David Jones trumps Myer as Sportscraft bolsters fashion range

DAVID Jones has won exclusive department-store rights to the Sportscraft brand, scoring a win over rival Myer.

The up-market department store chain has announced a partnership with Australian apparel group APG & Co, the owner of the label.

Sportscraft, like other APG brands Saba and Jag, will be sold exclusively at David Jones and in APG shops. It comes after David Jones stripped Myer of brands sold by the Country Road Group.

Both Country Road and David Jones are owned by South African retail heavyweight Woolworths Holdings.

The Country Road labels, including the namesake brand and Mimco, Trenery, Witchery and Politix, have been exclusive to David Jones since September 2.

Sportscraft will be exclusive to the retailer from next February.

In a statement, APG executive chair Peter Halkett said: “Sportscraft is an iconic and loved Australian brand and we are excited to partner with David Jones exclusively.

“There is a strong strategic alignment with David Jones and Sportscraft now joins both Saba and JAG, which are already exclusive to David Jones.”

David Jones general manager of womenswear and accessories Bridget Veals said the department store retailer was “very proud to announce the exclusivity of Sportscraft”.

“As we further evolve our customer offering, we look to brands such as these that share our commitment to Australian style, quality, and innovation.”

In June, David Jones signed Australian fashion talent Toni Maticevski. The designer had been with rival Myer for 15 years.

The chain has also introduced more than 65 new exclusive womenswear brands this season including Toni Maticevski, Balmain, Roksanda, Johanna Ortiz and Tibi.

Not to be outdone, Myer has in the past year added more than 50 new brands. That tally will rise to 90 by Christmas. Myer’s new brands include Oasis, Warehouse, Karl Lagerfeld Paris, Selected Femme and Selected Homme.