Date: 1995/02/11
POSSIBLY the first fashion industry entrepreneur to emerge via Lusaka, Brakpan and Bloemfontein, Marcel Joubert, the new Hilton Weiner owner is determined to make the once-proud fashion chain shine again by the end of the year.
"If you are going to charge Hilton Weiner prices, you must deliver a really special product," he says of his bold moves to revive all of South Africa's most sought after labels. "Our focus will he on the quality of merchandise anti in-store service - those are the key areas." Former Hilton Weiner customers, bored by recent lines and disappointed by a slip in quality, have deserted the top-niche chain. But they could he drawn back In numbers if Mr Joubert keeps his promise.
The 30-year-old Zambian-born University of Cape Town graduate paid the Bergers group ahout R1 million for Hilton Weiner, even though the upmarket clothing outlets had produced ugly losses in recent years.
There were some "hairy moments" in the days before the deal was finally clinched, and some determined opposition had to be fought-off.
After the deal was signed, one would-be buyer insisted on giving Mr Joubert a cash cheque for R500 000 as the first part of a R1 million payment on top of the purchase price for the Hilton Weiner business. "It was very tempting, but we declined."
Mr Joubert is no stranger to overcoming obstacles and proving the sceptics wrong during a fashion business career which already spans 13 years.
The first matriculant at St Andrew's in Bloemfontein to achieve six As, Mr Joubert began his UCT career as an actuarial science student.
He financed his university studies mainly from the cash he earned designing, manufacturing and selling T-shirts and other student clothing at UCT under his Vertigo label.
During his second year be switched to a B Comm, which be later completed and left UCT during his honours year to concentrate solely on business.
Mr Joubert was one of the pioneering marketeers, and among the first to operate a stall in Greenmarket Square.
In 1986, aged 22, he faced Clive Keegan, deputy mayor, David Jack, city planner, and traffic chief Wouter Smit at a meeting to ease fleamarket regulation problems.
He recalls that the officials were astonished at his age, but says he is pleased that many of the changes he argued for then were later implemented.
Eight years ago he envisioned Vertigo becoming a chain and devised a comprehensive plan for its expansion, plotting its move from the Informal sector to formal retail sites, from one branch to two, followed by careful expansion locally, nationally and - eventually - globally.
Mr Joubert and his fiancee and business partner Moira O'Reilly opened the first Vertigo store in 1989 on the corner of Main and Belmont Roads in Rondebosch.
Those who warned that the site was "a dud, a sure-fire loser" have he en proved spectacularly wrong.
When the upmarket Frank B Ernest stores went under in August 1991, Mr Joubert was quick to contact the liquidator.
He was offered the entire chain but, reluctantly, took over just the Gardens store, feeling the time for a national venture bad not yet arrived.
In the past three years, the Gardens Vertigo branch proved a star performer.
Despite being in a far worse site than the stores of its then competitor, by November 1994 it was outselling any Hilton Weiner brand.
After five good trading years, Vertigo was ripe for expansion. Within hours of the application to liquidate the Bergers Group landing in court, Mr Joubert was mobilising.
"People are amazed and say it's a big step. But it's what we've been planning all these years."
He believes intelligent acquisition is the least risky way to expand. "We identified three potential take-over targets, businesses with nationwide infrastructure which we lacked, but that were being badly run.
"Of the three, we thought Hilton Weiner would be the last to go, because of its Berger's backing. As it turned out, it was the first.
"It would have taken us 10 years to build the same structures ourselves. This way they're all there, all set up for us.
"All we need to do is to run them well, as we do our Vertigo stores. Compared to the other challenges that we've had to face over the last eight years, this is going to be easy."
The next task is to get a winter range ready for the 17 Hilton Weiner outlets.
"A lot of momentum has been lost. We are preparing a winter range in a bit of a rush, making the most of limited time.
"We will certainly have some beautiful stock in the stores, but it will take some times to make them really shine.
"We aim to have the shops properly stocked by the end of March and running properly by the end of the year."
Not always pre-occupied with fashion, Mr Joubert played squash for Orange Free State schools and these days turns out for Camps Bay club's second league team.
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