Brands queue for Kildare

KILDARE Village, the upmarket outlet centre, has several new fashion names setting up shop in the next few weeks, according to its business director, Andrew Marshall.

The complex, which opened its €50m phase 2 development last November, will welcome luxury designer Sarah Pacini later this month.

It has just opened a new Polo Ralph Lauren Children and a renovated Polo store,

Handbag designer Anya Hindmarch will move to a new, larger unit, while other new additions include sought-after shoe label Pretty Ballerinas. At the other end of the footwear market is New Balance, which will be another new opening at Kildare Village in the coming weeks.

Marshall also told me that Jigsaw, the high-end, high street chain will also open a shop there.

Jigsaw once had a prime-location shop on Grafton Street, but left in 2007, when rents were at peak levels, to be replaced by Ted Baker. Last year, Jigsaw dipped its toe back into the Irish market, taking up a small space on South Anne Street.

For those more interested in homewares than clothing, Villeroy & Boch, the German ceramics brand, will return to the centre in the coming weeks, Marshall said.

He was tight-lipped about reports that the company has held preliminary discussions to expand the centre again.

But with demand growing from consumers and retailers alike, it would seem likely Kildare Village’s trend for expansion will continue.