Sydney’s new luxury precinct at T1 international terminal is now open. Called SYD X, the 2,700sqm area houses 20 of the world’s best-known designer brands, including Prada, Bvlgari and Balenciaga.
Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Saint Laurent, Bvlgari, Hermès, Moncler, Prada, and Rolex opened last year, as well as a slew of other big-name brand shops. Cartier and Versace are set to open mid-this year, alongside the current competition in the area.
The new brands have agreed to six-year lease terms through to 2027. Among the stores, Louis Vuitton’s will be the largest — the brand’s first travel retail store in the Southern Hemisphere.
“Meticulous work has gone into creating a unique luxury shopping destination, from the layout and design of the new precinct to the superior experiences available in each of the luxury stores,” says Sydney Airport’s Executive General Manager of Commercial, Mark Zaouk. “And there is more to come.”
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Heinemann Tax & Duty Free will also add new zones for its beauty, fashion, and luxury timepieces ranges, and introduce activations in the shop in the new year.
“Before the pandemic, we saw that travel retail trends were evolving,” said Vanessa Orth, Sydney Airport Chief Commercial Officer, in 2021 when the new premium precinct was first announced.
“Impulse buying was on the way out and travellers were doing much more research and pre-planning their purchases. With that in mind, we’ve been deliberately seeking to attract iconic retail partners like Louis Vuitton who will drive preference and make the Airport a luxury retail destination in its own right.”
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