Sportsgirl has opened its largest and most stunning superflagship store in Melbourne’s expanded Chadstone shopping centre. 

Interactivity is the cornerstone of the new jewel in high-flying fashion chain Sportsgirl’s crown.

At 750sqm Sportsgirl’s new Chadstone store is larger than the downtown Melbourne Bourke St store. It features a cosmetics area, shoe zone and brand new accessories area, in addition to a new ‘flex’ concept.

Sportsgirl CEO Elle Roseby describes the store, which opened on August 19, as a whole new experience in interactivity.

The flex area is an ever-changing space according to the current themes, trends and innovations in the marketplace. Roseby says the area provides shoppers with a new interactive experience with a host of fresh ideas and concepts to be interchanged within it.

The focus of the store is entertainment and interactivity, with electronic in-store systems providing the basic atmosphere. This has been built upon with make-up artists, and in-store DJ’s. Customers can also take advantage of the unique Style Me Studio, where they can book an appointment with a Sportsgirl stylist for one-on-one fashion tips and advice.

"We’re really excited about this environment. The large space has given us the opportunity to create a fantastic entertainment zone to allow us to engage and entertain our customers. People will be able to experience our products and play with them."

Roseby says Sportsgirl’s store look and feel is constantly evolving, with investment in larger format stores having been a focus recently. There are now eight stores within the chain sized at 400sqm or more, six of which sit slightly below the superflagship design, including Booragoon in Western Australia, Highpoint and Doncaster in Victoria, and Parramatta and Bondi Junction in Sydney.

Sportsgirl also launched a new beauty range in September, something in planning for more than 18 months, with the Chadstone store the first to offer the collection.

"The new beauty range allows customers of all different ages to come into Sportsgirl and try our costmetics. The quality is beautiful and it’s a great opportunity for further brand extension," said Roseby.

While Roseby won’t indicate how many superflagship concept stores the chain is considering in the longer-term, she says the concept is perfect for the Sydney market, and the company is currently seeking a location.

Fifty new stores opened when Chadstone unveiled the first part of a $280 million expansion in August. New concepts to open also included Anton Jewellery, Esprit, Seafolly, Forever New, Swarovski, Lindt Chocolat Café and many more.