New Saba Store in Bondi

SABA RE-ESTABLISHES ITS PROFILE WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW WESTFIELD BONDI CONCEPT STORE.

SABA, the label synonymous with directional yet understated collections for both men and women, is pleased to announce the opening of a brand new flagship store in Westfield Bondi Junction.

"The opening of SABA Bondi is another step in the return to the brand's premium position as a fashion leader," said Andrew Michael, Managing Director, Apparel Group.

Being introduced into the stunning new retail space will be the SABA collection for Spring Summer 2006/7. Following a trip to Argentina by the SABA design team, the collection for both men and women is inspired by the unexpected colour combinations of Le Boca; the romance of the Tango; and the architectural magnificence of old world Buenos Aires.

For women, the overall look is effortlessly feminine. The dress is key and stripes, alongside geometric and graphic prints, are built on a colour palette that is bright, fresh and up-beat, including a re-working of the traditional nautical palette in shades such as moody blues, mocha and lemon. For men, block stripes in crew neck knits are balanced by subtler combinations in shirting for both casual and business styles. Pants are slim lined with the versatility to dress either up or down. Highlights include the slub knit 'Henley', the long sleeved cotton 'Hoodie', and the 'Bomber' zip through knit with poplin lined hood.

"The store fit-out also marks the first in SABA's new retail style which is at the forefront of the latest interior design trends, and where emphasis is placed on merchandising the collections in an inspiring way," Michael added.

SABA Bondi makes a distinctive departure from the ultra minimalist and all white concept of SABA stores around Australia over the past years. Once again at the forefront of design trends, the new store design unveils a more evocative and textural interior aesthetic that perfectly reflects SABA's refined signature. This includes warm woods, elegant motif wallpaper and bold geometric carpeting, all punctuated with cutting edge decorative elements such as the legendary Atollo lamp by Oluce, Italy.

Leading architectural firm, HP&G, was engaged to develop the new retail concept which draws its inspiration from European styling and particularly 'French Moderne'.

SABA traces its fashion legacy as far back as 1965 when Joe Saba made his first forays into the local fashion scene. His first store on Collins Street, Melbourne became a mecca for cutting edge collections of the time, and he was credited with driving the new wave of Japanese designers in the 80's such as Comme des Garcons and Yohji Yamamoto.

Later, recognising a gap in the market, Saba soon ventured to develop his own collection of separates for both men and women, locally manufactured to his exacting standards. Word spread, demand grew, and over the next ten years, SABA grew to become an iconic name on the Australian fashion landscape.

The Apparel Group purchased the SABA brand in 2005. Over the past year a new design and management team has seen a return to the core brand values first instilled by it's founder.

SABA Bondi is located at Shop 4010/LEVEL 11, Westfield Bondi Junction.