Ellery to feature in Paris haute couture week after strategy change

Ellery is changing both its collection timing and commercial strategy. Following in the footsteps of other emerging labels, Australian designer Kym Ellery has decided to show earlier in the fashion year, during the Paris Haute Couture week. The label's next show is scheduled for 25th January in Paris, marking the start of a new approach.

Ever since Ellery landed in Paris, where it showed in the official calendar in the last two years, the women's ready-to-wear label has managed to carve out a niche in the overpopulated fashion market, thanks to its generous, almost masculine, proportions and its penchant for natural fabrics.

Kym Ellery was born in Karratha, Western Australia, and after a stint at London's Central Saint Martins school she founded her own label in 2007. In just a few seasons, she managed to win over about 140 multibrand retailers worldwide, including MatchesFashion, the Dover Street Market, the Galeries Lafayette department store and Parisian concept store L’Eclaireur. To keep up with today's hyper-competitive market though, Ellery is now forced to change its commercial strategy.

"As an independent, self-sustaining label, it is too difficult for [Ellery] to keep abreast of a calendar which is set by the big brands," stated the designer in a press release. "I want to rediscover the feelings of ten years ago, when I first premièred with Ellery. I want to resurrect the dream."

Ellery will no longer present four collections per year, as the market dictates, but two only, which will be sold to buyers during the Haute Couture weeks in January and July. This approach is very similar to the one recently heralded by Swedish label Acne Studios. Though it will only feature two collections, Ellery will nevertheless promote each of them in two stages: initially during the Haute Couture week, and then also during the Paris womenswear Fashion Week, when it will introduce more new looks.

"As everyone is aware of, the system needs to change. We should present the collection earlier, so as to let craftsmen and designers do what they do best, in other words, create,” said Kym Ellery. For next January, the Australian designer announced "a couture collection, which will be produced at the label's new Parisian atelier, operated by a French team and putting local expertise centre stage."

Ellery is based in Sydney but has recently opened a permanent office in the French capital, in rue Tiquetonne.

Ellery to feature in Paris haute couture week after strategy change

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