ng suits and individuals to come in and pick up their finished orders.  “We see it as a big step up for the brand, and giving back to the clients that have been with us for so long, by providing them with what we think is a lovely, welcoming, inviting space,” Robin McGowan, InStitchu’s co-founder and MD, told Inside Retail.  Located on the Paris end of Collins Street, McGowan described the store as a “luxury destination” and “more like a living room than a shop”. It was previously an art gallery, and the brand has tried to retain that feeling through the interior design.  InStitchu previously had two stores in Melbourne’s CBD – on Little Collins Street and Lonsdale Street – which it closed before opening the new showroom in July.  McGowan said the brand plans to take the same approach – consolidating multiple stores to create bigger spaces for its customers – in other cities where it operates. The retailer currently has 11 stores across Australia, including four in Sydney.  “We’re still looking to open new locations in the future, but, yes, absolutely looking to upsize and invest in our existing stores to make them a better experience for our clients,” he said. 
 Investors circle InStitchu The new store opening comes as InStitchu fields interest from overseas investors. First reported by The Australian Financial Review, the brand hired corporate advisory firm Tiger & Bear Partners after receiving unsolicited offers from global competitors and private-equity buyers.  “Since then, there’s been additional interest. I can’t reveal too much,” McGowan said.  However, he noted that he and fellow co-founder James Wakefield have always been open to working with partners and investors who add value to the business.  In 2018, they received a A$3 million investment from the Chinese suiting manufacturer, Dayang Group, and in 2021, they received investment from Seven West Media as part of a A$5 million pre-IPO round, which also involved e-commerce expert Paul Greenberg.  McGowan said that some of the interested parties the brand is currently in talks with have shared ideas around how they can help the business grow and evolve in the future.  “We won’t know until things progress, but it’s an exciting time for us to even be entertaining conversations,” he said.  Not an overnight success InStitchu started 14 years ago at a time when the concept of an affordable made-to-measure suit was a novelty. Since then, the company has expanded into wholesale and launched Taper, a software platform that enables third parties to provide made-to-measure services using InStitchu’s proprietary technology.  “We’re now being used in six countries outside of Australia, and that’s soon to grow to 10,” McGowan said about Taper. The businesses using the platform run the gamut from single-store operations to larger retailers with 10 locations in international markets.  InStitchu is now generating A$40 million annually across all parts of the business.  “It certainly hasn’t been an overnight success by any means,” McGowan admitted.  But by continuing to invest in educating the customer on the merits of made-to-measure and providing great customer service, the brand has been able to take market share and grow.  “Our customers still see us as the number one destination when it comes to made-to-measure and getting made-to-measure at a good price,” McGowan said. “A good percentage of our orders are still servicing the wedding market, and that seems to be a good driver of sales and growth for us.” The brand is doubling down on weddings, with a new television commercial recently going live on Channel 7 and high-end media. This isn’t InStitchu’s first foray into television, but McGowan said it involves a bigger budget and a larger audience.  New Myer partnership A new partnership with Australian department store chain Myer could be a game-changer for the business. In June, the brand launched a curated edit of its most popular made-to-measure pieces on Myer’s website, and it plans to start rolling out an in-store offering soon.  “We’re hoping to be open in the Sydney Myer in October,” McGowan said.  InStitchu previously ran concession stores in David Jones’ Sydney and Melbourne flagships, but they came to an end around the time the department store was sold to Anchorage Capital Partners.  “We learned a lot from that, and we’ve definitely changed our approach,” he said. “Myer has been very receptive to how we can best offer what we do to [their customers] and anyone else.”  McGowan added that he expects Myer to “unlock a lot of value” for InStitchu, particularly as the department store undergoes a digital transformation.  “The new CEO, Olivia [Wirth], we think she’s doing great things,” he said. Further reading: Institchu’s new tech makes custom tailoring a good fit for any retailer