The final frontier of men’s fashion has been scaled! We speak to Myriame Duetz, owner of Belmondo Boxers, a company which has made the term “undress to impress” for men’s boxer shorts …
Myriame what appealed to you about creating a company in the niche of men’s boxer shorts?
It was not the first item I produced! For years we had done silk ties, and then someone asked me to develop cotton boxer shorts in bright patterns. I thought . . . it’s the same as patterned ties really, – just a different function! The creative process is still the same . . . good colour and design are always appealing, no matter what the object. The appeal for me was being able to create a functional product that would make people smile, and make them feel they were expressing themselves with a bit of hidden colour.
Belmondo Boxers is such a fresh concept, truly a fashion and personality statement ‘out of the box’. How do you describe the company’s ethos or mission statement?
Our mission is to produce high quality product that appeals to the market at an affordable price. That said, “affordable price” does not mean that we don’t make a fashion statement! All of our boxer short patterns are carefully developed, and we spend a lot of time deliberating on the colour combinations with waistbands and pattern mix.
We also evaluate what are going to be the “bread and butter” patterns, and which are just going to be the icing on the cake – the icing component is important . . . . it makes people look, but it’s amazing how so many go back to the favourites!
What did you first do when you got into the fashion business?
I first worked at David Jones as an assistant buyer in fashion – in Brisbane. Perhaps my love of bright colours developed there . . . .
I then transferred to the Sydney buying office as a buyer in women’s fashion. It was so fabulous! Sydney was such an exciting place and David Jones was just starting to do it’s own Private Label program. Suddenly, I was traveling overseas and finding I had a real talent for developing product – mainly knitwear and shirts in those days.
After several years in that area, I was given the opportunity to move into menswear. I didn’t like the idea much at first . . . it was men’s ties, gifts and accessories. I thought it would be a bit dull after womenswear.
But it was such an eye opener. I loved it! There were so many things to buy, I felt like I was air traffic controlling most of the time. Those were the days when everyone seemed to have the Midas touch. Business was booming, and it was such a pleasure to work in that environment. Our Christmas catalogue was like a coffee table book . . .. men’s gifts filled pages of the catalogue.
So, I did that for 3 years, and then got the opportunity to buy in an area close to my heart . . . homewares!
In effect, I did 3 fashion areas at David Jones . . . and loved all of them! In that sense, I’m a fashion victim, – I love good style no matter what it is. I think if you develop an eye for what looks right in one area, it will stand you in good stead in most others. Homewares was then, and still is, my other passion.
Is there a narrative of how your early days in fashion have gradually led you towards specialising in men’s boxer shorts?
I wish this could be an elaborate answer on my “fashion evolution” . . . but frankly, it evolved because we’d had success with a boxed tie/cufflinks combination (where the box lid was covered in the same silk as the tie inside).
Everyone subsequently did that style – but we were the first with the idea in Sydney. This all happened after I left David Jones 14 years ago, and decide to develop product for my own company.
However, I had a friend at David Jones who was buying for men’s underwear at the time, and he asked me if there was something I could do to interpret this concept. So it evolved . . . the rest, as they say in the classics . . . is history!
How long did you work for David Jones and what werethe highlights of that time?
I can pretty much say that David Jones was my entire working life until I left to start up my own business.
I started with them in Brisbane as a trainee assistant buyer, then to buyer. I had just finished university, and thought I might have a year in the workforce, save some money, and go back to do Law. That didn’t happen . . . and I stayed with DJs for most of the next 23 years!
I left DJs for a couple of years to move to Sydney to work for a womenswear company. I was 25 – it was my first time traveling overseas to learn how to look at overseas fashion trends, how to buy fabrics, understand styling for your target market. I learnt great things from some very clever people, but missed Brisbane . . . and went back to DJs in Brisbane. . . . but I had been bitten by the creative bug.
When DJs in Sydney started their Private Label, I was one of the few people within the ranks who had really had experience in developing a collection, and subsequently, I was asked if I would be interested to move to David Jones Sydney – Head Office! I SURE WAS!!!
If I had to nominate the highlights of that time at David Jones . . . . hard to think . . . there are so many.
Certainly going to Japan for the first time – I had never been there. It was totally different, new and exciting. So many fabulous things to catch your attention.
I suddenly developed a love for the East . . . Japan, Korea, HK. My parents are both Dutch, so my heritage really speaks to all things European [which I also love], but I found the Far East so fascinating – and still do to this day.
Being part of the heyday of David Jones was also very exciting. These were the days of only 2 clearances a year: when people were 20 rows thick outside the doors from 5 in the morning, when they had to turn the escalators off because there were so many people on them they were worried someone may get hurt!!
It was when we were told to “put something extra” into our private label program . . . shell buttons on our blouse program, best quality wools in our co-ordinates, buy the top line angora quality for the knitwear, and the finest merino. It was enstilled into all of us that we were to offer the best we could develop.
I also loved our trips to Italy when I was in the homewares area. I remember sitting with a colleague in the mountains just outside of Bassano [where they make ceramics], on a terrace, overlooking a valley after we had finished our work. She turned to me and said “aren’t we lucky?” . . . and we were, – incredibly lucky to have had that amazing experience. I will always appreciate it. It gave me such an insight into the world and especially into all things stylish.
Being part of a team was also a highlight. Those days, all buyers did “store visits” on Wednesdays. It was great. We often went together, and those visits to stores gave you tremendous insights into how your product looked in the suburban stores, what your staff thought of it [they were never shy in telling you that!], and getting feedback on what you had not bought – which they needed.
These days, computers tell you lots of things, but good ol’ face to face spoke volumes for relationship building and eyeballing your stock sometimes gives you much greater clarity on what was a good choice and what was not.
Recently you’ve launched your very attractive Belmondo Boxers website – what was the appeal of setting up shop online?
I think it’s the present and the future. This is how people want to shop. I am a great lover of the bricks and mortar shopping experience, as I like to “make a day of it”. It does not feel like wasting time to me! I love the experience – but a lot of people don’t like to shop that way, and want something fabulous delivered to them quickly. This way, I can also appeal to the world, rather than only in Australia. That old adage ‘making money whilst you sleep” also held some allure!!!
Belmondo Boxers can deliver to anywhere in the world that has an address! To find out more about men’s boxer shorts check out their website www.belmondoboxers.com.au
