Swimwear wholesale giant Seafolly is pushing forward with its own retail network, extending its Sunburn-branded stores beyond the Queensland market.
Seafolly acquired the Gold Coast-based retailer in late 2008, taking over all 12 of its existing multi-brand stores in Queensland. The move coincided with the brand’s first foray into stand-alone retailing with the opening of two flagship stores – one 120-sqm ladies’ outlet and one 30-sqm children’s store – in Sydney’s Chatswood Chase.
Now Seafolly is preparing to extend its retail reach with the opening of a Sunburn-branded store at Bondi Beach next month. The prime position site will stock labels such as Seafolly, Sunseeker, 2Chillies, Jets, Baku and Miraclesuit, as well as the addition of new high-end swimwear labels Camilla and Marc and Anna & Boy.
The high-profile launch follows a quiet move into the New South Wales market over the last quarter, with a site at Top Ryde City (Ryde), Kingscliff Salt (South Kingscliff), Sydney Mid City Centre (Sydney) and an outlet at Birkenhead Point (Drummoyne).
The brand also operates an e-boutique, www.sunburn.com.au, where it stocks the collaborative line between Seafolly and Megan Gale called ‘Isola by Megan Gale’.
Seafolly declined to comment on whether it plans to expand its retail network into other states, or if its latest rollout had affected existing wholesale accounts.
The brand is distributed through independent boutiques, department stores Myer and David Jones and is sold in over 40 countries throughout the world, including its own stand-alone site in Dubai.
Assia Benmedjdoub