A plethora of new stores have opened their doors in Brisbane, making post Christmas shopping this season a whole lot merrier.
Along with the huge Topshop and Topman openings late last year and the unveiling of the revamped and expanded Louis Vuitton store in the city, a number of boutique offerings have sprung up, bucking the national trend for store closures and offering Brisbane fashion fans a lot more choice.
Verge Girl, whose Elizabeth St Store is adored by young fashion lovers, have opened a second store in West End. Its clean white walls and airy light-filled space is the perfect backdrop for the store’s colorful mix of cute clothes for day and night.
Adorne, the Brisbane-based accessory chain, have opened a shop attached to their West End headquarters. The store also has a coffee shop and a great selection of home wares.
One Teaspoon, the brand of self-taught Sydney designer, Jamie Blakey, opened in James St with the label’s signature glam louche clothes on offer just in time for festival season. The store is slated to be opened all summer but if it does well, may become a permanent fixture.
Brisbane lifestyle collection, White Label Noba, have a pop-up shop in James St too, filled with cotton kaftans, silk pants, T-shirts, beach bags and beaded slides- perfect timing for the holidays.
This year will see even more exciting offerings opening in the city with American fast fashion chain, Forever 21, opening their first Australian store in Brisbane and make-up guru, Napoleon Perdis, looking for a place to put a Life Style store where he offers a well-edited collection of vintage jewelry and home wares alongside his make-up collections.
For all the new faces, Brisbane said farewell to a number of established retailers in recent weeks – Richards & Richards luxury menswear store on Elizabeth St closed its doors in late 2013 and iconic retailer, Natalie Denning, closed her Bessie Head and Dirt Box stores in the Wintergarden. Luxury accessories store, Jean Brown, will close in February this year.
High city retail rents and the online onslaught might soon mean that the only people who can afford rent in the inner-city will be the major retail players, which is sad news for lovers of local design, independent boutiques and unique fashion.
Locations:
Verge Girl, 153 Boundary St, West End.
Adorne, 324 Montague St, West End.
One Teaspoon, James Lane, 65 James St, Fortitude Valley.
White Label Noba pop-up, 76 James St, Fortitude Valley.
