Brisbane-based designer boutique operator Natalie Denning has restructured her network of stores in the city in a bid to position each as a premium fashion destination.
As part of the revamp, Denning has closed two stores and launched three new-look boutiques on shopping strip Queen Street. Denning’s Bessie Head Black store, which stocks premium labels such as Camilla & Marc and Aurelio Costarella, has been merged with the original Bessie Head store to create larger floor space. Denning's Bam and Juju boutique in the Wintergarden precinct has also shut down and relaunched as The Loft. The relocation of the Dirtbox store, which stocks brands such as Three Over One, Our Legacy and Dr Denim, to a site twice the size of its previous location, completes the raft of changes.
All three new stores are located on Queen Street, Broadway on the Mall in Brisbane’s CBD, and the developments increase Denning's retail assets to a total of six boutiques, including two more in Fortitude Valley and another in Brisbane's Emporium complex. All sites are now refurbished with modern interiors and span approximately 100 square metres in size.
Denning said the overhaul was part of a push to improve her overall retail offering and confirmed there are further changes to come, starting with the launch of an online store next month for her boutique Fallow in Fortitude Valley.
“Constantly striving to better our business in every aspect is high on our agenda – we want our stores to be among the best fashion stores in Australia and improvement is imperative for survival,” she said.
“Any improvement you make within your business gives you edge, so we are also planning to roll out online stores for all our boutiques before the end of the year. After that, we plan to take a short break before exploring the idea of producing our own labels.”
Daniela Aroche