Gazal builds brand presence

Sydney-headquartered apparel company Gazal will open a spate of branded department store concept areas and flagship stores for a number of its brands over the coming year.
Managing director Michael Gazal told Ragtrader brands being targeted for expansion include Van Heusen, Nautica and Trent Nathan.
"Gazal understands the necessity to control the lifestyle images of its brands and a vital way of doing this is by opening direct retail stores, which showcase the full breadth of product available," he said.
Gazal's retail expansion bid commenced late last month with the launch
of its second Nautica store.
Located in QueensPlaza in Brisbane, the flagship store is the first of three stores planned for the sportswear label. A further two stores will open their doors in Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne and at an undisclosed Sydney location in 2006.
Four Trent Nathan branded concept areas are also scheduled to open in David Jones stores across Sydney and Melbourne later this month. Confirmed locations include Elizabeth Street and Chatswood Chase in Sydney and Chadstone shopping centre and Bourke Street in Melbourne.
As an indication of size, women's concept areas within the Elizabeth Street store will be 68.6 sqm; Chatswood Chase will be 52.8 sqm and Bourke Street will be 32.3 sqm.
Gazal will also open its first ever Van Heusen store in Sydney in December this year. The store will target men aged 25 to 35 and will stock a large collection of the label's top selling business shirts.
Whilst reluctant to divulge too many details about the planned location, Gazal did say that an additional two stores will open in "high traffic destinations" next year.
"The stores will be located in areas where business people have time to shop and where we believe will not interfere with our existing city-based retail partners," he said.
THe company is also assessing the viability of expanding its other brands, however declined to reveal further details.
"We're always looking for opportunities to grow our businesses without alienating our established base," said Gazal.