get an instant understanding of 33south as soon as we start communicating which can save great expense in catalogues, sample shipments etc.”

For more information about 33south visit www.33south.com.au

Media Contact

Karla Davies, Austrade
Tel: +61 2 9390 2745