Bluebell Group expands to Australia with Gentle Monster, Pinko store openings

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Jan 11, 2023

Asian retail and brand distributor Bluebell Group announced on Monday its expansion into Australia, marking its launch with the opening of both a Gentle Monster store and Pinko location, in Sydney.

Via the Hong Kong-based Bluebell, Italian contemporary fashion brand, Pinko, on November 4 opened a new store in Sydney’s Westfield mall, while Korean eyewear brand, Gentle Monster, opened its first southern hemisphere store, at T1 International terminal, at Sydney Airport, in December.

The retail openings mark Bluebell's official entry into the Australian market, taking its distribution capacity to ten markets across Asia Pacific.

“Opening in the Australian market is a milestone for us, completing our Asia Pacific footprint from Japan all the way down to the southern hemisphere," ​said Nelly Ngadiman, managing director, Bluebell South East Asia and Australia.

"I am so pleased that our entrepreneurial spirit and our focus on retail excellence has paid off and is being recognized by our brand partners, who have given us their trust to expand their footprints into this new market. We look forward to bringing Australian consumers more exciting new lifestyle concepts in the coming years.”

Looking ahead, Bluebell said its Australian team will be expanding its "current in-market brand partners’ presence to more locations in the country," and will also be launching other brands which the group already works within the APAC region, across Australia.

Founded in 1954, ​Bluebell Group is present in Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and now Australia. The group’s distribution network includes flagship stores, shop-in-shops, counters, its own multi-brand concepts, as well as a wholesale network, covering both domestic and travel retail.

The group operates across multiple product categories including accessories, footwear, apparel, fragrance, beauty, jewellery and watches, among others. In addition to Pinko and Gentle Monster, international brand partners include Acne Studios, Balmain, Celine, Christian Dior, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Stone Island, and Tod's, among many others.