Sydney fashion retailer Tuchuzy has officially opened its reimagined flagship boutique at 45 Hall Street, Bondi Beach, alongside a revival of its curated collections from leading local and international designers.
This comes nearly a year after key assets of the business were snapped up by Luxe Retail Group, saving the retailer from collapse, including taking on some of the employees into the new business.
Gabriella Stelluto, Luxe Retail director and lead of the new Tuchuzy operations, said her team undertook a complete review of Tuchuzy from the ground-up following the acquisition. She said that every line of the profit and loss statements were “assessed with a fine tooth comb”.
“We have significantly reduced overheads, simplified processes and rebuilt the business with a far leaner, more agile structure,” Stelluto said.
This includes consolidating its POS and e-commerce arm onto a single Shopify platform, and streamlining team structure in a head office that is integrated with new retail store. Tuchuzy has also reportedly updated its buying and inventory management model, which includes negotiating more effectively with suppliers and adopting a more conservative and strategic brand mix. This is all in a bid to target sustainable growth alongside controlled costs and holding healthy margins.
Founded in 1995, Tuchuzy is a key retailer of high-end designer labels. Under its new model, the business has updated its ranges, which now include the likes of Anine Bing, Sporty & Rich, Retrofete, Re/Done, Dita Eyewear in the international designer space, alongside Australian icons such as Blanca, Hansen & Gretel, FAE, Jatali Swim and Tuchuzy’s own in-house label, Chosen by Tuchuzy.
The brand will also stock smaller, “unique” brands such as Ilio Nema, Cie Cie, My Beachy Side, Montce Swim and Mountain & Moon.
Alongside this, the new flagship store will include private styling suites, a dedicated section for curated ‘beach-to-bar’ essentials, and a revamped Click & Collect service and an enhanced digital integration for a fluid shopping experience between the Bondi store and the online platform.
Stelluto also confirmed the retailer will launch its first-ever loyalty program called The Bondi Circle, which includes rewards for customers.
“The Bondi Circle is designed to give back to our most loyal customers through exclusive access, early releases, member-only offers and curated experiences that reflect the Tuchuzy lifestyle,” Stelluto said. “More than a points program, it’s about building connection – inviting our community into the inner circle of the brand.”
Tuchuzy’s revival comes within a competitive fashion retail space, which has led to many wondering if the multi-branded retail concept is still viable today.
Stelluto said the model still has relevance, pointing to retailers like Universal Store and Incu as key examples. Universal Store itself, as a multi-branded retailer, continues to report double-digit percentage growth in sales, including an 11.9 per cent jump in the first half of FY26 to $174.8 million.
But Stelluto conceded that margins in multi-brand retail are increasingly compressed, which makes strong inventory discipline and brand differentiation critical.
“It is also essential to balance third-party brands with proprietary product,” Stelluto said. “Having your own label as part of the mix provides greater control over margin and brand identity.
“From my perspective, prior to the administration there appeared to be a lack of alignment in direction and decision-making – too many voices without a clear, unified strategy. Additionally, insufficient reinvestment into technology and digital infrastructure meant the business lost momentum in an increasingly competitive landscape.”
The other key challenge is shifting consumer habits. Stelluto said Tuchuzy has expanded into a curated unisex offering and introduced a small kidswear edit through select brands such as Dita Eyewear, The Tales, Sporty & Rich and Hunza G. According to the retail lead, this allows partners, husbands and children to be part of the Tuchuzy experience, while still maintaining our core female focus.
There are also plans to introduce a plus-size offering as part of its core range.
Amid the update on ranges, Stelluto noted that retail cycles are inevitable, but that she and her team are planning conservatively and managing inventory tightly.
“Our lean cost base gives us flexibility, and our integrated systems provide real-time data that allows us to react quickly to changes in demand.
“We are focused on margin integrity rather than excessive discounting. Protecting brand value is critical in a softer market. At the same time, we are strengthening customer retention through community engagement, CRM and considered marketing rather than over-spending on performance ads without measurable return.
“Being an independent business allows us to move quickly. If something isn’t working, we pivot. That agility is one of our greatest strengths in uncertain conditions.”
After its downfall early last year, Tuchuzy was found to have racked up $5.26 million in estimated liabilities according to an administrators’ report by dVT Group.
Tuchuzy's then director claimed in that report that its Australian Taxation Office debt accrued interest, adding that increased interest rates, cost-of-living and reduced trading terms from suppliers were the key factors leading to the administration.
According to Stelluto, there was also an over-reliance on discounting and advertising spend without sustainable year-on-year growth. Discounting has been noted as a key challenge among fashion retailers over the last few years.
“In today’s retail environment, you cannot rely on volume alone – you must protect brand equity, evolve quickly and stay close to your customer,” Stelluto said.
“The key lesson is agility. What works one month may not work the next. The advantage of being a streamlined, independent retailer is our ability to identify issues quickly and implement change without layers of bureaucracy.
“The multi-brand model doesn’t need to change fundamentally – but it is harder out there, there is more competition, more online businesses and on top of that, the Bondi community has gone through a lot, but it still is the best place in the world.”