Nobody Denim collapses

Started in 1999 in Melbourne by John Condilis, who has led the brand right through, Nobody Denim has had a nearly 25 year career. It is one of the best selling denim brands in the country, sold on a variety of marketplaces, in department stores, and boutiques across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. 

As of last Tuesday, the company went into voluntary liquidation.

This collapse hasn’t come out of the blue, in August The Australian Financial Review reported that following the closure of its local manufacturer, Denim 108 Pty Ltd, the company had axed 40 garment workers without notice which placed them in front of the Fair Work Commission. 

It has been revealed that Queensland based competitor Outland Denim, fronted by James Bartle, has purchased Nobody Denim’s assets, trademarks, manufacturing equipment and  stock.The company will not be inheriting Nobody Denim’s debts. Outland Denim CEO James Bartle said, “Nobody Denim boasts a loyal customer base of 60,000, a sizeable social media following and representation in over 150 Australian retail doors, including being one of the best-selling denim brands at David Jones.”

Bartle told the AFR that the collapse of the company was due to its desire to keep manufacturing on shore, an attempt that is unviable in this landscape. “Australian manufacturing has never been viable for us,” Bartle said of Outland Denim. “I love the idea, and we’ve tried to crunch the numbers, but it’s just not been an option if we also wanted to make a profit.”

“Although we are grateful for the opportunity to take the brand forward, we also want to acknowledge all those who have lost their jobs in this unfortunate outcome,” Bartle addressed in a statement.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the previous owners of the brand who put 25 years into building Nobody as one of the most well respected Australian brands actively investing into the Australian fashion industry.”