Inside one of Australia's first Supre warehouses at the height of its popularity in the 1990s 


‘Women were going crazy over this place’: Inside one of Australia’s first Supre warehouses at the height of its popularity in the 1990s

  • Supre was a hotspot for Australian teenagers between 1987 and the early 2000s
  • Label was known for neon boob tubes and T-shirts with sexually explicit logos
  • Nostalgic images of a warehouse were shared on social media earlier this year

Rare photos show the inside one of Australia’s first Supre warehouses, complete with neon tops and its signature fuchsia branding, at the height of its popularity in the late 1990s.

Supre first emerged in New South Wales in 1987 and almost became a rite of passage for teens and tweens looking to buy cheap and age-inappropriate clothing while listening to deafeningly-loud tunes throughout the next decade.

Due to the sensational popularity of neon boob tubes, T-shirts with sexually suggestive slogans, impractical jersey belts and $5 spaghetti strap singlets, the fast-fashion label opened warehouses which quickly became a hotspot for young girls.

The outlets were closed before the Cotton On Group bought the business in 2013, but earlier this year social media users in a local Facebook group shared fond memories one factory outlet in Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner-west. 

Pictured: Supre fashion, before the company was bought in 2013. Model Teigan Nash is pictured at the Dolly Formal in Sydney's Moore Park in 2007

Pictured: Supre fashion, before the company was bought in 2013. Model Teigan Nash is pictured at the Dolly Formal in Sydney’s Moore Park in 2007

Pictured: A Supre warehouse in Marrickville, in Sydney's inner-west, in the late 1990s

Pictured: A Supre warehouse in Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner-west, in the late 1990s

‘Remember the Supre Marrickville factory outlet back in the 90s?’ the caption read.

‘Women from all over Sydney were going crazy over this place.’

Four images showed a large warehouse in an industrial part of the suburb – the only telling sign that it was a fast-fashion destination was cursive pink lettering painted on a wall outside.

Inside, racks were bursting at the seems with long singlets, short skirts and ruffled dresses.

Magenta balloons festooned every rack, along with large signage that boldly announced all items were available for $12-15. 

The warehouse (pictured) was teeming with racks bursting with singlets, dresses and skirts

The warehouse (pictured) was teeming with racks bursting with singlets, dresses and skirts

Pictured: The outside of the Marrickville Supre warehouse in the late 1990s in Sydney's inner-west

Pictured: The outside of the Marrickville Supre warehouse in the late 1990s in Sydney’s inner-west

Facebook users flocked to the comments section to share their fond memories of their teenage shopping trips. Pictured: The outside of the Supre warehouse

Facebook users flocked to the comments section to share their fond memories of their teenage shopping trips. Pictured: The outside of the Supre warehouse

Facebook users flocked to the comments section to share their fond memories of their teenage shopping trips.

‘Every time I visited my sister in Marrickville from Melbourne she would take me there. We wanted to nick the Supre sign,’ one woman wrote.

‘My nan use to take me shopping here in the 90s,’ another shared. 

Someone else added: ‘Best place to buy tights. From long to hot pants and every colour you could think of haha.’

Cotton On Group acquired the brand following five years of consecutive financial losses after it was trounced by international retailers such as Zara, H&M and Uniqlo, with only 60 of its original 170 stores remaining across the nation.

Pictured: A model wearing Supre fashion in 2021. The store was bought by Cotton On Group in 2013 and underwent a transformation

Pictured: A model wearing Supre fashion in 2021. The store was bought by Cotton On Group in 2013 and underwent a transformation

In 2018, the store had a complete makeover in an effort to entice Gen Z teenagers to hang out in the shop. Pictured: A Supre model in 2021

In 2018, the store had a complete makeover in an effort to entice Gen Z teenagers to hang out in the shop. Pictured: A Supre model in 2021

In 2018, the store had a complete makeover in an effort to entice Gen Z teenagers to hang out in the shop.

Dubbed The Clubhouse, various outlets had ‘hangout zones’, ‘bestie’ change rooms, ‘chill and charge’ phone charging stations and an Instagram live feed.

Supre general manager Jodie Bongetti previously told news.com.au the group is proud of the store’s transformation.

‘We know our target market is a 17-year-old girl and everything we do is in response to her wants and needs.’ Ms Bongetti said. 

Everything is still prices to cater to the budget of young customers, with basics going on sale for about $10-25. 

Cotton On Group is Australia’s largest fashion retailer and owns Cotton On, Cotton Kids, Cotton On Body, Factorie, Typo, Rubi and Supre – spanning 1,500 stores in 18 countries.

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