Five new exclusive brands are launching in Glassons!
You may have noticed some exciting changes in Glassons lately – vintage arrivals, ultra-current fashion pieces, and from today they’ll be delving into boutique land with exclusive brands like MinkPink, Evil Twin, AndCo, Staple the Label, and Someday’s Lovin’ launching into six stores and online.
The brain behind the innovations? Glassons’ Head of Buying, Samantha Betts who joined the company six months ago.
Everyone is loving the new-and-improved Glassons so we caught up with Samantha to chat about their new launches and to get the low down on what’s next for House of G…
Miss FQ: Hi Samantha! Thanks for meeting with us. Tell me, what does your role as Head of Buying involve?
Sammy: “Working with our amazing design team to outline trends and colours, working closely with each buyer to develop product and build ranges. Constant trading of departments, both the ups and downs! Travelling over New Zealand and Australia, visiting stores and trying to forecast what our customers will want next. Overseas travel, living and breathing the world of fashion for constant inspiration!”
You’ve just launched 5 new, exclusive brands in five of your stores and online – exciting times! Why have you decided to bring other brands to Glassons?
“I’m always looking at brands and new up and coming Australasian brands.The branded collections will sit alongside Glassons own fashion product very cohesively! It offers something slightly more unique within the New Zealand market as we are more or less exclusive stockists.”
How are the collections different to the core Glassons range?
“The brands and product lines selected were to offer more of a party vibe or something to really warrant our customers paying a slightly higher retail price. If our customers tell us they are enjoying shopping brands with us, we’ll give them more!”
What are your favourite pieces from the new brands?
“For me it’s the pink velvet slip dress – a must have. And the moon and stars bralette!”
You recently went on a buying trip to LA where you brought back some vintage goodies that were sold in-store and unsurprisingly flew out the door! Please tell us there are more plans for vintage in Glassons?!
“Yes it was so popular so we have bought her much much more!! I’ve over-dyed some old champion sweats, bought and reworked Levi’s and Wrangler shorts by cutting and bleaching each pair. We’ve got loads more vintage tees en route now too! Winter will also be exciting with customised denim shirting and flannel checks – watch this space!”
We’re obsessed with the pieces we’re finding in Glassons at the moment – so street style and so on point! Where do the design team find inspiration for the collections?
“The design team are very talented and completely get what will be next! We are getting so excited about trend forecasting and being ahead of the game and and our customers are pushing us harder and harder in terms of wanting the newest, hottest items. As a team we work hard to forecast what our customers will be doing and wanting in six months’ time and we do this by understanding where our customers lifestyle will be heading; catwalks, blogs, travel and we have a lot of models and muses we look to.”
As someone who has joined the business from working in retail overseas, what do you think sets Glassons apart from other fashion stores in New Zealand?
“Hitting the best quality fashion within a reasonable price bracket. We want to give our customers great service in everything we do. Being on the floor in New Zealand and Australia, working with our customers day in day out helps us stay close to their needs.”
Shop the new brands at Glassons Queen Street, Newmarket, Lambton Quay, Dunedin and their new Christchurch CBD store (corner of High and Cashel St) as well as online at Glassons.com.
