Getting to Grips with Down Under

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Outside of Europe, it's safe to say that my fashion label/climate knowledge is probably most attuned to what's going on in the United States.  It's down to the trickling of information through US magazines that are widely available in London, the number of websites/blogs that are mostly based over there and the "special relationship" between the UK and the US that has generally given way to a more open information exchange.  It's the import of American TV that put names like Neiman Marcus, Barney's and Saks into my awareness before I have even visited those stores. 

Not that I didn't watch imports from the other large English-speaking country, Australia but sadly on Neighbours, Home & Away and Heartbreak High, nothing of the local fashion environment was ever spoken about.  So whilst my knowledge of fashion labels from down under isn't awful, quite basic things about the country's fashion landscape are beyond me.  The term 'opshops' is something that I have only heard about in recent months.  Then I came across Sportsgirl, supposedly Australia's answer to Topshop.  Going onto the site, nothing rang a bell at all.  I read a fair number of Aussie blogs but could not recall any posts about this store.

I can reel off Target's collabs despite having never even so much as seen the garments in real life.  Yet this Aussie chain store, Sportsgirl, who have been knocking out collaborations with local independent designers (Life With Bird, Kate Hurst, Manning Cartell and the latest Elke Kramer) is complete news to me.  Feel free to tut and shake your head if this is all really basic knowledge to you people.  Scanning the site, "Australia's answer to Topshop" might be stretching it a bit but it's all fairly cute stuff.  Nonetheless it's the collabs that they participate in which are particularly interesting in that they seem to choose fairly young and independent designers as opposed to the Aussie biggies (Alice McCall, Sass & Bide, both of which incidentally have collaborated with Topshop).

Romance Was Born, one of the most exciting Aussie labels I've seen of late is sending out a 12 piece circus-inspired collection for Sportsgirl in March and from the looks of it doesn't seem to belong in the slapdash high-low collab category at all…

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TV, a label that was recommended to me by a few readers, which I had already checked out in Paris a few years ago will also be teaming up with Sportsgirl with a collection to drop in April.  No pics yet but their AW09 collection might give some guidelines as to the style of things to come… I'm personally just looking out for TV online stockists in general for their mainline collections as a lot of it is ripe for easy-e-sales (no need to try on oversized jumpers and leggings now is there…)

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After a bit of searching, I even hear shoe designer Tristan Blair whose wedges I'm slowly wearing down as 2008's most worn pair of shoes, might be knocking out something for Sportsgirl.  Imelda might have to correct me on that one…

Anyhow, maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick completely.  Maybe Sportsgirl is terrible/amazing/both… who knows.  All I know is I think I can at least add it to my knowledge in the same way that US chain store Target exists there for no apparent reason seeing as none of these stores are within my vicinity or reach

56 comments

  1. I’d read about it on smaggle.com but I had never bothered to investigate further, so thanks for doing it for me!

  2. I LOVE Sportsgirl. It’s been out of NZ for a while, so whenever I go to Australia I pick cardigans and basic frocks up there.
    I always thought Target in OZ is a bit different to the US one – they don’t have the collections.

  3. Sportsgirl also did a collabortion with 18th Amendment ona denim collection called Beautiful & Damned last year. The pieces were cute but I didn’t buy anything.
    http://www.sassybella.com/2008/07/18th-amendment-are-beautiful-damned-for-sportsgirl/
    The chain store also has “vintage” pieces that have been cleaned up and sold as one off’s in the store. But as an Aussie, I think some of the things they stock are overpriced for what they are. Sometimes its just cheaper to buy online from overseas 😉

  4. sportsgirl as the australian equivalent to topshop is bogus, it is way less thought out &always concentrates on only one trend at a time, for instance it has stocked nothing but boho shit for the last two years &only now is discovering other styles.
    i would recommend alannah hill &manning cartell as really decent australian brands (&my favourites too). plus bassike for their high quality basic (as the name suggests) pieces.

  5. I barely know many UK brands, but these Aussie ones are really looking good to me. Perhaps even better than topshop, cause I feel like topshop tries a little to hard (though I may not be saying that when their rodarte sweaters come out and I may have to buy one) but these australian brands look fantastic. Especially, I think, the TV one. Love. thanks for sharing lady.

  9. I live in australia and I think sportsgirl is generally a bit hit-and-miss. I find alot of their stuff to be too trend-focused (mainly “boho” styles as helen said), but sometimes they do take chances with more interesting pieces.
    Also, alot of the stuff seems a bit overpriced for what it is, and as Sportgirl had always been just another cheap store up until about 5 (?) years ago I find it hard to swallow such a jump in price when the quality hasn’t gone up equally.
    Perhaps this could be chalked up to them trying to strike a chord with those who think they are.. well, I know alot of people who think they are “indie” and think Sportgirl is great due to the abundance of high waisted skirts and fabric ties to wrap around the head hippie-style (as well as the vintage pieces which people could easily find at one of Sydneys great markets for a quarter of the price.) This is the in-thing with teenagers at the moment so I guess they will be getting good sales if these people can afford it haha.
    And just wondering, did you mean to change to “sportslife” halfway through?

  10. Sportsgirl recently had a collab with Cohen et Sabine which had some beautiful things also, which are now on sale in the stores! I’m eyeing off a cream, sequined tulle dress…
    I think the best thing about the stores is that they stock some good quality basics along with shoes and lots of trend pieces, so they appeal to everyone. Some of the bigger stores also have a vintage section, which usually has some pretty good stuff. I think people often expect Sportsgirl to be something that it’s not – it’s a chain store, so it’s always going to be fairly mainstream!
    Thanks for introducing me to TV, I can’t wait to check them out

  11. Apologies…that was a weird typo that went a bit wrong! I have corrected…it’s Sportsgirl…but really the names are interchangeable in my head a little…

  12. I HATE Sportsgirl. So generic, overrated, tryhard, poor quality and expensive for what it is. Plus, everyone is wearing it, so you can hardly make a fashion statement.
    You’re better off going to Myer or David Jones. They are department stores that sell all different labels. There is a separate level for designer fashion i.e. Armani, Ralph Lauren etc. But other brands like Morrisey, Sass & Bide (getting a bit cocky with prices), Zimmerman, Collette Dinnigan, Tsubi, Country Road, Mimco (handbags and accessories), Lisa Ho, Alannah Hill.
    You might be better off going to Bondi Junction. There is a huge mall there (Westfields) with a good mix of inexpensive and designer shops.
    Make sure you wear SPF 30+ sunscreen. The sun is crazy here!
    Have fun
    Emma
    xx

  13. Sportsgirl is too pricey for the quality but the basics are pretty good. (the new boyfriend cut tee which i tried on is not as good as AA but is a good cheap alternative.)
    However with the collab pieces, sometimes it’s overpriced (with quality that’s not really there) You might be better off buying the “actual” designers work on sale at a similar price point.

  14. Sportsgirl USED to be a place for cheap basics (as I’ve been told Topshop was), and then they slowly integrated more trend pieces, raising prices etc, until trend pieces are pretty much all they stock, and the collections are on incredibly high rotation.
    One of my girlfriends worked there a few months ago, and apparently they’re attempting to change their tagline to ‘the destination for fashion’ or something, whereas before it was ‘make your own way there’ (referencing their mix and match stuff).
    It’s overpriced, mostly badly made, and not even a great destination for designer knockoffs. It’s OK in sales, and the sales do come around pretty often, mostly because the prices are halved and are closer to what they should be retail wise- but the bulk of their stock is in lurid fabrics and cuts that are really identifiably ‘sportsgirl’, and are difficult to integrate with other pieces.
    It’s not a patch on Topshop in terms of style, prices and range. I’ve never bought from their designer collaborations, but the ranges are always tiny and usually end up on the sales rack. For what they charged, I’d rather fork out an extra hundred or so and get something cut better in a nicer fabric.
    Having said that, I’m wearing a cream cotton sportsgirl dress right now, which I got on sale for $60. It’s vaguely reminiscent of the Lover stuff, and I never would have paid the original price, but it’s a good easy work basic.
    There are great Australian designers out there, but this comment is long enough- (suffice to say that we’ve got a lot more to offer than just Wheels and Dollbaby or Sass and Bide).

  15. Emma: I’m not making my way down to Australia anytime soon I’m afraid…. just delving into a label coverage that’s a bit more widespread than London….!
    Loving everyone’s comments…I’m gathering that Sportsgirl is a bit of a duff then… oh well…it was the designers involved that I was interested in…. but Irene has a point… and it applies here…which is that designer collaborations are often so pricy that you end up buying the REAL thing…as in designers’ mainline collections in sample sales at the same prices (hence why I’m such a sample sale whore…)…
    Rach, I’ve known for while that Aussie has a lot more to offer than just Sass & Bide…the thought of that is quite a depressing one…!

  16. it’s not such useless knowledge! i mean, targets are everywhere here so next time you are in the US, it couldn ‘t hurt to know what designer collab is available there. oh, btw, I am keeping an eye out for online stockists of TV as well so if you hear where that collection is available, let me know too!!
    amanda

  17. I don’t mind the odd bit of Sportsgirl – I think of our chainstores here they are the pick of the bunch (not saying that much, but still). The prices are a little high, but the sales are good and the more interesting stuff will always be left behind by the teenyboppers so some excellent bargains can be found.
    I think like anything, if you go in and pick up an outfit head to toe in the one place or by the one designer then it’s going to be a bit boring. Be selective and you can find some really decent stuff in there.
    I’m really keen to see the Romance was Born collab because the only stuff I’ve ever found in my price range (sample sale) was the boringest things they’ve ever made!

  18. I haven’t bought Sportsgirl in years & years! It has become incredibly over-priced for poor-quality items, and is sadly in no way in the same league as Topshop.
    I must admit I had forgotten about ‘TV’ until you posted it here, some pieces look promising!
    My fave Aussie labels: Akira (LOVE him!), Kirrily Johnston, Willow (although last season was only so so).
    xx
    PS. Btw, my sisters (in London) are having an absolute ball with the incredible sales over there! TOO unfair! Am very envious of any Londoner at the moment! 😉

  19. Sportsgirl is very hit and miss – some seasons I want to buy everything in the store, others – nothing.
    A few people have mentioned the boho thing, and it’s true – as soon as anything bohoey become vaguely trendy, it takes over the whole store. And don’t even get me started on ‘peasant dresses’, as they used to be called. And yes, they are very trend focussed (which i think is fair enough).
    That said, they have some great, well made basics in current cuts (at the moment they have some fun over sized tees that look boyfriendy but don’t make you look like a bloke).
    I think they do well with the designer collaborations too – I bought a bahamonde bag on sale there and I love love love it!

  20. I don’t really care so much about the sportsgirl debate but I am super excited that you have finally mentioned my friend’s label Romance was Born. They are a super duper talented twosome and they have done some awesome stuff in the last couple of years, I’ve always thought that they would appeal to you Susie. Thanks for giving them a bit of love! 🙂

  22. never been to topshop or bought anything from them but just based on the website, topshop is much much much bigger and better than sportsgirl. topshop seems to have a lot more variety whereas sports girl tends to stick with 1 or 2 trends per season. sportsgirl is often a hit and miss type of shop. and their colabs are sometimes a wee bit expensive…
    realllly looking forward to the RWB colab though. i love RWB!

  23. STYLEBUBBLE! hey, so ive just found your blog and somehow can’t get ahold of your email. I currently go to School of the Art Institute of Chicago and am transferring to Central St. Martins. I think your blog is fantastic and woudl realy like some guidance and possible help through the process. May I email you?? My email is jdeady@artic.edu, if you dont mind I hope to hear from you soon!!!!

  24. lol i just bought a lilac skirt from sportsgirl this morning…
    i personally love a lot of the stuff that sportsgirl produces (but none of that boho shizz) mainly because it’s fun, on-trend and easy to wear. love the colours and the simple cuts but their clothing is wayyyy over priced. i barely ever buy anything from sportsgirl at full price. really, i just dont think it’s worth it. the only bummer is that by the time their sales come round, most of the best stuff has already been bought by those damned cashed up teenyboppers.

  25. just another thing on australian fashion…
    i think that a lot of aussie brands grow way to big for their boots way too fast, and raise their prices exorbitantly. seriously, for the quality and design of most of their products, a lot of aussie designers (sass & bide, zimmermann, RWB, alice mccall, antipodium, ellery etc etc) overcharge. no wonder, i do more online shopping and buy more established designer pieces from the us/uk, for the prices local aussie designers are charging.

  26. Hi Susie,
    I kind’ve had the same view, sportgirl stuff is ok but the collabs have been much more interesting to watch.
    Thanks for the news, I am so excited about the Romance Was Born and TV collaborations! And Tristan Blair hopefully! I bought my first pair of TB heels on the weekend (they were on sale, can’t afford them otherwise) so fingers crossed that one is true. Here’s praying the price points will be ok as well.
    BTW looks like sportsgirl do ship to the UK if you are particularly interested in some of the collab pieces.

  28. Hey Susie.
    I was just in Sportsgirls flagship store today trying on some leggings (very similar to Sass&Bides popular black rat style) The problem for me with Sportsgirl, like it has been mentioned on here already, is it is way too expensive for what it is. I know someone who supplies jewellery to the store and they won’t buy anything unless that can get each piece for less than 47cents! They then sell it for upwards of $14.95. I’m guessing this is how a lot of the chain stores operate here and in the UK, but still that is one mighty profit using possibly slave labour (well like most things “cheap” really)
    I wrote a blog post about the new store when it opened http://fashionhayleyhome.blogspot.com/2008/09/sportsgirls-new-flagship-store.html
    The most exciting thing about the store is the designer collabs. I’m super super excited about RWB, the previous Minty meets Munt collab was good as was the chip chop collection of bags. I like this new direction but I still think the stock is way overpriced.

  30. If you asked me I’d say ‘so so’.
    They do okay job with window dressing and styling but actual stuff is cheap and nasty.

  32. Oh I feel so patriotic reading this post! 😉 I don’t know a lot about TopShop (I’ve never left dear old Oz), but if it’s all about high style and moderate prices (and like you said, collaborating with big names) then I guess Sportsgirl is exactly the Aussie topshop equivalent.
    Great post!
    Romany
    xx

  33. “Feel free to tut and shake your head if this is all really basic knowledge to you people.”
    I hope you don’t really fear lack of “knowledge” Susie – this attitude is one thing that I hate about fashion magazines/fashion people… those who convey their disgust if you haven’t heard of a designer or don’t know this or that. Just because you don’t know doesn’t mean you are not fashionable/cool/whatever word you want to use. The great thing about your blog is that it is presented in a down-to-earth, friendly way, unlike a lot of fashion magazines that adopt the condescending tone of “I’ve know about this for ages but I’m only going to tell you pathetic little followers now I’ve decided you deserve to know”. Perhaps if they shrugged off their elitist attitude they might stop their readers feeling so alienated, and develop a more friendly following like your blog.
    Keep up the good work!

  35. Just another fact that confirms Sportsgirl’s ‘overpricedness’, i bought a black ruffled all in one from asos this summer for something like 13 euro, and the exact same thing is selling on Sportsgirl for 99.95 AUD, roughly converted to 50 euro!

  36. Sportsgirl has some very cute, trend based pieces, but are not as “fashion forward” as Topshop. I prefer to shop online at Topshop, personally.
    Also, Sportsgirl are nowhere on the scale of hugeness as Topshop (well I’ve only been to the Oxford Circus Topshop and it was freakin enormous!), we don’t really have any stores like Topshop or H&M here.
    The designer collaberations are mediocre IMO, the collections are small and often end up on sale because people don’t think to go to Sportsgirl when they’re after young designer labels.
    Like most stores, there’s always the odd diamond in the rough, but sadly the rough is usually incredibly overpriced.
    x

  37. I’d never heard a word about Sportsgirl, but the collection looks too nice. I love the print leggings and chunky jumpers!
    xx

  38. I’m from Sydney and sportsgirl is NOTHING like topshop. I went to London last month and I was blown away by topshop. There isn’t anything in Australia that is comparable.
    Sportsgirl has a tiny range of really poorly constructed crap made out of awful artificial fibres (it will all pill within a day of wearing it!). To be honest, last time I ventured in (out of sheer desparation) all i could see was the trendiest, least-classy stuff in the world. It was all faux-hippy stuff and they went soo OTT with the theme it was disgusting. I think it perhaps uses Topshop as it’s model, but miserably fails.
    Um.. rant over? Don’t waste a minute more of your time reseaching it!!

  40. interesting to read all the views on sportsgirl. must admit i hadn’t even heard the name before.
    i did however post about TV quite recently. love their stuff. please inform us all if you find an online stockist.

  41. I have to admit I had no idea how big the Aus fashion scene was until Facehunter went to Sydney and Melbourne. Before I knew about Ksubi and Material Boy but that was about it, but since then I’ve become much more interested in southern hemisphere style.
    http://hapsical.blogpsot.com

  42. hiya Susie,hope your well dear. love this post.there is so much talent down under and its appears every other day new talent emerges. I love Jaci bailey,alice mc call,TV etc etc
    muah x
    marian

  44. I got given a voucher there for $50 early last year and struggled to find something to buy that wouldn’t mean adding at least another $30 out of my own pocket for something I wasn’t completely thrilled by.
    They occasionally have some stuff that I don’t mind, but mostly I don’t even bother browsing through because the prices are exorbitant and quality average at best. The collabs are often quite nice, but sometimes I wonder if it’s worth putting up with the sales assistants who on the whole are over-tanned, over-friendly and over-trendy.
    Glad to see you’ve had a poke around some Aus stuff though, there are some good designers around the place.
    xx

  47. The Romance Was Born stuff looks a bit nu rave – y (maybe just the styling?), but quite cute at the same time. I’m intruiged about Sports Girl, but considering I already have a Topshop & H&M problem, maybe nows not the time to look at clothes from other countries, haha.

  48. HAHA Sportsgirl! I had totally forgotten about them! I used to wear stuff from there when then had this ‘cool range’ called Elle B or maybe Ella B? Purple shiny jersey flares and a purple ribbed long polysomething cardie that tied in a bow at the front. A weirdo boho Biba vibe that I wore with a skinny cropped jumper from Indigo… With Adidas Gazelles… God – I’m cracking myself up!
    xx Lektrogirl
    http://blog.lektrogirl.com

  50. Hi Susie,
    Sportsgirl is nothing like Topshop and I have doubts about their quality either… Like Lauren, I was given a $50 voucher and had difficulty getting something so I ended up with a harem pants and that is the only piece I have from Topshop. They had this weird Boho “phase” and everything is absolutely crap.
    Love their branding and marketing collaterals, recent ones mostly photographed by Steven Chee http://www.stevenchee.com
    Some of my fave aussie designers would be Lisa Gorman (of Gorman), Sass&Bide, Gail Sorranda, Antipodium and YeojinBae.

  52. I did not know about SportsGirl either and really appreciate the mention. The TV/SG collab should be pretty cool, but it seems rather hard to actually buy TV items online. Maybe I am not looking in the right place, anyhow, have a splendid Tuesday!
    jess-hippiefroufrou

  53. I watched the collections for Romance was Born and TV at fashion week and fashion festival, both were pretty fab, but you should also take note of tina kalivas, and jason brunsdon

  54. I had totally forgotten Heartbreak High, thanks for the nostalgic reminder 🙂

  55. I’m seeing this post a bit late but have to respond! As an expat in Melbourne, I am absolutely loving the fashion here! Sportsgirl is a no go for me as it is very cheap quality and basically for teenagers (in my opinion). I do find cute things there every now and then but cuts and fabrics don’t cut it for me! If you are after some really cool (but more expensive) designers here are a few: Gorman (as mentioned by another reader), Zimmermann, Fleur Wood, Lisa Ho, Scanlan & Theodore, Arthur Galan, Wayne Cooper, Thurley, Easton Person, there are so many!!!

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