Australian fashion brands have started closing operations amid fierce competition from global retailers and e-commerce sites, as well as from consumers feeling the squeeze of the country's slowing economy. Menswear retailer Roger David closed the last of its 57 stores in December last year. Womenswear retailer David Lawrence was eventually acquired by department store operator Myer, while fund manager and major shareholder Will Vicars increased his stake in accessories brand Oroton Group.

Increasing number of e-tailers is also weighing on brands that rely heavily on brick-and-mortar sales, pressured further by the opening of Amazon's local operations. According to data from state-run Australia Post, the country’s e-commerce market totaled AU$21.3 billion in 2017, increasing from 18.7 per cent from a year earlier and surpassing overall retailers' 2.5 per cent on-year growth.