Brown Thomas to launch revamped store

Brown Thomas, the luxury Irish department store, will unveil its refurbished Dublin flagship store next week. The department store is will house a new menswear department and "behind-the-scenes spaces" utilised to increase retail floor space, reported The Sunday Business Post. There will also be luxury jewellers on the ground floor, where Tiffany and Cartier are expected to open their rooms later in the year.

One of the architectural centrepieces of the work, carried out by Canadian interior designers BurdiFilek, is a winding staircase which cost €250,000.

Chief executive Nigel Blow said that, despite the economic downturn, it was a good time to invest in the business. He told the newspaper: "You always go through major upheaval during development, and it always has a detrimental effect on business, even when business is good. When business is a bit softer, it is the best time to do it, but we didn't plan it that way. And when things pick up again, we are ready."

Blow added that many people had questioned his decision to open the new luxury brands section because of the current economic climate. "But when business is tough, it's the best time. Top-end luxury brands perform better when business is poor, compared to their peer brands. Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Chanel are totally outperforming other businesses at the moment," he added.

Source: WGSN