Just days before his Resort show at MBFWA last week, Dion Lee opened his third Sydney store, in Paddington’s Glenmore Road precinct. The choice to open here is no surprise; it’s a pocket featuring some of Australia’s top-tier high-street labels.

Lee’s frequent collaborator, Kelvin Ho of Akin Creative, designed the store. The fit-out is slick and industrial, with natural light sifted through the branches of jacarandas on the street. The change rooms feature blush-pink carpet and walls, in contrast to the rest of the space, where clothes are suspended on stark chrome racks and textured works of art hang against exposed brick and plywood. The furnishings are luxurious but raw; the edges feel undone – mirroring the aesthetic of Lee’s latest collection.

This year is significant for the brand’s growth, with its number of stores to double across the country. As well as the Paddington store, Lee also opened a boutique in Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast last week, and a sixth store will open in Melbourne’s Armadale next month.

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Lee’s biggest wholesale market is now in America, and he plans to move his sales showroom to New York by the end of the year. But maintaining a solid foundation at the brand’s roots is paramount for the designer. “Having a strong store presence where we began has been important for exposure as well as being able to strengthen relationships with our Australian customers,” Lee says.

Dion Lee
20 Glenmore Road, Paddington
(02) 9357 7896

Hours

Mon to Wed 10am–6pm

Thu 10am–7pm

Fri & Sat 10am–6pm

Sun 11am–5pm

dionlee.com