AUSTRALIA. Shopping at Sydney Airport’s International Terminal (T1) will be boosted by the addition of an Emporio Armani flagship store and a Burberry boutique next year.
The terminal is undergoing an ambitious A$500 million redevelopment, due to be completed in 2010. The addition of the two fashion and luxury giants is a major fillip for that development and for Sydney Airport’s retail reputation.
The Sydney opening will mark the Australian airport debut by Italian fashion giant Giorgio Armani. The store will join a stable of globally recognised fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren and Fendi.
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Emporio Armani’s Australian airport debut is a major fillip for the redeveloped International Terminal |
Sydney Airport Corporation Limited General Manager, Retail Derek Larsen said: “Giorgio Armani is highly regarded as one of the masterminds of global fashion and style. We are thrilled this prominent designer is opening a boutique in Sydney’s International Airport.
“Throughout the massive A$500 million expansion and redevelopment of our International Terminal we have always held steadfast to a common goal – to deliver a world-class, world-leading airport to the people of Sydney and the 10 million people who travel via here every year.
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“Upon completion, our International Terminal will offer travellers one of the most exciting and diverse retail experiences in Australia“ |
Derek Larsen General Manager, Retail Sydney Airport Corporation |
“To accomplish this goal we are building a new innovative and luxurious retail experience that will be unsurpassed in Australia.”
The Emporio Armani store will open in November 2009 and will be housed in “˜The Forum’, a new shopping precinct currently under construction as part of the expansion.
Along with a range of luxury experiences that includes jewellery, fine dining and fashion, The Forum will host a diverse selection of exciting specialty retail and food & beverage outlets.
The Emporio Armani store, designed by Giorgio Armani in collaboration with an in-house team of architects, will closely follow the design-concept of other Emporio Armani stores in Paris, London, Milan and Boston.
The new store will embody Giorgio Armani’s vision of “the modern, cosmopolitan fashion lifestyle” and will offer the complete Emporio Armani collection for men and women, including formal and casual wear, sportswear, leather accessories, watches, eyewear and jewellery collections.
BURBERRY BRINGS BRIT APPEAL
Burberry, a global luxury brand synonymous with classic modern British style, will also open its luxury boutique next year.
Larsen commented: “We are delighted to welcome one of the true icons of international fashion to Sydney Airport’s T1. Burberry, a celebrated name in fashion and style, shares our vision to create an exceptional shopping experience for the 10 million passengers who travel via the International Terminal every year.”
The airport company said: “Burberry is firmly established as a leading global fashion house with men’s and women’s outerwear, ready-to-wear and accessories collections. The brand embodies quality, innovation, style and dishevelled elegance, where beautiful craftsmanship is contrasted with form and function, always with a relaxed and distinctly British attitude.”
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Burberry, pictured here at DFS Galleria Macao, is one of the world’s great luxury brands |
Larsen added: “Upon completion, our International Terminal will offer travellers one of the most exciting and diverse retail experiences in Australia. From internationally revered brands such as Burberry to much-loved Australian icons like R.M. Williams, the Forum will truly set a new benchmark and will reinforce Sydney Airport’s reputation as one of the world’s leading airports.”
Quoting The Airport Retail Study*, SACL described the airport “as the most profitable retail asset per square metre in Australia (double the annual turnover per square metre of some of Australia’s largest shopping centres)”.
Sydney Airport currently services over 32 million domestic and international passengers annually, with passenger numbers expected to more than double to 79 million per year over the next two decades.
*Published by The Moodie Report in 2007. The next edition is published in 2009.
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