Moving on Melbourne

The founders of fashion label Morrison are in negotiations to open a new store on Melbourne’s Chapel Street as part of a five-year expansion plan.

Richard Poulson established the business in Fremantle with his wife, Kylie Radford, in 2002 and told WA Business News this week the pair planned to open two Morrison fashion outlets each year for the next five years, which would extend the number of stores to 14.

The doors to Morrison’s fourth store open on Saturday at Garden City Shopping Centre, marking the group’s first entry into a shopping centre.

Mr Poulson said Morrison had not signed an agreement with Garden City’s owner, AMP, to open further Morrison outlets at other AMP-backed shopping centres, which was often a requirement to gaining a lease in big shopping complexes.

Mr Poulson said he and Ms Radford had been flattered after the Sydney-based leasing manager for Garden City flew to Perth to discuss taking up space at Garden City.

“We had been told it was very hard to get into that fashion strip in Garden City,” Mr Poulson said.

“They are really trying to lift the bar. They are the number three shopping centre in Australia in terms of turnover.”

Morrison, which is named after the couple’s dog, was last month named the 13th fastest growing start-up company by BRW Magazine.

Mr Poulson said the business’s turnover had jumped from nothing to about $10 million.

He said Morrison did not want to become a “chain” store, which was partly the reason why it chose to adopt a different look for its Garden City store.

A telling sign of Morrison’s success will be in its summer collection, which arrives in Perth in July.

All of the fabric has been imported from France and Italy, whereas in previous years fabric has been sourced from varying regions, including China.

“We are at that stage where we can meet the minium requirements (from European suppliers),” Mr Poulson told WA Business News.

He said the couple was focused on opening a store on Melbourne’s premier shopping strip, Chapel Street, but only when it found the perfect spot.

They have knocked back several sites on Chapel Street, but were continuing discussions with leasing agents and hoped to secure a suitable site soon.

Mr Poulson said Morrison was keen to open a store at Melbourne’s ‘fashion capital’ shopping centre, Chadstone, which was currently under redevelopment.

The group is also keen to open in Brisbane.

Morrison also operates a store on Paddington’s Oxford Street, in Sydney, as well as its Perth stores in Claremont and Fremantle.

Mr Poulson said it was unlikely the Perth fashion group would open another store in Perth following the Garden City opening.