Augustine has become one of New Zealand Facebook's favourite fashion brands, known for its bright, floral and sparkly pieces. Photo: Supplied / Augustine
Over the past decade, Augustine has become one of New Zealand Facebook's favourite fashion brands.
At regular intervals through the year, founder Kelly Coe would hype up and release one of the seasonal releases from its labels and thousands of women across the country would clamour to get their hands on the (usually) bright, (frequently) floral and (often) sparkly pieces.
Prices would range generally from about $100 to $200.
While the VIP Facebook group still has more than 20,000 members, the clamour has died down - and many were surprised to spot Augustine and its associated brands being stocked by discount retailer The Outlet in recent weeks, with prices starting at about $20.
So what's going on, and why would the brand do this?
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Retail consultant Chris Wilkinson said it was "very telling" of where the market was and had generated a lot of interest.
He said while Augustine had been a "darling" brand that was at times "euphoric", particularly among its social media following, the move was reflective of the fact that there had been a slowdown in demand for its type of product. It closed its Takapuna shop.
"She's got a very unique brand and culture that sits behind it… the way things are has been very challenging."
He said The Outlet's main focus was on selling distressed or overstocked items.
An Augustine top listed on The Outlet. Photo: Supplied / The Outlet
Stock such as the Augustine clothing could bring in different audiences who would not typically shop there, he said.
Something similar would sometimes happen at Reduced to Clear, he said, when it stocked mixers such as specialty tonic water much more cheaply than they would normally be available for.
There could be an effect on the brand, he said, but brands sometimes had a limited lifespan anyway. Huffer had been picked up by The Warehouse.
The Outlet is stocking a "Siri" dress for $19 while it is on the Augustine site for $49.99, albeit with a different colour skirt.
Bodo Lang, marketing expert at Massey University, said that could be an issue. "Selling identical products at very different prices can create serious problems for brands, as it risks alienating both consumers and retailers. Both are crucial for a brand's survival. After all, no one likes discovering they have paid more than someone else for the same item."
He said there was a risk to the brand.
"First, the discounts are substantial, often around 50 percent or slightly higher. Second, they apply to a wide range of garments, more than 150 in total, rather than a small, carefully selected few. Third, these discounted items are very easy to find online. Fourth, while Augustine's own website states that its garments are available at two outlet stores, The Outlet website appears to list heavily discounted Augustine garments across far more than two stores - in fact, across most of New Zealand. This inconsistency poses a problem, as the availability of discounted products on The Outlet website does not align with the brand story presented on Augustine's site.
"Collectively, these factors risk cheapening the brand. Deep and widespread discounts can make it harder to sell new-season items at full price, as customers learn that prices are likely to drop significantly within a few months. In addition, lower prices can attract a different clientele, and in fashion, social signalling is a powerful part of what consumers are really buying."
Public relations consultant Chamanthie Sinhalage-Fonseka said there were other strong names selling via The Outlet who did it without cheapening their brand, such as Adidas and Birkenstock.
"But they are a different category from Augustine and their brand equity is created offshore. Brands also surf waves of consumer preferences and changing economic conditions in order to stay alive.
"Marc Jacobs has fallen in terms of designer prestige but as a result is more accessible to mid-range customers and can position themselves as top of mid-range rather than bottom of luxury."
Augustine has been approached for comment.
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