Fashion chain news to get excited about. If you’re into that sort of thing.

After Borders closed down there was much rumour about what would fill this prime CBD retail space. There aren’t too many space of this size in such a key location. Surely it would get filled by some major brand? I remember hearing ‘Apple’ ‘Zara’ and ‘H&M’ being bandied about. That was July / August last  year. The space is still empty but if you’re looking to attract a million-dollar investor, you can’t rush these things.

I don’t have news on who is moving in as yet. However, according to a much-repeated report in the Courier Mail the other day Zara, Gap and Top Shop are all looking for space in Brisbane.  Of these I think I’m most excited about Zara. I’m so hit-and-miss with their clothes but when I find something I like I tend to love it. I have a small collection of pieces bought in sales when I was living in London in 2008, including a pair of stiletto windsors that are incredibly painful to wear but I can’t throw out because I love them so much! If I wait long enough, surely they will stretch or my feet will shrink? 

 Kind of love this 'fish dress' ... 

Top Shop I’m less excited about. I get why so many people love them and I adore many of their designer capsule collections. However, every time I walked into a Top Shop store overseas with the intent to spend I would invariably leave half an hour later with nothing but a feeling of having caught a glimpse of excessive consumerism and not liking what I saw.

Mary Katrantzou for Top Shop. I was so excited by this and did manage to log on early enough to buy online. But the prices were just too much for me at the time. Might regret that decision. 
 

Gap – I have never walked into a Gap store because it all looked so neutral. Now that I’m a little older and dressing in navy and white as standard weekend fare, I’m thinking that I might become a convert. 

UniQlo has also announced that they're coming to Australia, but I'm yet to make up an opinion on them. Apparently, they are amazing for basics.

Of course, I’m still secretly hanging out for H&M but I might be waiting a few more years.

Do any of these Brisbane arrivals excite you? Where will you be shopping when they finally arrive?