Large bricks-and-mortar retail shops in Australia would likely be both happy and sad with more foreign fashion brands opening stores in the Land Down Under.

While on one hand they would have more competition on top of rivalry with foreign online stores where purchases by Australians below $1,000 are GST-free, the playing field would be leveled insofar as GST is concerned since Aussie shoppers would need to pay the general sales tax even if the item they bought is just $1 from these foreign brands.

One such store is Collection of Style (COS) which on Monday announced the opening of its first Australian store in Melbourne in 2014. The retail outlet would be at The Strand Melbourne on Elizabeth Street.

YouTube/ANNY BODY

It would be the first COS store in the southern hemisphere. Marie Honda, overall brand responsible for COS, said the retailer is looking forward to its opening in Australia and said that Melbourne is a vibrant, cultural and exciting city, making it the ideal location of its first store.

COS sells clothes for men and women, featuring high-end design and good quality but comes with affordable price tags. The company launched its first store in 2008 and has since opened outlets in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

COS policy is style over fashion and is known for garments that have timeless designs that go beyond the current season. It merges traditional methods of clothes-making with new techniques and innovative fabrics to create clothes that are both classic and modern, according to its Web site.

COS is actually part of the H&M Group which is also opening a Melbourne stores in April 2014 to its international portfolio.

YouTube/SomethingGreatMedia

RELATED STORIES