Melbourne’s Collins Street precinct has officially launched, representing the completion of a $30 million redevelopment of the former Australia on Collins site.

St Collins Lane now hosts luxury international and local brands including; Paris fashion brands, Sandro Paris and Maje; UK label, Reiss; plus major luxury brands TAG Heuer and Coach, who occupy the Collins Street flagship stores, as well as Furla, Zadig & Voltaire and The Kooples.

St Collins Lane is estimated to create 400 – 500 jobs and generate $150m in annual sales, with up to 10million expected through the doors each year

“With the addition of St. Collins Lane to Melbourne’s diverse, world-class retail offer, we can expect hundreds of new jobs, millions of visitors through 55 outstanding retail shops, and new hospitality additions,” said City of Melbourne Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle.

“Melbourne’s retail and hospitality sector contributed $5.46 billion to the municipality’s economy in 2015 which is a 23 per cent increase from $4.4 billion in 2013.”

In total, St Collins Lane includes 60 retail tenancies along with eight large restaurants and two smaller kiosk-style offerings.

Designed by ARM Architects for LaSalle Investment Management, the new precinct draws references and inspiration from Melbourne’s oldest arcades, with St Collins Lane also implementing a new pedestrian link between Collins and Little Collins Streets.

“St Collins Lane is intended to become a part of Melbourne’s diverse identity, being different things to different people: a laneway for city workers to walk through on their way to work, a place to stop and get a coffee, somewhere to meet a friend for a drink or dinner after work, and of course a luxury fashion destination to access the best brands from around the world,”  Neil Masterton, design director, ARM Architecture.

The precinct has also launched a dining concept called ‘The Aviary,’offering the likes of Neil Perry’s Burger Project and Sydney’s Los Vida restaurant.

LaSalle investment management regional director of asset management, Simon Howard said The Aviary has created a refined, luxurious space for people to experience both day and night.

“Our vision for The Aviary was to create an in-house dining offering to match our luxury shopping experience. Our customers are just as keen to sample the best names in dining as they are in fashion, so our dining terrace matches the calibre of our retail brands with some of Melbourne’s best names in food,” said Howard.

“The design of the dining terrace, situated on level two, matches the quality of food on offer with a lightscape reminiscent of an illuminated canopy of leaves and unmatched, open-air views of both Collins and Little Collins Streets.”

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