Australian fashion brands JAG, SABA and Sportscraft have recently signed on Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom as a key stockist.
JAG general manager Jalda Azad confirmed the news with Ragtrader, saying the opportunity arose earlier this year and comes as the British fashion retailer began adding third-party labels to its online offering, complementing its private label M&S.
“Marks and Spencer is obviously such a strong leader in the UK retail landscape,” Azad said. “They really lead there in the market. They have an incredible database and active customer base, so that perfectly aligns for us in terms of testing the market.”
Azad said this was also a great opportunity to expand its global offering. JAG, SABA and Sportscraft have predominantly been Australian-sold brands, with each website also shipping overseas.
The move by Marks & Spencer is similar to Australia’s Country Road Group, which is currently rolling out a new own online marketplace offering. In November, Country Road and Witchery websites began listing curated external brand partner ranges, including the likes of Scandinavian design house Marimekko, Australian skincare brand Jurlique and watches and accessories from Daniel Wellington. Mimco, Politix and Trenery will follow suit in 2026.
APG & Co officially launched on Marks & Spencer in August, with Azad adding that the results are already looking promising across all three brands. She also said that expanding further into overseas markets is definitely part of APG & Co’s mid to long-term vision for all three brands.
“The UK was just an opportunity that came up fairly naturally,” Azad said. “It is definitely a market that we want to go into further, even outside of M&S, but also Europe overall.
“The US is also really interesting. We are not there yet, but it’s definitely on the cards and a space to watch. There’s a real appetite internationally for Australian brands.
“It’s our handwriting, it’s the use of our natural materials. It’s our colour palettes. It’s quite different to the UK and also different to a few American brands. Australian brands truly stand out there.”
This M&S move comes as JAG itself continues its expansion across the Australian market. The brand recently opened its Bondi Beach flagship store, adding to three other stores opened over the last two years. JAG had closed its stores in 2020 amid the pandemic.
Most of the brand’s stores are in strip locations, with just one being in a centre at Kotara Westfield near Newcastle. Azad said more stores are on the cards, but none have been signed as yet.
JAG’s new Bondi Beach store along Campbell Parade includes a red-tiled point-of-sale in front of a red denim wall and a big blue table to anchor the space. Azad said JAG is a bold and purposeful brand, with the new store needing to match that aesthetic.
“We brought colour back in a meaningful way, especially the signature red that was part of JAG’s heritage, and deep blues that nod to our denim legacy.”
The Bondi store will stock the top tiers of the brand’s ranges, including online-exclusive and free-standing-exclusive styles.
The store growth adds to JAG’s launch into 12 Myer concessions this year, adding to 38 David Jones doors. Two of the David Jones spaces have been refitted with the new look, with more changes to come.
“Consistency is everything for us — the store experience needs to feel like an extension of our online world, our socials and our campaign storytelling,” Azad said.
“The physical environment allows us to hero product quality, build community and introduce JAG to new customers who might not have realised how much the brand has evolved. The bright, confident concept signals that something new is happening and invites discovery.”
JAG was founded in 1972 by designer Adele Palmer, who first opened her own store on Chapel Street in Melbourne.