David Jones launches chic womenswear level at Elizabeth Street

David Jones unveiled the refurbished designer womenswear level at its Elizabeth Street flagship store in Sydney on Friday, featuring 65 new brands and a glamorous personal styling suite.

The 3500sqm third floor houses chic in-store concepts from highly coveted Australian brands such as Aje, Carla Zampatti, Bianca Spender, Camilla, Toni Maticevski and Zimmerman, as well as international brands such as Dries Van Noten, Stella McCartney, Proenza Schouler and Balmain.

In the latest iteration of the womenswear floor, local designers were invited to collaborate closely with David Jones’ concession designers, giving them the opportunity to put their brand’s unique stamp on their new store-in-stores. For example, Camilla’s space features her signature Moroccan-inspired fixtures, detailed wallpaper and intricate doors.

“Anytime we design a shopfit, I want to immerse people in our world and what it represents,” designer Camilla Franks told Inside Retail.

Meanwhile, David Jones customers can now book in a complimentary appointment at the new and luxurious personal styling suite, where they can enjoy champagne on arrival, while a stylist shows them a curated range of pieces to suit their needs.

David Jones recently unveiled its beauty level earlier this month. The women’s classic collections and intimates on level 4 is scheduled to open on August 30. The entire refurbished 12-floor store will be completed by mid-next year.

While the department store’s online store is “highly successful”, physical retail gives customers the opportunity to fully experience products, said David Jones general manager for womenswear and accessories Bridget Veals.

“You don’t want shopping to be hard work. You want it to be an added experience,” she told Inside Retail. “You want to come into the store and walk away with your shopping bag because you’ve tried the clothes on, you know it works, you’ve got it in your hand and you don’t have to wait to see what the colour or fabric were really like or how it fitted.

“I don’t think you get that experience unless you come in and enjoy the store.”

Another benefit for department store shoppers is the ability to access a wide range of curated brands under one roof, added Veals.

“We’ve had many brands that weren’t on the shoe floor and now they’re calling and saying they need to be there, because it’s the first place our customers shop for shoes.” she said. 

“She believes [the range is] all there for her, it’s the right curation and she can see it all. I think we give customers real confidence when they’re in the store that someone has made that pre-selection for them and they can see how the top goes with the pant or skirt. That’s the difference. You can really outfit yourself in a store.” 

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