The Australian apparel and footwear industry has been incredibly volatile and lively over the last decade with many companies considered to be staples of the world fashion industry closing their operations within Australia and operating solely online. This is due to high operating costs which include soaring rents and high wages.
Several high-profile companies have recently discontinued their operations, namely, international players such as Gap, Espree and Forever 21 and local players Bardot and Stylerunner went into voluntary administration in 2019. However, key trends have seemed to be common among businesses that are thriving in this difficult Australian market.