SuperGlue format stores to be completed in the next 12 weeks. Core stores to be converted as part of the 12 week phase are Melbourne Central and several Sydney sites including the Queen Victoria Building. The two SuperGlue stores at Sydney’s Central Park and Highpoint Shopping Centre in Victoria will also undergo minor changes, mainly instore branding. As part of the rebrand the Next Athleisure-owned chain has begun an aggressive push into the womenswear sector, building on its stable of labels, both local and international, as well as increasing its women’s footprint. “Glue has been quite masculine in the past,” Prue Thomas, group marketing director – Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge, and Glue Store at Next Athleisure, told Inside Retail PREMIUM. “When Glue first started 12 years ago it was seen as a menswear store, but it had some labels that also had womenswear collections, such as Lee, Wrangler, and Stussy. “It had a women’s footprint, but it was taken by default rather than specifically for a female customer. “[The rebrand] has really been about cleaning up the store environment and making it more welcoming for both,” Thomas said. In recent months Glue has introduced a string of upmarket women’s fashion labels, including Cameo The Label, Bec & Bridge, and Finders Keepers. “I think with brands like Finders Keepers and Cameo coming into the mix they’ve just provided the womenswear customer with a bit more diversity than before.” As part of the strategy, Glue is also varying its brand mix according to store location. “Previously the brand mix had been a one a one size fits all approach – everyone gets everything – but now we approach each store individually, really looking at the store’s customer profile.” Despite the introduction of several premium labels, Thomas says pricepoints, mainly for its international brands such as Miss Selfridge and Glamourous, have lowered. “We’ve really looked at price architecture and restructured it so that it has a pricepoint now for everyone. “Women’s labels like Miss Selfridge or Glamorous [UK] are coming in at a really accessible pricepoints, but equally you can buy a Cameo dress or Bec & Bridge jumper if you want to go more premium.” Glue will open a third SuperGlue store later this month at Melbourne’s highly anticipated Emporium. Thomas describes the store fitout as “strong, modern, and minimalist”. Glue opened its first store at Highpoint Shopping centre in 1999. Last year, Highpoint became home to the brand’s first SuperGlue outlet. The 1000sqm store includes a coffee bar (with instore barista), music station, magazine newsstand, and jean tailoring service. SuperGlue Highpoint includes UK fashion label, Miss Selfridges, which made its debut to the Australian market with a concession store within the mega outlet. A second SuperGlue opened in Sydney’s Central Park retail precinct last year. With neighbours such as Topshop, Uniqlo, Victoria’s Secret, and Superdry at the new Emporium complex, Glue intends to up the ante on its exclusive lines and premium collections instore. “Emporium will have a really diverse customer demographic so we have to plan accordingly. “There will be a slightly different brand mix, but there will be a nice variety of premium and exclusive brands. We know what trades well for the CBD stores is a strong range of those more accessible brands such as Glamorous or Miss Selfridge.” The fashion chain will open a fourth SuperGlue store later this year at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre in Queensland. This story first appeared in Inside Retail PREMIUM issue 1995.