Max Fashions

MAX or Max Fashions is a New Zealand women's clothing retail chain, known for offering contemporary and stylish women's clothing and accessories. Established in 1986, the brand has gained prominence for its high-quality, fashionable designs and commitment to customer satisfaction.[1] Max Fashions operates a network of stores across New Zealand, as well as an online platform catering to customers globally. Since its inception, the brand has made a significant contribution to the New Zealand fashion industry, consistently pushing boundaries through its innovative and trend-driven collections.[1][2]

It has 32 stores around the country, including 10 in Auckland. The chain sells dresses, tops, knitwear, jackets, coats, pants, skirts, singlets, sleepwear and swimwear.[1]

History

1980s

Max Fashions was established in 1985 by David Wright and grew to 39 stores across New Zealand, achieving a turnover of about $60 million in a highly competitive market.[3] It was owned by a consortium including private equity company Direct Capital, David Wright, and other management.[4]

1990s-2000s

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Max Fashions was acquired by EziBuy, a major clothing and homeware retailer. Mary Devine, EziBuy's chief executive at the time of the acquisition, saw significant growth potential for Max Fashions in Australia and aimed to utilize EziBuy's "multi-channel" retailing infrastructure. Despite the ownership change, Max Fashions' brand and management remained largely the same. Mary Devine assumed the position of managing director at Max, with former CEO Mike Beagley becoming a consultant to the business.[5]

2010s

EziBuy, which held a 43.5 per cent stake, was sold to Woolworths Limited in the early 2010s. However, the Max Fashions shareholding was retained by the current EziBuy shareholders.[6]

In May 2018, First Union New Zealand accused Max Fashions of requiring staff to work unpaid overtime. Max Fashions, in response, claimed it had only received one complaint from a staff member who had worked 15 minutes over their contractual obligations.[7]

In October 2018, Barkers announced the acquisition of Max Fashions. This expanded their portfolio to include 40 Max stores, in addition to their 30 existing Barkers stores, totalling 600 stores. Barkers also confirmed plans for a new store at Commercial Bay Shopping Centre.[8]

2020s

In late 2019 and early 2020, Max Fashions underwent a brand relaunch, introducing a new logo, campaign, and sustainability policy. The updated product range featured New Zealand merino wool knitwear, organic denim, and recycled materials, alongside denim produced with reduced water usage.[9]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Max stores, like all clothing stores, were forced to close.[10] The closure resulted in a significant loss of revenue for Max Fashions, increasing its debt to Barkers and other creditors.[11] This led to the proposal of closing 17 stores, reducing its total store count to 23.[10]

References

  1. "Max". max.co.nz. 14 June 2023.
  2. Carolyn (2019-10-28). "Max is revamped with sustainable focus". FashioNZ. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  3. "Max an easy buy for EziBuy". Stuff. 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  4. "Maximising return for shop founder". NZ Herald. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  5. "EziBuy to up Max Fashions' profile online". NZ Herald. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  6. "Kiwi clothing retailer Max Fashions on the market: Aussie media". NZ Herald. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  7. Nadkarni, Anuja (2018-05-30). "Staff complaints against big retailers rise after Smiths City unpaid meeting ruling". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  8. "Kiwi fashion giants Barkers, Max merge". NZ Herald. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  9. Quarterly, Fashion (2020-02-23). "Max continues to evolve with sustainability in mind". Fashion Quarterly. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  10. "Max Fashions to close 17 stores". RNZ. 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  11. "Max prepares to close 17 stores, including Q'town". Otago Daily Times Online News. 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
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