Retail expansion at Victoria Wharf introduces new international brands

"Our consumer is a discerning one, and these brands are a strong differentiator for us," said Alex Kabalin, retail executive, V&A Waterfront. "This is a premier shopping destination and we look for customisation of brands in order to differentiate our offering. Bigger is not necessarily always better."

The opening of these two international brands forms part of a long-term retail strategy that has been in play for more than two years, which includes a strong focus on creating retail adjacencies. Visitors will discover a carefully selected and managed mix of local, independent and international retailers. The offering has not only been expanded but also carefully grouped for convenience, which increases consumer awareness and raises competition between retailers.

"A knock on effect of this is an increase in standards, which in turn impacts on the consumer experience. This is evidenced in the homeware section on the ground floor of Victoria Wharf and features @Home, Entrepo, Fellowes Interiors, Woolworth Home and Above Rubies."

Keeping adjacencies in mind, it is often necessary to keep space vacant or to develop it for the right tenant or brand, which was the case with Top Shop and the other new arrival, Call it Spring. Development work was necessary to create the desired and required space for the brands and build an improved space for Mango.

"We have welcomed a number of new brands and this will continue throughout 2013. In May it will be Sweets from Heaven and @Home Living Space and in August, Mamas and Papas and Cotton On Kids."

As development work continues on the new generation Pick n Pay store on the lower ground level, construction has also started on new mall that will link the two main malls of the Victoria Wharf, creating four additional shop fronts, as well as two additional shop-in-shops for Edgars. This extension will create space and bring new brands to the Waterfront.

An advantage of new retailers arriving and the development work is that some retailers have taken the opportunity to rejuvenate their offering. Toy Kingdom will undergo a renovation and include Art Jamming on its upper level. Frank Fowden moved to a newly fitted out space in March, as did Accessorize. From a small pop-up store, Superdry is now a permanent tenant and development of its new store is underway.