How CALIBRE Elevates Their Brand Experience With Apparel²¹
- Mar 31
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Over 35 years of brand excellence in menswear
CALIBRE has been a pioneer in the Australian fashion landscape since its inception in 1989. What started as a single boutique on Chapel Street in Melbourne has grown into a nationwide network of 26 boutiques and a strong eCommerce presence, defining the brand as an iconic name in Australian menswear.
For over three decades, CALIBRE has set the standard for elevated menswear. The brand’s commitment to excellence extends beyond just the garments, it’s about ensuring every touchpoint in the customer journey meets the same high standard. Whether shopping in-store or online, CALIBRE customers can expect a seamless, best-in-class experience that reflects the brand’s prestige.
Recognising the need to continuously refine and elevate this experience, CALIBRE embarked on a transformational digital journey, one that would unify its in-store and online shopping environments, streamline operations, and create a truly omnichannel retail experience. At the heart of this transformation was Apparel²¹ Connect and Shopify.
The Challenge: Bringing a Premium Experience Online
As a brand founded on premium experiences in bricks-and-mortar retail, it was critical for CALIBRE to achieve the same quality customer experience across its digital channels. The team recognised several challenges and opportunities to enhance these journeys.
Some of the key challenges included:
Lack of Real-Time Customer Insights: No omni-channel view of purchase history, loyalty points, or order status.
Manual Processes: The team spent too much time managing tasks that could be automated, slowing down efficiency.
Limited Omnichannel Capabilities: The brand couldn’t offer services like Click & Collect, Floor to Door, or marketplace integrations.
Dominique Moretti, Head of eCommerce & Digital, reflected on these challenges: “The launch of the new website was an opportunity for us to review all the current processes and determine improvements that can be streamlined or automated creating more time for the team to focus on other areas of the business including, international expansion. We wanted the online shopping experience to be as smooth, stylish and refined as the one customers had in our stores..”
Ben Ramanathan, Head of IT & Business Systems, echoed this sentiment:
“Moving to Apparel²¹ Connect has really simplified the technical stack and improved our ability to diagnose and resolve problems efficiently.”
The Solution: A Unified, Omnichannel Ecosystem
With a clear vision to deliver an online experience as seamless as its in-store service, CALIBRE made the strategic move to Apparel²¹ Connect.
Edin Zecevic, Head of Brand & Business Development, explains: “Our goal was to launch this new site and all the features that provide our customers with the same seamless experience online as they receive in-store. Apparel²¹ Connect has allowed us to do that!”
By integrating its core retail systems, CALIBRE unlocked key capabilities:
✅ A Single Source of Truth – Apparel²¹ Connect ensures product, customer, and order data flows seamlessly between in-store, Shopify, and backend operations.
✅ Real-Time Inventory & Customer Data – Customers can now log in online to track purchases, loyalty status, and spending progress, providing a more personalized experience.
✅ Scalability & Marketplace Expansion – The brand has integrated seamlessly with Qantas and The DOM, reaching new customer segments.
✅ Omnichannel Flexibility – With Click & Collect and Floor-to-Door, customers now have more ways to shop conveniently.
✅ Smarter Returns Management – Returns can now be processed without penalizing in-store performance KPIs, a major pain point for retail teams.
Ben emphasized the impact of these improvements:
“It comes down to Apparel²¹ Connect being our source of truth. We’re enriching all product syncing and data attributes in Apparel²¹, and it’s going straight to Shopify where it needs to be.”
The Results: A Premium Shopping Experience, Everywhere
The transformation was nothing short of remarkable. Dominique shared her perspective: “I’ve been involved in 8 or 9 re-platform launches, and this was by far the smoothest one. No issues—it was so seamless!”
Ben highlighted the ease of troubleshooting post-launch: “The error reporting within Apparel²¹ connector is truly magnificent.”
Edin reflected on the broader impact: “The operational alignments were game-changing. We wanted to improve the web experience without disrupting our customers. We didn’t want them to feel like they were jumping between different systems—we wanted a frictionless, intuitive experience.”
Key Wins for CALIBRE:
Efficiency Gains – Eliminated manual data entry, allowing the team to focus on strategy and growth.
Loyalty & Personalization – Customers now have full visibility of their rewards and order history, strengthening engagement.
Frustration-Free Shopping – A consistent, premium experience across all channels.
Faster Store Operations – Merchandising and product updates now take a fraction of the time.
Future-Proof Scalability – The Apparel²¹ Connect framework ensures the brand is ready for global expansion.
Edin summarized:
“For us, the brand has always been about premium products and premium service. The challenge was bringing that same experience to online. We want every touchpoint to feel just as luxurious and effortless as shopping in-store.”
What’s Next for CALIBRE?
With Apparel²¹ Connect in place, CALIBRE is poised for further innovations:
Expanding Click & Collect and Floor to Door – Ensuring customers can shop their way.
Personalized Shopping Journeys – Leveraging data-driven insights for customized recommendations.
Global Expansion – Building on its strong omnichannel foundation to enter new markets.
Edin concluded: “We’re excited to continue innovating and pushing forward to stay ahead, ensuring our customers get the premium experience we’re known for—whether in-store or online.”
Closing Thoughts: Why CALIBRE Trusts Apparel²¹
By integrating Apparel²¹ Connect, CALIBRE has achieved what every premium brand aspires to—a seamless, high-end shopping experience across every channel.
Ben summed it up best: “Apparel²¹ has become our source of truth. It’s all about elevating the customer experience, and this move just made sense for every aspect of the business.”
With Apparel²¹ as a trusted technology partner, CALIBRE is now leading the way in omnichannel retail excellence.
To find out more about CALIBRE and their stunning range of menswear visit: https://calibre.com.au/
To find out how Apparel²¹ can help you elevate your omnichannel brand experiences get in touch and speak to our expert team today.
