Make-up artists Way Bandy and Regis are brought to Australia to give public demonstrations of the latest fashion looks. Sportsgirl blazes through as one of the first fashion retailers to sell homewares, body and beauty products. By the 1980s, Sportsgirl had over 100 stores throughout Australia. The Melbourne and Sydney flagship stores opened their own in-store cafes. Frontline (not to be confused with the television series of the same name) is launched as Sportsgirl’s very own magazine. Healthworks cafes open in Melbourne and Sydney flagship stores. Sportsgirl picked up on the concept of Lifestyle and had in-store cafes long before other retailers. Flagship stores include an in-store travel club. Sportsgirl cosmetics and perfumes are launched. Sportsgirl stocks fledgling Australian designers and labels. Many of them go on to become fashion industry stars including Prue Acton, Trent Nathan, Norma Tullo, Simona and Country Road. Many Sportsgirl employees go on to make their own mark within the industry, such as Craig Kimberley, founder of Just Jeans. A department within Sportsgirl called Bigi in the hottest young fashion, especially PM wear. Bigi took its name from Bergdorf Goodman, the famous US department store. Many label subsidiaries to Sportsgirl are launched, including David Lawrence, Elle B, SG Essentials, Metro, Bush Telegraph. The Sportsgirl network grows Australia wide to number over 100 stores.  1991, Sportsgirl opens the beautiful and expensive ($180 million) Sportsgirl Centre in Collins Street. In Melbourne 1994, a change in the economic climate forces the company to sell the Sportsgirl Centre. David Bardas leaves the company and it is sold to an alliance of South African company Truworths and Australian Frank Whitford, managing director of Sportsgirl. Stores are opened in New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand. Expansion continues despite difficult retailing conditions. Labels Sportscraft, Sportsgirl and David Lawrence are split into separate stores, and new store fit-outs are implemented across Australia. Substantial investment is made in developing the profiles of the individual brands. Sportsgirl lures supermodel Claudia Schiffer to appear in the Sportsgirl parade at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. In early 1999 Whitford’s offer to buy out Truworths fails and in late 1999 the Sportsgirl Sportscraft Group is sold in pieces. In 2000 and under new management by the Sussan Corporation, Sportsgirl launches a new look for its stores, with the first unveiled at Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne.