st John Aslanidis’ Sonic No.93, which echoes one of the brand’s key values – optimism. Aslanidis creates in a way that transcends one medium to occupy the dimension that exists between painting and sound. French architecture is featured throughout and French designer Pierre Renart’s wave table greets customers in the front window, as if it were displayed in a gallery. A mix of Vvintage and vintage style furniture welcomes customers to take a seat and enjoy a complimentary coffee whilst taking in the bookshelf-inspired seasonal displays. Like a cloud, artist Adriano Rachele’s striking Clizia Mama Non Mama suspension lights float over the cosy furnishings and one-of-a-kind flea market finds, alongside bespoke commissioned pieces. All is collated to evoke curiosity amongst Longchamp’s evident attention to detail, seen in the symbolic green that sweeps the store as an ode to the luxury brand’s heritage. Rebel High-end precinct Melbourne Emporium, in the heart of the fashion state, has gained a new flagship store designed to achieve the goal of scoring a hyper-immersive sporting and fitness experience of patrons. On the roof: a basketball half-court in collaboration with Under Armour, overlooking the city skyline, coined the ‘Curry Rooftop’. Inside: a purpose-built, private oasis for browsing bras, apparel and accessories, finished with customisable change-room lighting designed in partnership with Nike. Located on level four, the store is the brand’s largest. It has a 3,600sqm footprint and represents a new era for Rebel retail stores. Developed by The General Store, it is an industry gamechanger. A football experience field provides entertainment and purpose. Customers can trial new boots on the in-store digital field as they play AFL game Take the Mark and football games Top Bins and Match the Footy. Also on site, featuring Australian-first technology and in partnership with global fit experts SafeSize, is the Rebel Fit Lab, complete with foot scanners and a high-tech pressure plate running track, to assist customers in finding their perfect pair of shoes. Finally, a zen out zone features lush emerald landscaping and a natural wooden pergola showcasing pilates and yoga apparel, equipment and accessories. Rodd & Gunn Kiwi gentlemen’s wear brand Rodd & Gunn, renowned for crafting timeless garments, has built a coastal lodge in Melbourne suburb Brighton’s Church Street shopping precinct. Succeeding its Sorrento opening, the brand continues its littoral retail voyage in a space that was a home to Brighton’s centre of art cinema during the early 20th century – the cherished Prince George Theatre. Windows span the walls to allow an abundance of natural light, making the 126sqm space feel more vast. The lodge is akin to exploring a luxe home with heritage photography framed, greenery bought indoors, oak cabinetry and woollen rugs for warmth in contrast with the brushed concrete floor. Board and batten features typical of New Zealand holiday homes complete the furnishings. Adorning the walls are wood and embroidery works by Kiwi artists, along with a framed Pounamu – a traditional stone to promise prosperity and peace – by Māori artist Alex Sands. It is a space that encapsulates the lifestyle aesthetic of the brand, melding relaxed refinement with a contemporary touch and a slight nod to New Zealand roots and a nature-inspired vibrant palette. Fayshell A peachy skincare spaceship with subtle neon signage and immaculate attention to detail is the new home of Fayshell, a vanguard in the Australian beauty industry. Ahead of the curve in every sense, nestled in the leafy green streets of Sydney’s Neutral Bay, the brand’s identity is intertwined with the 2024 Pantone colour of the year, Peach Fuzz, which cascades from the vast wall space onto the glossy finished floor. Make no mistake, the aesthetically inspiring and design-forward fit-out of the expansive space, since its viral 2022 Bondi debut, is very purposeful and part of the brand’s marketing strategy – to grace as many social feeds as possible and create buzz via word-of-mouth for the start-up. State-of-the-art facilities and a luxurious yet accessible environment facilitate an unparalleled skincare experience. Co-founded by industry mavens Katelin Gregg and Ella James, Fayshell is a vanguard to its industry by delivering affordable, efficient and results-driven facials, tailored to individual skin needs. Passé is the notion that facials are a luxury reserved for special occasions. Monthly sessions through a unique ‘skin-gym’ concept are akin to personal training for the skin, complemented by curated retail and unprecedented access to the LED lounge to ensure that everyone who steps in-store can put “their best face forward”. This second store marks a milestone in the brand’s expansion journey and is a testament to its rapid growth and unwavering commitment to revolutionising skincare. Twoobs This Australian, carbon-neutral footwear label opened its first retail store in the mecca of sustainability and wellness that is Byron Bay. Crafted with sustainability in mind, the flagship was brought to life by Avant Mater design studio duo Luchi Alfonso and Jordi Sanchez and built by Jake Wilson. It explores the use of sustainable materials and the ‘OO’ from Twoobs – a symbolic reference to the circular economy and the brand’s environmental ethos. The flagship diverts 891kg of plastic waste from landfill, yet you wouldn’t notice at first sight that the wall panels consist completely of recycled plastic by Sydney-based studio Defy, which created a custom blend of yellow, cream and clear plastic waste. Fun and groovy is the theme, with an OO-shaped counter at the core built from post-consumer PET bottles, recycled paper and cardboard, using a papier mâché technique. There are also hand-stitched curtains by Lou’s Sewing Studio, created from upcycled hotel towels sourced and dyed by Lily Nivert from local Byron business Wost Manted. Previously available online exclusively from the Twoobs site, the brand’s store opening means customers will be able to experience the vegan Twoobs in the flesh. The new home of Twoobs is a pinnacle expression of the sustainable brand in bricks-and-mortar form, just a pebble skim from the tranquil North Coast of NSW beaches that sustainable brands aim to safeguard for generations to come. Ikkari Ikkari flies it holistic health flag in Queensland with Noosa oasis as its first official flagship location. The younger sibling of Australian fashion brand Aje has fewer frills and strips down to nature. An olive-green glasshouse design with a clean, carefully curated fit-out delivers a dedicated space to host tailored and holistic support for every customer, no matter where they are on their wellness journey. The aim is to assist and guide them towards solutions for every concern, taking the guesswork out of the shopping experience.The space is designed to encapsulate a contemporary take on an apothecary, with nods to Ikaria – one of the world’s certified Blue Zones, where residents are among the world’s longest-living populations by virtue of lifestyle and diet. The store provides a complete sensory exploration for customers to gaze, touch, feel and smell all 85 Ikkari products. The flagship also offers a complimentary treatment menu indulging patrons with scent rituals, brand discovery hand massage, tonic tasting and protocol consultations. The shop is positioned in the tourism hotspot that holds special significance to Ikkari founder Adrian Norris, who told Inside Retail, “Noosa is my home, it’s where I retreat to, it’s where I reset my health and my expectations, it’s the birthplace of Ikkari and reverberates what Ikkari stands for, so having our flagship store here makes perfect sense.” Noosa marks the second permanent retail offering for the brand in under a year and expansion of the brand’s retail footprint will continue in 2024, with locations on target in Melbourne.