Stolen Girlfriends Club

2008 Scholarship Background

DHL Express launched the DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship in 2008 with the aim of identifying New Zealand's best up-and-coming fashion exporter and assisting them in achieving international growth.

The winner of the scholarship would receive international freight to the value of NZ$10,000 and coaching in freight and logistics from DHL Express; as well as a tailored export mentoring package from Fashion Industry New Zealand (FINZ) and an annual FINZ membership.

Fashion designers who had been exporting for less than four years were invited to complete an official application and submit a design portfolio, which was judged by fashion industry leaders. Entries were judged across a variety of categories, including: design, marketing, business and export.

SGC's aims

SGC entered the DHL Express Fashion Export Scholarship to achieve growth in foreign markets. They planned to realise this goal by building SGC’s brand awareness and sales in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Dubai, and by securing sales and press agents in the USA.

Their Australia export goals were to increase the number of accounts from an existing 17 stores to over 30 stores over the following 12 months, and to reach a 100 per cent increase in sales growth through existing, and new Australian accounts. (From $200,000 to $400,000 p/a).

SGC wanted to enter the Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai markets through their newly appointed sales and press agents and obtain Winter 2009 orders from new accounts in each country. Their goal was to reach total sales of $200,000 in these new markets for the first 12 months.

In the USA, SGC wanted to secure press and sales agents in Los Angeles and New York, pick up a select number of key accounts to introduce SGC to the American market. They wanted to create brand presence and a core following.

Scholarship support for SGC

SGC found the support provided by the scholarship took the pressure off the business and enabled the team to push their export expectations further. SGC were able to send samples to buyers instead of sending look books (photo samples), giving SGC an advantage as buyers could then see and feel the clothes.

In Australia, SGC increased the number of accounts from an existing 17 stores to 25 stores, and achieved a 100 per cent increase in sales growth through existing, and new Australian accounts. (From $200,000 to $400,000 p/a).

In Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai, they successfully entered these markets and appointed a sales and press agent in Japan. They obtained Winter 2009 orders from new accounts in Japan, Hong Kong and Dubai, and reached total sales of $200,000 in these new markets for the first 12 months.

In the USA SGC picked up a select number of key retailers to introduce Stolen Girlfriends Club to the American market, and created brand presence and a core following through showing a range in New York.

SGC were also able to enter the UK market:. They established a sales and PR agent and picked up key accounts including Liberte and ASOS (one of the largest online retailers in Europe).

SGC achieved a growing customer base of influential celebrities, musicians and style icons, including Beyonce Knowles, Juliette Lewis and Agyness Deyn, and have been approached by UK store Topshop. They are aiming to take their label to new markets in Asia and Scandinavia and secure a distributor for Asia by 2011.