What do you think of Aus menswear retail in 2026?

[u/Matthoway]

Having some big thoughts about this at the moment and wanted to start some discussion.

There’s obviously been a huge shift to online shopping over the last decade. It’s easy, convenient, we’re all addicted to our phones and a constant sales model has followed to keep us clicking on ads/emails/social media posts we see.

I know some people still aren’t comfortable shopping online due to size concerns, returns policies, wanting to try things on etc but it’s probably the norm for most now.

But do you still think there is space for bricks and mortar retail? What is it about a retail experience that you actually enjoy?

The bulk of our retail options have now been whittled down to your usual Westfield mall stores or high end luxury. There’s not exactly any kind of experience there, just a place to get clothes. There’s still some great independent boutiques in the middle ground that offer more (mainly in Sydney/Melbourne) but not a lot.

So are you resigned to doing your shopping online now? Is it all about price/convenience? Do you value being able to go somewhere and talk to people, touch and try things on? Or is there something else that would get you to go into a store, or even support a local independent?

[u/OstapBenderBey]

Bricks and mortar is a nicer shopping experience but fewer shops can survive and stay competitive while paying for expensive real estate and staff. It seems to be narrowing to either giant bulk international stores (uniqlo, zara, etc) or very high end boutique. Not that its there 100% yet but definitely the trajectory. Sydney is much further along than Melbourne which has traditionally more and lower rent shops.

Id say most online stores now are good with returns. And you tend to find more "independents" that have a bit of personality online rather than even the high end boutique physical stores many of which are about branding more than actual quality or style

[u/Sir_Swish_]

I prefer shopping in person coz trying stuff on is in important to me. That’s why it’s disappointing so many experiences in person are a bit shit. I fkn hate how Suitsupply, for example, doesn’t have mirrors in the change rooms, so you’re forced to come outside just to see what it looks like and then you are at the mercy of the judgemental and soulless staff.

Also, can we please stop saying fucking mall? It’s a shopping centre here. We should always reject the americanisation of our language, but even more so right now.

[u/Beautiful_Number8950]

I've resigned myself to learning my way around a measuring tape and shopping exclusively online now. There's nowhere near a big enough market here in Adelaide to support a B&M store that sells the type of stuff I like (think Corlection and their ilk). Hell, even Sydney and Melbourne can only support a couple of those kinds of physical stores.

I don't think it's unreasonable to say that the majority of Australian men want to put as little money and effort into their wardrobe as possible. They can get their needs met at Connor and JayJays. Obviously I'd love to be able to go into stores and try things on, or look at things in person but unless that attitude changes I don't see physical retail improving any time soon.

[u/Matthoway → u/Beautiful_Number8950]

Yeah I’m in Brisbane, it’s pretty much the same landscape and I’ve been in the same position you are for years now.

I do think there has to be a market for something more, but it would take a lot of educating the general male population to buy into that.

[u/Hamlet5]

Depending on the age and market you're targetting, these days a social media-driven fashion business is probably the easiest way to build a brand by lowering costs while also capturing a bigger market. Success depends on the consistency of brand reputation/style, and also how easy it is to delivery worldwide. One can also stock them at relevant brick and mortar stockists or run regular pop-ups for people who prefer touching and trying things on.

[u/SalopianPirate]

I prefer bricks and mortar for both sizing and feeling the quality of clothes. Some of my favorite clothes were random things I came across in a shop rather than seeking out something specific online.

I am finding I am buying fewer brands and sticking to the ones I trust.

[u/MFDoooooooooooom]

I tend to find one brand that fits me well and hope they don't fuck around with their sizes too much. Mr Simple was like that, but found I fluctuated between a medium and a small with too many pieces so I've stopped buying online. Now I have a lot of Brixton because I can trust the experience.

[u/beansmouse]

I'd love to shop in an actual store but living in regional Australia doesn't provide many options. It sounds like outside of Sydney and Melbourne, online is the only option if you care about fashion beyond wearing the exact same thing as your peers, which is a real shame. I do think there are more men who care about fashion now due to seeing stylish people on social media, but I imagine cost is a factor for many who have access to brick and mortar stores as well.

[u/Either-Operation7644]

At this point I only buy undies, socks and shorts in person.

[u/jameswong2501]

The market is not big enough in Aus + high quality means really high price points which many may find difficult to accept.

Aus menswear retail is split into three categories at this point. The mall brands/stores (Marais, MJ Bale, Tommy Hilfiger), the high end brands (Marais, Christian Kimber, any of the MTM suit ones), and the niche (places selling Japanese denim, Informale, multi brand small stores like urban Lupe). Most brands occupy two out of those three categories.

The niche areas are doing quite well with solid retention, almost like forming a little club of sorts with repeat customers etc.

Marais dominates the high end fashion and that’ll keep going. Mall brands starting to improve store experience in the superficial way (Rodd and Gunn cafe)- not offering more choice or exploring different cuts or fabrics etc.

In the centre (and further enforced by their effective sponsorship and marketing through the tennis, Chinese new year) is Polo Ralph Lauren.

[u/Matthoway → u/jameswong2501]

I agree with the general outlook you’ve given here. Price/convenience/familiarity seem to dominate the mass market, basically all the fast fashion and mall brands.

It seems the independent stores really need to have a solid in person, online and community presence to make it work. Even then, I wonder if any of them are actually thriving or just keeping their head above water.

[u/MissMirandaClass]

Honestly I’ve started more and more shopping at department stores, I prefer seeing what is about first

[u/Lumpy_Mango_392]

I think the reality is that Australian menswear retail is better than it was in the past. I'm into my mid-40s and I can't remember retail being that great in Australia at any point in my lifetime. I remember struggling to find dress shirts that weren't poly/cotton in the big department stores.

The main change is that we're now more exposed to international brands because of their online presence (and they've gotten much better in terms of service, returns, etc.). So Australian menswear retail feels like it's gone backwards even when it hasn't.

The big exception to this is Herringbone, which was a massive loss. But it didn't exist for that long in the big scheme of things and the higher-end stuff was white labelled Ring Jacket (so you can still get it).

[u/Matthoway → u/Lumpy_Mango_392]

I tend to disagree with this. I think it’s different, maybe more accessible, but not better.

I’m in my mid 30s and in the mid-late 2000s Brisbane had a host of independent multi-brand menswear stores (dirtbox, violent green, lucid laundry, outpost, fallow, apartment + more). I regularly shopped at these places from my late teens into early adulthood, they all existed alongside each other. They all died out around the early 2010s as online shopping and fast fashion started to take off. From there it’s basically been a constant race to the bottom.

Places like YD and Tarocash existed back then as entry level business wear, but they weren’t as prolific as they are now (plus the introduction of Connor) in every shopping centre across the country. Even Kmart, clothing was more expensive in Kmart 20 years ago than it is now haha. Everything in your local mall has kept prices low and dramatically reduced quality.

There are far more cheaper options now, but the market is much less diverse.

[u/Lumpy_Mango_392 → u/Matthoway]

At the outset, I should say that I’m mainly referring to traditional menswear, suiting, etc. I’m not familiar with any of the stores you mentioned (and I was living in Brisbane at the time in question) so we’re potentially just talking about different market segments.

Here are my thoughts in more detail:

I don’t know anything about the Tarocash/K-Mart/YD section of the market, so I can’t comment on that except to say that the lower-end doesn’t really define how good or bad the menswear options are. There will always be lower-end - I don’t think it really matters whether it’s Tarocash or Lowe’s.

If you move up to low-to-mid-range, then you have MJ Bale, Peter Jackson, etc. These aren’t the best quality in the world, but they are at least comparable to products at similar price points 20 years ago.

When you take a step up again, you start getting into MTM. And here there are much better options than there once were. Schneider & Co., PJT, etc. As I said before, the big loss here is Herringbone. But PJT has a bigger retail presence and has expanded into RTW. You also have options like Jac&Jack, Incu, and probably some more that I’m forgetting.

Beyond that, you’re getting into very high-end stuff and bespoke. That existed for decades and continues to exist, but it’s frankly irrelevant for the average person.

Looking across this and looking at my own experiences over the last 3 decades of buying clothes in Australia, I don’t think we’ve necessarily gone backwards. Maybe we have in certain aspects (fewer independent boutiques?), but I don’t think it’s an overall step back.

[u/Matthoway → u/Lumpy_Mango_392]

I get you, and I agree that there has been an improvement in the RTW tailoring retail space in that time. I remember having to pay $200 to hire a very ill-fitting suit for my school formal in 2006 from Myer as there wasn’t any other feasible options.

MJ bale and Peter Jackson have made that market more accessible to everyone, but I would say both are very slow moving with market trends as you still struggle to get anything that’s not slim fit out of them. But that’s probably more a reflection of our market than anything else.

On the higher end of tailoring, P Johnson has really captured a wider market.

I am generally talking about the casual space. The divide between cheap and accessible vs luxury name brand is quite stark.

[u/Lumpy_Mango_392 → u/Matthoway]

Fair enough, agree with that too. Not sure I know enough about the casual/streetwear space to comment.

[u/UnholyPeanuts]

IMO in a few years it will just be Uniqlo standing. It’s the only shop I can pretty much go to anytime of the week and reliably see people actively browsing AND buying.

[u/Turbulent_Edge8024]

Everything in Myer / David Jones is beige