Cult denim label Ksubi is looking to launch two flagship stores in Australia, following the success of its flagships in New York and Los Angeles.
The brand’s CEO Craig King said the company is currently scouting CBD locations in Sydney and Melbourne. The stores will showcase Ksubi’s full range of denim, apparel and accessories
Ksubi currently sells products online in Australia, as well as through General Pants Co, David Jones and boutique sneaker retailer, Subtype Store, which was acquired by Accent Group this year. Globally, the brand is stocked in more than 380 stores, including Barneys and Kith in the US, Selfridges in the UK and Ron Herman in Japan.
The move to open its own flagship stores in Australia, reflects the growing global trend of brands going direct-to-consumer. Australian leather goods brand Status Anxiety has similarly opened two of its own bricks-and-mortar stores in the past year. The label is stocked in nearly 600 boutiques around Australia, as well as Myer.
Ksubi claims to be experiencing its strongest growth to date, thanks to the influencer effect of several high-profile customers, including Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin, Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, Paris Jackson, Travis Scott, LeBron James, Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino and Jared Leto.
Wholesale accounts have reportedly grown an additional 60 per cent for spring 2019.
This comes after a rocky period from 2010 to 2014, when Ksubi was three times in as many years. In 2014, General Pants Co acquired the global distribution licence from US private equity fund, Breakwater.
