Jeanswest is pushing ahead with the rollout of new product categories, including maternity, childrenswear, and jewellery, opening larger store formats to accommodate the growing ranges. The denim retailer has opened five stores in Australia under its new Icon design, and one in New Zealand, which operates on an average footprint of 250sqm, around 100sqm larger than its original format. Icon is a larger format for the retailer, based around a modern industrial loft look and featur
ring exposed ceilings, washed brick, concrete, metal, and wood textures.
Daniel Le Roy, GM of retail, Jeanswest, told Inside Retail PREMIUM additional product categories will launch in 2015 in Icon stores.
“Our maternity range is expanding, and moving forward next year we’ll have more categories launching,” Le Roy said.
Jeanswest has designed a scaled down version of the Icon design for the entire network, however, Le Roy says it is now looking for larger sites as it has outgrown its existing footprint.
“The problem is we’re running out of space in those smaller stores.
“So much of the range is expanding, and trying to squeeze in jewellery and a larger selection of maternity, it just becomes extremely difficult to fit that into a small store, hence why we’re looking for larger stores.
“As every lease comes up, we’ll consider whether or not we do a full refit or potentially look for more opportunities to do larger Icon stores. In certain locations we will look for larger stores.”
The latest Icon store to open is in Victoria at Highpoint Shopping centre, with four more, two in Western Australia and two in NSW, to open by early next year.
The fitout is able to house Jeanswest’s full range of men’s, women’s, kids, accessories, and denim. Icon stores are the only ones to carry the new jewellery line.
Other features include larger walkways and changerooms, and an increased use of digital, including iPads, for customers to order stock.
