MELBOURNE: A 20 per cent boost in floor space will facilitate an overhaul of the womenswear layout at the revamped David Jones flagship store in Bourke Street, Melbourne.
David Jones group general manager of apparel, cosmetics and accessories, Colette Garnsey, said womenswear will comprise three floors of themed precincts, within which there will be dedicated, branded spaces for fashion labels.
While plans for stage one of the development were revealed to the media earlier this month – as reported on ragtrader.com.au – Garnsey told Ragtrader that stage two was well on its way to debut in mid-2010.
“We think about it in terms of ‘worlds’, so there will be a young fashion urban world with denim adjacent to that; there will be young designer labels like sass & bide and Alannah Hill,” Garnsey said.
“There will be a world of contemporary brands such as Veronika Maine, Witchery, Sportscraft and Saba and some great new brands like Hammock & Vine coming into that area as well as a Metalicus concept.”
Garnsey said it will also feature “one world of Australian designers and one world of sportswear”, with swimwear, knitwear and casualwear and an international designer section. A new childrenswear floor is also scheduled to open mid next year.
Stage one developments will open later this month, including a 166 per cent increase in floor space for women’s footwear. A dedicated accessories precinct will house a “designer avenue” with concept spaces for luxury labels Miu Miu, Dior, Fendi, Chloe, Coach, Marc Jacobs, Tods and Burberry.
Garnsey said the accessories offer will also comprise many Australian brands. “We are going to have a fabulously comprehensive Oroton range and also Mimco – both as department store exclusives,” she said.
Garnsey said a sunglasses area will include new labels Tiffany & Co. and Bvlgari. Intimate apparel floor space will increase by 81 per cent, with branded areas including Simone Perele, Calvin Klein, Elle Macpherson and Bonds. Menswear will increase by 77 per cent in floor space, with specific levels for business shirts, suits and young fashion.
“This means we’ve been able to add some fantastic brands,” Garnsey said. “There will be a new Ksubi area, a denim area, a Scotch and Soda area, the Zanerobe area and Industrie in the young fashion area.”
She said light, spacious interiors will stay true to the building’s heritage look, with ceiling features, columns and Art Deco tiles retained where possible.
Melinda Oliver