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Woolworths secured the exclusive rights to sell Ladybird Clothing late in 1984. During 1985 there were very successful tests of the new ranges before a full range was offered in the Spring of 1986. |
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| Behind the scenes the new ranges needed an enormous amount of planning. Totally new designs, new manufacturing techniques, new suppliers and new quality control - not mention new displays and signage. | ||||
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Most spectacular of all the new items in development was the Ladybird Dressing Gown. Many new parents of the 1980s had worn these these themselves as children, and the soft rich red or blue design, rope braid and little ladybird buttons were a sight to behold. Behind the scenes the colleague newspaper The Woolworths News tracked their progress in the build up to the range launch in the stores. |
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| The new range was launched on television, with a teaser campaign before the ranges even went on sale. Eric Pasold and the Board at Coats Viyella were impressed. This was Ladybird's first ever appearance on TV, and it was good - seriously good. It was supported by a strong PR campaign and press advertising. | ||||
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| A handful of the largest stores got a complete makeover for the launch and appeared extensively in the media. The new layout, with shiny wood-effect floors, cartwheel lights and new "tower" fixtures looked spectacular. |  |
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But investment constraints meant that for most stores the new garments were initially displayed on the old fixtures with a handful of new signs. It didn't matter - the marketing brought customers in to look, while the product was so good that it sold itself. Virtually all of the garments sold out quickly and customer feedback was great. |
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| By
1990 Woolworths was firmly established as a leading seller of Kids
Clothing, enjoying market leadership in the 0-3 age bracket where
Ladybird Layette Dresses grew the whole market.
Just as the advertising had promised, Woolies had succeeded in bringing Ladybird quality to a much wider audience and set the standard for others to follow. |
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During the 1990s the range continued to evolve, with progressively more fashion items in the range, and an increasing emphasis of range co-ordination - not only matching skirts and tops, but shoes and accessories too. Display fixtures and colleague training in-store were upgraded too. |
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| In
the millennium year, to secure the future, Woolworths bought the
Ladybird brand outright from the licensors Coats Viyella.
Since the original launch in the mid 1980s, the fixtures and display standards in virtually every store have been changed and the range has is bigger than better than ever. |
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| But some things remain constant. All of the garments are beautifully made, from the finest material. The Ladybird brand is distinctive, stylish and innovative. And, as you'd expect from Woolworths, every garment is great value for money. | ||||
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Fashion
overview 1909-2004 Paper
patterns, cotton and thread Legend
of the Scarlet Ladybird
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