Country Road partners with Woolmark for magazine debut

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
May 24, 2017

The Australian fashion and accessories retailer Country Road has debuted a limited edition magazine promoting wool, in partnership with another Australian firm and wool promoter, The Woolmark Company.

'The Close Knit' magazine highlights the typical farm-to-fashion story behind wool and the clothing it becomes. The publication talks with people who work to produce wool including a woolgrower, a shepherd and a shearer.

The magazine editorial campaign -- shot on Bruny Island, just off the coast of Tasmania -- highlights some of the premium quality woollen fashion and accessories that Australia's wool actors help produce.

"Helping consumers make the connection of how their clothes are made where the fibre comes from is important to us, as it not only shines the spotlight on the source of Merino wool, but also recognises the efforts of the tens of thousands Australian woolgrowers who work tirelessly to constantly perfect their product," said Stuart McCullough, Managing Director of The Woolmark Company.

The Close Knit follows Country Road's successful online blog, which generated an annual revenue run rate of $1.1 million in 2015, and featured product converting at over 4%. 

This latest content marketing push, this time in print, hopes to replicate Country Road's content success, while partnering with The Woolmark Company and the firm's own successful brand image, as a reputable and trusted source of wool intelligence and promotion.

Country Road and The Woolmark Company have partnered since the 1980's. Every year, the firms work together to create garments crafted with Woolmark-certified Australian merino wool. This year Country Road was a key partner of Wool Week 2017, a cross-sector initiative that promotes wool as a natural, renewable and biodegradable fibre..

Founded in 1974, Country Road is the diamond brand of the Country Road Group, which also owns luxury accessories brand Mimco, menswear chain Politix, and fashion retailers Trenery, Witchery and Witchery Man.

South African-based parent company, Woolworths Holdings -- also the owner of Australia's largest department store David Jones, acquired a controlling stake in Country Road Group in late 2014.

In September 2016, Woolworths poached an executive from British powerhouse Marks and Spencer for its Australian operations appointing Scott Fyfe as the chief executive of the Country Road Group.