Iconic Australian men’s retailer Roger David to close within weeks

AUSTRALIAN men’s retailer Roger David will shut its doors by mid-December with 500 staff set to lose their jobs. Here’s why it could no longer survive.

Fierce online competition and global discounting has forced Roger David to close.

SOARING shop rents, fierce online competition and global discounting have forced long-running Australian retailer Roger David to close its doors.

The menswear chain on Thursday confirmed all 57 stores would close within weeks after a buyer could not be found for the struggling company.

About 500 staff will lose their jobs just before Christmas when the 76-year-old chain closes in mid-December.

SMART CASUAL, LIKE ROGER DAVID, IS THING OF PAST

MEDIBANK FINALLY ON THE MEND AFTER A DECADE

A model in a Roger David suit.

Roger David will close within weeks.

The company, founded by Polish migrant and tailor Kalman Rogers, went into voluntary administration about four weeks ago with the hope of finding a new buyer.

“There had been some interest amongst potential buyers but the retail clothing environment was too tough to make it work,” said administrator Craig Shepard, a partner at restructuring specialist KordaMentha.

“Everyone recognised the strength and the affection for the brand but it did not pass the viability test.

“Roger David was a victim of rising fixed costs, fierce competition from online and global competitors and cautious consumer demand.”

The company employs 300 full-time staff and about 200 casuals and part-timers.

“The employees and customers have been remarkable in the past four weeks to help provide the company with cashflow to help pay entitlements and creditors,” Mr Shepard said. “Discounts of 60 per cent or more will continue until the last day.”

Roger David employs 210 staff in Victoria across 19 stores, its head office and warehouse.

It has 98 staff across 15 stores in Queensland, 77 staff and 12 stores in New South Wales, and 60 staff across seven stores in Western Australia. There are 15 staff across two stores in both South Australia and Tasmania, and four people are employed at its Canberra store.

In recent years, the Rogers family applied to build a high-rise apartment tower at the site of its South Yarra headquarters, near Melbourne High School.

The family, which includes high-profile sculptor Andrew Rogers, still owns the business.

The menswear store was once regarded as at the cutting edge of high fashion.

A suit made by Kalman Rogers in the 1950s is part of the National Gallery of Victoria fashion collection.

The collapse follows financial troubles at a succession of brands including Metalicus, Esprit, Marcs, David Lawrence, Oroton, Pumpkin Patch, Payless Shoes, Herringbone, Rhodes & Beckett, Katies, Millers and Rivers.

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