*INDOCHINO’S MADISON AVENUE STORE PHOTO: VIA INDOCHINO FACEBOOK*

By Mario Toneguzzi

INDOCHINO, the global leader in made-to-measure apparel, is spreading its retail wings with its first official launch outside of North America as the retailer’s online operations have opened in Australia.

That move will pave the way for future brick-and-mortar locations Down Under as the company looks to continue international expansion to other countries.

“For us, we’ve got three growth levers in the business that we really are focused on for the next decade. The first one is exactly what we’re doing now which is omni channel expansion across North America and so we’ve got quite a few years to continue to grow in the U.S. and Canada,” said Drew Green, President and CEO of INDOCHINO.

“The second lever is product expansion which we’ve been doing quite a bit of in the last year. And the third is international expansion. Two per cent of our revenue last year was international. We see massive opportunities in quite a few countries. We evaluated four different countries to invest in for 2019 and as a team decided that Australia was the right first step for international expansion . . . We also deliver already to 100 countries. So international is not new to us but investing in actual market specific opportunities has just started.”

Green said Australia is an attractive place to launch international expansion for several reasons. First, he knows the market.

“As a former resident of Sydney, I’m thrilled to bring INDOCHINO clothing to Australian shores, as the country and its people hold a special place in my heart,” he said. “We were the original brand to reinvent how men shop — beginning with made-to-measure suits and now offering a wide assortment of custom clothing — all delivered in an industry-leading two weeks. Now, we’re ready to shake up the way Aussie men get dressed, each and every day.”

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INDOCHIN'O’S NEW KANSAS CITY STORE ALL PHOTOS: VIA INDOCHINO FACEBOOK

“We had some partnership discussions with some folks there that just made it seem like a market that we could grow in quite rapidly. From a logistics perspective on the supply chain side it also made a lot of sense given our manufacturing partner delivers a lot of garments into the country. We just saw it as a great opportunity. The consumer in Australia is much like the consumer in Canada. They’re willing to shop for brands that are from other countries in a high propensity way. We thought we would be successful there. There’s no language barrier or massive investments we need to make from a language perspective.

“So it seemed like a really good sort of initial step in terms of what I would call a 10-year international expansion plan that we have. Other markets we see like Germany, or Japan, China, South America are going to be great opportunities but there’s different complexities when we start to do that that we have to consider.”

Green said the plan is to launch showrooms in Australia as well.

“To truly be a brand that’s generational in a country we’re going to need to include our showroom experience. We’ve mapped that out but first we want to stay online only. Probably for the full year of 2019,” he explained.

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“International is going to be part of our core DNA for the next 10 years. This is just the start of many, many different endeavours we plan to do internationally.”

Since 2015, the company has opened 44 showrooms in Canada and the U.S. with up to 12 more slated for 2019.

“We’ll be at 56 by the end of 2019,” said Green.

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INDOCHINO’S CF RIDEAU STORE ALL PHOTOS: VIA INDOCHINO FACEBOOK

“Right now we’re primarily focused on U.S. expansion and also international expansion.”

Recently, the company announced it was opening three new showrooms in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut throughout 2019 and into 2020. Reinforcing its commitment to the tri-state region, the retailer has also renewed its partnership as the Official Made to Measure Brand of the New York Yankees.

The retailer opened its 44th showroom in Greenwich, CT, on April 26. Paramus, NJ, will open this summer and Manhasset, NY, is slated for early 2020. Other showrooms scheduled this year include Bellevue in Washington and Roseville, Melrose, and San Diego in California.

"As we continue to see success developing the INDOCHINO brand in the northeast, we're committed to extending our retail network outside of Manhattan – where we have three thriving locations – to areas where many more Americans live, work, and play," said Green. "This will give men of all communities and professions greater access to exceptionally priced custom clothing."

The baseball partnership will include in-stadium signage and special events as well as initiatives through digital and social channels. Fans will also be able to add a Yankees-themed monogram or opt for a limited edition Yankees-inspired lining.

"As the 2019 baseball season begins, we couldn't be more excited to continue this important partnership and offer Yankees fans access to an elevated brand experience," added Green. "We look forward to helping our growing customer base find what fits well, what looks great, and what is affordable as we become recognized throughout the tri-state area."

INDOCHINO is working with brokerage Oberfeld Snowcap on its Canadian expansion, under the direction of Eileen Halpin-Tarrant and Elaine Heng.

Mario Toneguzzi, based in Calgary has 37 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald covering sports, crime, politics, health, city and breaking news, and business. For 12 years as a business writer, his main beats were commercial and residential real estate, retail, small business and general economic news. He nows works on his own as a freelance writer and consultant in communications and media relations/training. Email: mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com.

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