Gentle Monster expands in Sydney with the Bluebell Group

Asian retail and brand distributor Bluebell Group has extended the launch of Korean fashion eyewear brand, Gentle Monster, in the Australian market, via a new point-of-sale in Sydney.

Located on Elizabeth Street, on the ground floor of premium department store David Jones, the new Gentle Monstre retail store will greet visitors with its iconic kinetic art installation, coined the ‘Giant Head’, alongside Gentle Monster’s latest collections of eyewear for both men and women.

The Elizabeth Street opening comes one year after Gentle Monster, in partnership with the Bluebell Group, opened its first travel retail airside space in the southern hemisphere at Sydney airport, in November 2022. 

Looking ahead, the Bluebell Group said the first Gentle Monster Australia flagship store is set to open in July 2024. Exact location details were not disclosed.
 
“This first opening in Sydney’s domestic market is a significant milestone for both the brand and Bluebell; it is a recognition of a close and successful partnership,” said Ngadiman, managing director, Bluebell Southeast Asia and Australia.

“I am honoured for the trust that Gentle Monster has placed in our teams, and to be part of the process of the exciting future for the brand in Australia. The brand’s uniqueness and disruptive nature in the fashion eyewear category enhances our teams’ commitment to retail excellence even further.”

The new Gentle Monster Elizabeth Street space officially opened its doors on October 25.

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 Gentle Monster, international brand partners include Acne Studios, Balmain, Celine, Christian Dior, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Stone Island, and Tod’s, among many others.