Why doesn't Dublin have a dedicated "high-fashion" street?

Aard · 14-10-2009, 18:20

In London there's Bond St; in Paris there's Av Montaigne. Even smaller cities like Copenhagen and Nice have streets lined with the likes of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Hermès. How come all of these fashion houses have their Dublin "stores" in Brown Thomas or House of Fraser? Is it that renting a concession in these department stores is cheaper than setting up a stand-alone on Grafton St?

(I should probably add that this doesn't concern me that much -- I don't shop in their likes -- it's just something I noticed after having been away.)

starbelgrade · 14-10-2009, 18:51

It's supply & demand - there's simply no need for them.

Aard · 14-10-2009, 19:08

The demand is clearly there - just look at Brown Thomas. My question was more about why they are all in Brown Thomas, rather than just having stand-alone stores.

phasers · 14-10-2009, 19:28

well if you turn off Grafton St onto wicklow St there's a few around there, I suppose they just wanted to be based in/at BTs because they already had the customers

tfak85 · 14-10-2009, 19:34

although they are essentially consessions i'm pretty sure you get a chanel, LV or hermes bag when you buy stuff there which you don't get elsewhere in BTs.. this kind of makes them shops of their own right...

starbelgrade · 14-10-2009, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aard

The demand is clearly there - just look at Brown Thomas. My question was more about why they are all in Brown Thomas, rather than just having stand-alone stores.

If there was a demand for them to have stand-alone shops & it made economical sense, they would have them. Succesful businesses like this do extensive market research before settin up anywhere & for whatever reasons, be it lower rental costs & existing trade in the likes of BT, that's why they are located there.

Supply & demand.

Pythia · 14-10-2009, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aard

The demand is clearly there - just look at Brown Thomas. My question was more about why they are all in Brown Thomas, rather than just having stand-alone stores.

The demand just isn't there to justify an expensive shop with high rent, etc.

PrettyBoy · 14-10-2009, 22:35

Dublin isn't a world fashion capital like London and Paris. If Gucci/Prada/Louis Vuitton were to open a flagship store in Dublin it wouldn't last long, regardless of the economic climate.

dingbat · 14-10-2009, 23:07

Without being completely facetious, take a look around you... Dublin is not one of the world's fashion strongholds...

compsys · 15-10-2009, 17:56

Hey,

I've often wondered about this too.

Firstly, as far as I'm aware, when the main fashion houses like Gucci and Prada etc. take a concession in BT's they actually have to sign an agreement NOT to open any stand alone stores nearby as this would affect their sales (and hence BT's commission) in their BT store. I know it sounds strange but I remember reading something about it in the Sunday Independent a few years back when they were trying to make the new retail development on South Anne street a mini Bond street. Incidentally, this development failed to attract any of the fashion houses, such as Armani, that it was targeting.

Also, the demand probably isn't there. We Irish aren't into our labels as much as our European counterparts. Most Irish woman, for example, would happily spend just a few euro buying lots of different handbags in all the mid-market high street shops, whereas your average French or Italian would prefer to wait, save, and then splash out on a €300 plus designer bag which they'll keep for years. The same is true for men. I'm not saying this is always the case, just in general.

Also, the lack of designer shops isn't restricted to simply luxury brands. Hundreds of popular mid-market labels, such as Guess, Diesel (the real one), Miss Sixty, Calvin Klein etc. etc. all have no stand alone shops in Dublin as far as I'm aware. It's so annoying but the demand doesn't seem to be there - remeber Guess opened, and then closed, their stand alone store on South Anne Street within the space of a year.

Finally, I know that some shops won't open in Dublin as the city simply isn't classy or stylish enough. I remember hearing rumours a few years back that Gucci were scouting for locations in Dublin for a store but stopped once they saw what was on offer. And as we all know, A&F continue to refuse to open up on Grafton street because they feel the area is too tacky.

PrettyBoy · 15-10-2009, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by compsys

A&F continue to refuse to open up on Grafton street because they feel the area is too tacky.

I thought they were going to open a store in Dundrum Town Centre? Mind you, I heard that years ago...

compsys · 15-10-2009, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrettyBoy

I thought they were going to open a store in Dundrum Town Centre? Mind you, I heard that years ago...

Dundrum would appear to be an ideal place for them to open but most of the rumours are just wishful thinking on the part of young, D4 shoppers! They are still scouting for a place but are notoriously picky about where they open up.

DJDC · 15-10-2009, 20:26

Noticed this myself. Even a small place like Salzburg has a LV shop. The main reason in Ireland must be the absence of "old money" and inherited wealth. Most of the wealthy Irish come from very ordinary backgrounds and simply have no interest/desire for designer items. We have very little generational wealth in this country, most of it fled out of the country after the Civil War.

Purple Gorilla · 15-10-2009, 20:57

Well tbh, Brown Thomas is quite a prestigious name and store so I can imagine that high-end brands choose to locate there because they want to. Also, the high-end brands can have a store on the high-street (within BT) but not have to pay the extortionate rent to have a standalone store on the street.

Also I'm pretty sure that the reason A&F won't come to Dublin City is because the grafton street store spaces are too small. That's why Apple won't locate there. O'Connell Street has sufficient store space, but it's not as upmarket as grafton street so they don't want to locate there

speedboatchase · 16-10-2009, 09:13

Irish people tend to begrudge people that spend money on designer labels, I get it quite a lot from my mates - "how much did that cost ya?" etc, and expect that it's actually their business to ask, whilst anyone interested in fashion outside the high street is "up themselves". It's just the Irish mentality

14-10-2009, 18:20	#1
Aard Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,121 Adverts \| Friends	Why doesn't Dublin have a dedicated "high-fashion" street? In London there's Bond St; in Paris there's Av Montaigne. Even smaller cities like Copenhagen and Nice have streets lined with the likes of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Hermès. How come all of these fashion houses have their Dublin "stores" in Brown Thomas or House of Fraser? Is it that renting a concession in these department stores is cheaper than setting up a stand-alone on Grafton St? (I should probably add that this doesn't concern me that much -- I don't shop in their likes -- it's just something I noticed after having been away.) __________________ Help boards.ie - start tagging threads \| Listen to European radio stations online for free \| Citizens information for people in Ireland \| Visit the Nordic forum

14-10-2009, 19:08	#3
Aard Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,121 Adverts \| Friends	The demand is clearly there - just look at Brown Thomas. My question was more about why they are all in Brown Thomas, rather than just having stand-alone stores. __________________ Help boards.ie - start tagging threads \| Listen to European radio stations online for free \| Citizens information for people in Ireland \| Visit the Nordic forum

14-10-2009, 19:28	#4
phasers Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hell Posts: 7,908 Adverts \| Friends	well if you turn off Grafton St onto wicklow St there's a few around there, I suppose they just wanted to be based in/at BTs because they already had the customers __________________ its ya boy cj aka boogie.. im jus on this joint to meet a couple of people.. really only females.. ima cool dude n i jus b chillin.. im in2 my music n %#&@$!.. ima star in the makin, feel me.. lol.. but chea, jus holla at me if u diggin me or if u jus want conversation... -boogie

15-10-2009, 20:26	#13
DJDC Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 344 Adverts \| Friends	Noticed this myself. Even a small place like Salzburg has a LV shop. The main reason in Ireland must be the absence of "old money" and inherited wealth. Most of the wealthy Irish come from very ordinary backgrounds and simply have no interest/desire for designer items. We have very little generational wealth in this country, most of it fled out of the country after the Civil War. __________________ <Insert Patrick Bateman quote here>

15-10-2009, 20:57	#14
Purple Gorilla Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 819 Adverts \| Friends	Well tbh, Brown Thomas is quite a prestigious name and store so I can imagine that high-end brands choose to locate there because they want to. Also, the high-end brands can have a store on the high-street (within BT) but not have to pay the extortionate rent to have a standalone store on the street. Also I'm pretty sure that the reason A&F won't come to Dublin City is because the grafton street store spaces are too small. That's why Apple won't locate there. O'Connell Street has sufficient store space, but it's not as upmarket as grafton street so they don't want to locate there __________________ Boards.ie Mod: Animated sigs against Boards rules. Damn you, you mysterious mod

14-10-2009, 18:51	#2
starbelgrade Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 3,773 Adverts \| Friends	It's supply & demand - there's simply no need for them.

14-10-2009, 19:34	#5
tfak85 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: dublin Posts: 252 Adverts \| Friends	although they are essentially consessions i'm pretty sure you get a chanel, LV or hermes bag when you buy stuff there which you don't get elsewhere in BTs.. this kind of makes them shops of their own right...

14-10-2009, 22:35	#8
PrettyBoy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 313 Adverts \| Friends	Dublin isn't a world fashion capital like London and Paris. If Gucci/Prada/Louis Vuitton were to open a flagship store in Dublin it wouldn't last long, regardless of the economic climate.

14-10-2009, 23:07	#9
dingbat Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 243 Adverts \| Friends	Without being completely facetious, take a look around you... Dublin is not one of the world's fashion strongholds...

15-10-2009, 17:56	#10
compsys Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 94 Adverts \| Friends	Hey, I've often wondered about this too. Firstly, as far as I'm aware, when the main fashion houses like Gucci and Prada etc. take a concession in BT's they actually have to sign an agreement NOT to open any stand alone stores nearby as this would affect their sales (and hence BT's commission) in their BT store. I know it sounds strange but I remember reading something about it in the Sunday Independent a few years back when they were trying to make the new retail development on South Anne street a mini Bond street. Incidentally, this development failed to attract any of the fashion houses, such as Armani, that it was targeting. Also, the demand probably isn't there. We Irish aren't into our labels as much as our European counterparts. Most Irish woman, for example, would happily spend just a few euro buying lots of different handbags in all the mid-market high street shops, whereas your average French or Italian would prefer to wait, save, and then splash out on a €300 plus designer bag which they'll keep for years. The same is true for men. I'm not saying this is always the case, just in general. Also, the lack of designer shops isn't restricted to simply luxury brands. Hundreds of popular mid-market labels, such as Guess, Diesel (the real one), Miss Sixty, Calvin Klein etc. etc. all have no stand alone shops in Dublin as far as I'm aware. It's so annoying but the demand doesn't seem to be there - remeber Guess opened, and then closed, their stand alone store on South Anne Street within the space of a year. Finally, I know that some shops won't open in Dublin as the city simply isn't classy or stylish enough. I remember hearing rumours a few years back that Gucci were scouting for locations in Dublin for a store but stopped once they saw what was on offer. And as we all know, A&F continue to refuse to open up on Grafton street because they feel the area is too tacky.

16-10-2009, 09:13	#15
speedboatchase Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,848 Adverts \| Friends	Irish people tend to begrudge people that spend money on designer labels, I get it quite a lot from my mates - "how much did that cost ya?" etc, and expect that it's actually their business to ask, whilst anyone interested in fashion outside the high street is "up themselves". It's just the Irish mentality

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