Sportsgirl
Encyclopedia
Sportsgirl is a women's apparel clothing chain, owned and operated by the Sussan Retail Group in Australia
.
The first Sportsgirl stores were opened in 1948 in Melbourne
, as a younger, more fun alternative to the more conservative sister label Sportscraft. Since that time, the Sportsgirl brand has grown from a few boutique stores to a major Australian fashion brand.
, by the Bardas family. The Bardras family was also manufacturers of the Sportscraft clothing label, sold through department stores. At the time of opening the Swanston Street store, the Bardas family had no other retail outlets.
In 1956, the year of the Melbourne Olympics, the rent on the Swanston Street property was raised and the family moved the Sportsgirl shop to Collins Street
, Melbourne
. In 1959, the Bardas family purchased this property when it came onto the market, and the acquisition of this prominent flagship site became a significant element in Sportsgirl's retailing and business strategy.
Sportsgirl used interior design
, visual merchandising
, graphic design
, and advertising
to build its fashion brand into one that appealed to the emerging youth market of the 1960s.
As well as carefully choosing overseas imports, Sportsgirl sourced its fashion lines from young Australian designers. It also employed heavy use of print advertising and merchandising display to create a Sportsgirl identity that linked its clothing lines to a set of lifestyle values and accessories.
In 1960, Sportsgirl opened a Sydney flagship store on Pitt Street.
Sportsgirl was one of the first fashion retailers in Australia to sell homewares, body, and beauty products.
Sportsgirl launched its own magazine, cosmetics, and perfume lines.
The Melbourne and Sydney flagship stores opened their own in-store cafes.
, Singapore
, Hong Kong
, and Thailand
.
2007- Sportsgirl launched its rewind range. It brought back some of its classic pieces from the 80s such as the Sportsgirl logo tee, beach towels and duffle bags which were iconic for the label.
2009 - Sportsgirl launches the label 'Romance Was Born' in stores featuring music from Melbourne indie/electro band Neon Knights (band)
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The first Sportsgirl stores were opened in 1948 in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, as a younger, more fun alternative to the more conservative sister label Sportscraft. Since that time, the Sportsgirl brand has grown from a few boutique stores to a major Australian fashion brand.
1940s and 1950s
The first Sportsgirl store was opened in 1948 in Swanston Street, MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, by the Bardas family. The Bardras family was also manufacturers of the Sportscraft clothing label, sold through department stores. At the time of opening the Swanston Street store, the Bardas family had no other retail outlets.
In 1956, the year of the Melbourne Olympics, the rent on the Swanston Street property was raised and the family moved the Sportsgirl shop to Collins Street
Collins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. In 1959, the Bardas family purchased this property when it came onto the market, and the acquisition of this prominent flagship site became a significant element in Sportsgirl's retailing and business strategy.
1960s
In the 1960s, Sportsgirl emerged as a leader in the Australian fashion industry by successfully developing a brand image and a store identity that moved fashion retail away from the concept of established department stores to the concept of the lifestyle fashion boutique.Sportsgirl used interior design
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
, visual merchandising
Visual merchandising
Visual merchandising is the activity and profession of developing floor plans and three-dimensional displays in order to maximise sales.Both goods or services can be displayed to highlight their features and benefits...
, graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, and advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
to build its fashion brand into one that appealed to the emerging youth market of the 1960s.
As well as carefully choosing overseas imports, Sportsgirl sourced its fashion lines from young Australian designers. It also employed heavy use of print advertising and merchandising display to create a Sportsgirl identity that linked its clothing lines to a set of lifestyle values and accessories.
In 1960, Sportsgirl opened a Sydney flagship store on Pitt Street.
1970s
In the 1970s, Sportsgirl continued opening stores in locations throughout Australia. It continued its heavy use of mass advertising through print and media advertising that linked fashion with lifestyle images.Sportsgirl was one of the first fashion retailers in Australia to sell homewares, body, and beauty products.
1980s
By the 1980s, Sportsgirl had over 100 stores throughout Australia.Sportsgirl launched its own magazine, cosmetics, and perfume lines.
The Melbourne and Sydney flagship stores opened their own in-store cafes.
1990s
In the 1990s, Sportsgirl opened stores in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
2000s
Sportsgirl launched the Sportsgirl website - sportsgirl.com.au.2007- Sportsgirl launched its rewind range. It brought back some of its classic pieces from the 80s such as the Sportsgirl logo tee, beach towels and duffle bags which were iconic for the label.
2009 - Sportsgirl launches the label 'Romance Was Born' in stores featuring music from Melbourne indie/electro band Neon Knights (band)
Neon Knights (band)
Neon Knights is a former Bosnian progressive metal band from Tuzla. The band was formed in Tuzla 1994 and disbanded 1999. It's one of the most successful Bosnian heavy metal bands. They recorded one album Deserted Land in Italy 1998. Band was influenced by Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Rainbow,...