Melbourne luggage brand July, which started as an online-only business in 2018, has opened its first Sydney store, in the Galeries. It’s the brand’s third bricks-and-mortar boutique, with the first two located in Melbourne.

According to co-founder and chief strategy officer Athan Didaskalou, opening a Sydney store was always part of the plan – it was just delayed by about three years.

“We were literally 48 hours away from signing the lease, but then Covid [happened] and ... so we made the judgement call,” he tells Broadsheet. “To be honest, it would’ve been a terrible thing to do back in 2019.

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“Now, having gone through all that, we kept the relationship with The Galeries and this location popped up, and it’s actually in a better position than the original lease.”

Designed by Ava Construction, the store’s interior is purposefully pared back, with clean lines, natural timbers, grey tones and curved accents. Didaskalou says the idea behind the design is for “the products to be the feature”. And they do stand out – the dusty pink, sky blue and moss green suitcases and carry-on bags pop against neutral shelving. While the bright colours make spotting your luggage on baggage carousels easier, Didaskalou says they’re also a fashion statement.

“We’re seeing a lot more people not buy black luggage, because when people are travelling they’re wearing their neutrals, like all beige, all white or all black, and so the luggage is … that pop of colour in that outfit,” says Didaskalou.

He adds that the success of the brand is underpinned by the hyper-functional design and make of its products. One of those is July’s signature carry-on piece, a “crush-proof” 42-litre wheeled suitcase that comes with an ejectable battery, and USB and USB-C ports so you can charge your phone and laptop at the same time.

Buyers still receive all the benefits of the brand’s popular direct-to-consumer model, such as a 100-day trial and a lifetime warranty.

The team is already on the hunt for a second Sydney space – but it’s also looking to open in Brisbane, with a London store on the way by mid-2023.

July
Shop RG025, The Galeries, 500 George Street, Sydney

Hours:
Mon to Wed 10am–6pm
Thu 10am–9pm
Fri & Sat 10am–6pm
Sun 10am–5pm

july.com
@july