Sydney is buzzing in summer; it’s the season that calls for long, lazy days mooching about. For some air-conditioned respite, head into one of the many new stores that’ve recently opened their doors. After a swath of exciting Melbourne store openings, we’ve compiled 14 of the best new Sydney store openings spanning fashion, beauty and home.
Christopher Esber The Strand
It seems like a long time coming, but Australian fashion designer Christopher Esber has just opened his first retail store. His eponymous brand has notched 14 years on its belt, but this is Esber’s first physical offering of his own. Over the past half a decade, his star and success have been on the rise (this year, he became the first Australian designer to win the prestigious Andam Grand Prize). Now, he’s dipping his toes into the brick-and-mortar space. And what a space to trial – the pop-up is housed in The Strand Arcade, a heritage-listed, Victorian-style city hub. Stylistically, the store itself mirrors Esber’s contemporary, sleek and edgy designs, with chrome and metal details complementing soft wooden fixtures. The temporary store will be here until March 2025, so visit while you can.
Location:
263 Crown St, Surry Hills
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SIGN UPSir Paddington
It seems that Australians can’t get enough of fashion label Sir. Having just celebrated its 10th birthday, the beloved contemporary fashion house has opened its second Sydney location. As a sister site to its Bondi outpost, the Paddington store is nestled in The Intersection precinct, neighbouring names like Aje, Scanlan Theodore, Venroy and the newly reimaged Mecca boutique. The store combines Sir’s “contemporary aesthetic with a feeling of timeless sophistication,” according to interior designer Tasmin Johnson. The space features a record room, and details are inspired by the aesthetics of ’80s Tokyo – the ultimate cool-girl destination.
Location:
20 Glenmore Road, Paddington
Hours:
Mon to Fri, 9:30am–5:30pm
Sat, 9:30pm–5pm
Sun, 10am–5pm
Brie Leon Surry Hills
Brie Leon has opened its second store on the leafy streets of Surry Hills. The Sydney-based bag and jewellery label has had a busy year; it was only in May it opened its first brick-and-mortar front in Newtown. Founded by Janine Zafra in 2016, Brie Leon heralds itself as a label undeterred by trends, choosing instead to be inspired by vintage and timeless styles. The new space was designed by Melbourne interior design practice Without Studio, and features custom joinery by Melbourne design studio, P0ly Designs. Find your new effortlessly cool accessory here.
Location:
[263 Crown St, Surry Hills](https://maps.app.goo.gl/TgXR5t5JzYtmQyMr60
Hours:
Wed to Fri, 10am–6pm
Sat, 10am–5pm
Sun, 11am–4pm
Commas Paddington and Avalon Beach
Sydney-based swimwear and resortwear label Commas has set up two summer residences, one in Paddington and one in Avalon Beach. It’s fitting that both are close to the ocean, as creator-director Richard Jarman’s connection to water is one of the eight-year-old label’s major inspirations. Relaxed yet refined, Commas is paving the way for the new guard of Australian swim and resort fashion. Touch and try on its modern menswear pieces in these pop-ups before the doors close on January 5.
Location:
3/20 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach
Hours:
Tue to Sat: 9:30am–5pm
Sun, 10am–3pm
Location:
Fella, 37 William Street, Paddington
Hours:
Tue and Wed, 10am–5pm
Thur, 10am–6pm
Fri and Sat, 10am–5pm
Alix Higgins Haymarket
Hidden on the fifth level of a nondescript Chinatown building, sandwiched between a pharmacy and a convenience store, you’ll find Alix Higgins' new shopfront. The space also doubles as his showroom and studio, and he describes the fit-out as “eclectic but homey”. Fans of the avant-garde and conceptual designer can now experience Higgins’s world up close and personal.
Location:
Level 5, 647-649 George Street, Sydney
Hours:
Thu to Fri, 12pm–6pm
Sat, 12pm–4pm
Spell Manly
To loyal followers of Spell, it seems like a no-brainer that the womenswear label would open up shop in the Northern Beaches. This beachside outpost is the label’s second store, with its flagship in its home of Byron Bay. Spell is known for its dreamy bohemian and coastal aesthetic, and the Manly store is a reflection of this. Curved interior details, ’70s velvet and warm-toned hues invite beachgoers in. “We’re thrilled to open our new store in Manly, a place that so perfectly aligns with the Spell lifestyle – easy-going, creative and surrounded by nature’s beauty,” says Spell’s co-founder Elizabeth Abegg.
Location:
13 Whistler Street, Manly
Hours:
Mon to Sat, 10am–6pm
Sun, 10am–5pm
Realisation Par Paddington
It’s official, prized Australian-born fashion label Realisation Par is opening up its first permanent store on our shores. After a successful pop-up in December last year, the cult womenswear label is returning to Paddington. This marks the label’s second store worldwide (the first is in London) and as followers of the label know, it’s been notoriously hard to secure its pieces – until now.
Location:
40 William Street, Paddington
St Agni Bondi
In its 10th year of operation, St Agni has well surpassed its humble Byron Bay roots. The contemporary womenswear label has opened its fifth boutique, the latest a hop, skip and a jump away from Bondi Beach. The new store is subtly more masculine than its other counterparts, think vintage furnishings from the ’60s and ’70s, and brown and deep red colour accents. Renowned for its refined, minimalist and tailored pieces, customers will have the chance to shop St Agni’s apparel, accessories, footwear and eyewear in its new digs.
Location:
Shop 2, 75A Gould Street, Bondi
Hours:
Mon to Fri, 9am–5pm
Sat, 9am–5pm
Sun, 10am–4pm
Beare Park Potts Point
For the first time ever, Sydney-based luxury ready-to-wear label Beare Park has opened up a brick-and-mortar location – but only for a limited time. The slow fashion label crafts considered and timeless pieces (and has done so for the likes of the Matildas, the Australian Ballet and the National Breast Cancer Foundation). Founder Gabriella Pereira has recently been given the title of Emerging Designer of the Year at this year’s Australian Fashion Laureate awards, and it’s clear the Australian-made label is going strength to strength. This month-long residency ends December 21, so shop while you can.
Location:
61 Macley Street, Potts Point
Hours:
Sun to Wed, 10am–4pm
Thu to Sat,10am–7pm
Rag & Bone Double Bay
Rag & Bone opened its first Australian store in 2017. Seven years later, this new location is its fifth. In the harbourside suburb of Double Bay, Rag & Bone has brought its signature New York energy. Here, you can find the 22-year-old global brand slinging its refined casual wear, signature denim pieces and everything in between.
Location:
31-33 Knox Street, Double Bay
Hours:
Mon to Wed, 9am–5:30pm
Thu, 9am–6pm
Sat, 9am–5pm
Sun, 9:30am–5pm
Nagnata Paddington
Luxury and activewear don’t often go hand in hand, but Byron Bay-based Nagnata makes it work. The sustainability-forward brand has redefined what athleisure is capable of. Nagnata’s made-for-movement philosophy is imbued in everything it does; it’s a label for living in. Now, fans can shop at its new location in The Intersection in Paddington.
Location:
Shop 10/2/16 Glenmore Rd, Paddington
Hours:
Mon to Sat, 10am–6pm
Sun, 11am–5pm
Maison Balzac Strand Arcade
You’d be hard-pressed to find a chic host without Maison Balzac glassware lining their shelves. The 14-year-old label has cemented itself with its instantly identifiable servingware and glassware. Organic shapes, playful hues and eccentric details make it an Instagram favourite. This is the French-inspired brand’s third store, and an impressive one at that; a ’70s chandelier decorates the ceiling and local florist Doctor Cooper frequently changes up the window display.
Location:
Level 1, Strand Arcade 412/414, George Street, Sydney
Hours:
Sun, 11am–4pm
Mon, 10am-5pm
Tue and Wed, 10am–5:30pm
Thu, 10am–7pm
Fri and Sat, 10am–5:30pm
MCM House Balgowlah
The Northern Beaches has recently welcomed a slew of new names, one of which is furniture label MCM House. Moving into the beachside neighbourhood’s homemaker precinct near Roseberry Street, MCM House is bringing its minimalist, functional yet style-forward homewares and decor pieces to its Balgowlah showroom. Flanked by a palm tree at its entrance, the new shop is spacious, airy and aspirational.
Location:
50-60 Balgowlah Road, Balgowlah
Hours:
Mon to Fri, 9:30am–5pm
Sat to Sun, 10am–5pm
Saarde Surry Hills
Sydney design-led lifestyle label Saarde has opened its first flagship store. With a focus on home, body and travel products, Saarde has been aiming to simplify and beautify our lives since 2018. Seven-metre-high ceilings and arched windows made this Surry Hills spot a no brainer for the brand. A careful collaboration with Melbourne interior design studio The Stella Collective on the fit-out means the place oozes sophistication.
Location:
Shop L116, 2 Baptist Street, Surry Hills
Hours:
Mon to Wed, 10am–6pm
Thu, 10am–8pm
Fri, 10am–6pm
Sat & Sun, 10am–5pm
Ecoya Martin Place
Sydney’s new Metro Martin Place is slowly but surely becoming a shopping destination. And Australasian fragrance house Ecoya has joined the party. Claire Barnes, CEO of Ecoya, described the store as a “homecoming of sorts”. Customers will be able to purchase all of Ecoya’s signature collections, including fragrances for the home, body, laundry and car, in the modern fit-out.
Location:
Level B3, Metro Martin Place, 1 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
Hours:
Mon to Wed, 8am–6pm
Thu, 8am–7pm
Fri, 8am–6pm
Sat, 10am–5pm
Clarins Queen Victoria Building
It’s been a long time coming, but French beauty brand Clarins has opened its first-ever Australian store. Stained-glass windows, high ceilings and a brightly lit interior greet customers in the Queen Victoria Building. Spa treatments are also available in private rooms – the ultimate reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Location:
Lower Ground, Queen Victoria Building, 455 George Street, Sydney
Hours:
Mon to Wed, 9am–6pm
Thu, 9am–9pm
Fri & Sat, 9am–6pm
Sun, 11am–5pm
This article was updated to include new openings.
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