British department store Debenhams says it's bringing affordable, designer fashion back to Australia and is confident it can convert fans of David Jones and Myer's private label lines into Designers at Debenhams devotees.
The opening of Debenhams' first Australian store, in Melbourne next September, will showcase the chain's exclusive collection of designer collaborations.
![An artist impression of the front of the Melbourne store.](/web/20160909193723im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/b/4/5/q/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grayc1.png/1473276930611.jpg)
It could also fill the gap left by Target's decision to focus on everyday apparel and fashion basics rather than big-name fashion collaborations.
Harris Scarfe owner Pepkor South East Asia struck a deal last year to open as many as 10 Debenhams stores in Australia.
Graham Dean, managing director of Pepkor's department stores division, said the stores would showcase a "curated range of fashion and beauty".
However Mr Dean warned Debenhams' focus on affordable, designer fashion would put it in direct competition with labels such as Myer's Basque collection and the Studio W line at David Jones.
"This is affordable, designer fashion and it's very accessible for the average, Australian fashion lover," he said.
"Market share is likely to come out of department stores but it's also going to come out of specialty stores.
![Pepkor's Graham Dean is confident Debenhams' designer collaborations will win over Australian shoppers.](/web/20160909193723im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/a/s/y/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grayc1.png/1473276930611.jpg)
"Debenhams is going to deliver an offer that's not currently available in Australia and that's international designers at Debenhams."
Debenhams' partnerships with high-profile designers such as Jasper Conran more than two decades ago was the inspiration for Target's designer fashion capsules with frock stars such as Stella McCartney and more recently Jean Paul Gaultier.
![English retailer Debenhams will unveil its first Australian store in St Collins Lane.](/web/20160909193723im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/9/x/t/5/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.grayc1.png/1473276930611.jpg)
The future of these partnerships at Target has been under a cloud since Wesfarmers' department store boss Guy Russo sketched out his plans for the troubled chain in the wake of the announcement of a $2 billion write-down and impairment charge in May.
At the time, Mr Russo expressed concern about how the fashion capsules potentially hurt sales of Target's core, apparel lines.
The announcement of the opening of the first Debenhams store next September comes just two months after Myer unveiled a partnership with rival UK department store John Lewis.
The first John Lewis "store within a store" at Myer will open in Sydney by the end of this year.
Mr Dean said Debenhams had been doing designer collaborations for more than 20 years and it was confident in the model and the market for affordable, designer fashion.
"These are credible designers, creating exclusive ranges for a British department store so there has to be something in that formula that works because they've been doing that for a long time," Mr Dean said.
He said the combination of the talent of the designers combined with the buying power of a huge British department store was the secret to its success.
"That's why we think the formula will work, whereas I'm not sure historically what happened at Target and why they may have abandoned that strategy," Mr Dean said.
In addition to increasing competition for Australia's two big department store operations, Myer and David Jones, Debenhams will go head to head with global apparel giants including H&M;, Zara and Uniqlo.
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