Decades-old Australian fashion brands will “live on” past the business’s voluntary administration, retail marketing expert Gary Mortimer says.
Iconic Australian fashion brand Cue Clothing entered into receivership on Tuesday after more than 60 years in business. Cue Clothing operates Cue and Veronika Maine, two of Australia’s most recognised women’s fashion labels.
“Unfortunately, right now at this stage, early days, we really don’t know where the direction is going to go for Cue and Veronika Maine. These are iconic Aussie brands,” Professor Mortimer told Sunrise on Wednesday.
“I’m confident that that brand will live on … There may be a buyer circling currently. I think the brand will live on.”
As well as 51 stores in Australian and New Zealand – including nine discount outlets – Cue and Veronika Maine sell online, in Myer and David Jones, and the Kiwi department store Ballantynes.
Professor Mortimer points to the inhibiting factors that have been squeezing all Australian retailers – tighter household budgets, increasing business costs, ultra-budget stores like Shein and Temu as well as fast-fashion outlets such as Zara, H&M and Uniqlo.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Cue had 230 stores and annual sales…