Online fashion label Princess Polly is holding the grand opening of its first Brisbane store at Westfield Chermside on Saturday (31 October), according to the Westfield Chermside event page. The store is on Level 2 near Myer, at the centre on the corner of Gympie and Hamilton Roads.

Westfield said the Princess Polly store doors would open at 8am, with the centre's mall doors opening at 6am for people joining the queue. The centre's store listing places it in the Southern Mall and describes the brand as "your go-to destination for trending fashion, viral influencer styles, party looks and everyday essentials".

Opening Day at Chermside

Westfield listed a free Princess Polly hoodie for shoppers who spend $75 or more, a free tote bag with every purchase, a complimentary in-store photobooth, live DJs and a limited-time topping collaboration with Yo-Bar. Westfield members can also enter to win a $1,000 Princess Polly shopping spree, with conditions applying.

The official queue begins at the entrance near Pappa Flock on Level 2 in the outdoor dining precinct, where the Princess Polly team hands out numbered wristbands. Westfield said customers cannot hold or reserve a place in the queue for others.

From Online to Physical Stores

Princess Polly, which is owned by US-listed A.K.A Brands, opened more than a dozen shops in the US before expanding into Sydney last November, the Gold Coast and, as of this weekend, Brisbane, ABC News reported. The label's store locator lists its Australian stores at Westfield Bondi Junction and Pacific Fair, with Chermside, Brisbane marked as coming soon.

When Princess Polly opened in Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast in July, hundreds of customers queued up in the early hours, according to the ABC. "I think that really tells us all we need to know about continuing the rollout of our retail stores," chief merchandise officer Courtney Dres said.

"I think there is going to be that bit of a changing of the guards for the brands and retailers that are maybe downsizing or reducing their footprint," Ms Dres told the ABC. "Then the younger, newer brands are coming in and starting to make a little bit of a splash."

Retail Insolvency Rate

The ABC reported that Mosaic Brands, the owner of Katies, Millers and Noni B, has collapsed, while Cue Clothing Co, Veronika Maine, Betts and Jeanswest have entered administration. Data from CreditorWatch shows the retail insolvency rate has been increasing since June 2022.

"Conditions are likely to get still tougher in the fashion retail space before they improve," CreditorWatch chief executive Patrick Coghlan said, adding that moving from online to in-store trade needed "to be carefully managed".

Queensland University of Technology retail expert Gary Mortimer said moving into omnichannel trade could add value, provided the transition was handled properly. "You wouldn't expect an online pure-play retailer to suddenly open 64 stores, because it wouldn't be sustainable," he said. "Speed is now becoming the currency of retailers."

Retail analyst James Stewart said the number one reason retail brands failed was because they lost relevance.

New Openings at Westfield Chermside

VRG GRL, which started trading as Verge Girl in 2008 with one Brisbane store and opened a second store in 2014 before moving fully online in 2019, has opened stores in Sydney and plans to open more in Queensland, co-founder Daniella Dionyssiou told the ABC.

Style Magazines reported that VRG GRL's new Westfield Chermside boutique is set to open in early November, with Haigh's Chocolates also opening a Westfield Chermside store this November. Arms Of Eve, which sells everyday jewellery, opened its first Brisbane boutique at the centre in September.