BRISBANE DESIGNER STRIKES DEAL TO USE ITALIAN FASHION HOUSE FABRIC

Brisbane fashion designer Sam Abi has struck a major deal allowing him to use luxury Ermenegildo Zegna fabric across his boutique suit collection.

The owner of Urbbana Men's Style Studio, which was established at Portside Wharf in Brisbane in 2009, said the suits are now available across his stores in Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.

The renowned Ermenegildo Zegna Italian luxury fashion house and wool mill specialises in men's clothing and manufactures suits for some of the world's biggest high-end brands including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford.

Mr Abi said it was a major coup to secure access to the material for his collection and would help take Urbbana to the next level.

"This is a milestone deal that will assure Urbbana stays at the top of the menswear boutique ladder in Australia," he said.

"The collection focuses on light weight merino wool, in line with the Australian climate, and the designs include a few seasonal tweaks to the classic cuts which are very popular with our clientele."

Mr Abi said the deal was struck through his long term suit manufacturer, based in Milano, on one of his sourcing trips across Italy and Turkey.

During the trip, he also locked in a range of luxury fabrics, leather, accessories and designs to ensure his fast growing menswear collection of suits, shirts, pants, shoes and ties remained at the forefront of worldwide fashion trends, while maintaining the distinctive flair it has become renowned for.

"I have picked over 100 new designs of silk from my manufacturer in Como-Italy to produce a stunning range of Urbbana silk ties," Mr Abi said.

"I like to keep our designs fresh and all new designs and fabrics that are released remain in line with our focus on unique colour combinations and striking prints that allow men to show their distinct personality, while maintaining a high level of professionalism."

Since opening his first store in Brisbane's sophisticated Portside Wharf precinct, Mr Abi has expanded his presence throughout Australia.  The self-taught designer developed a strong and loyal online customer base that extended Australia wide, before opening a second store in Chapel Street in Melbourne in 2012 and a third store under the Hilton Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in 2013.