Brisbane Bargains

Hi ladies,

We're back with an enquiry this time. At first I thought I'd reply to it privately but hey, with AirAsia and MAS having promos on their flights to the Gold Coast and Brisbane, this might be useful to others out there too. God knows I was at a loss as to what would be available in Brissy before I got here. So hope this helps a tiny bit.

Hi there... been following your blog for updates on bargains and such esp bags !!! Can't get enuf of them and then I noticed that one of u actually living in Brisbane.... I might be following my husband there somewhere in mid May I think with my almost 2yr old boy... and would love to have your guide on shopping bargains there. DFO would be a good start...

Huda

Firstly, many apologies for the really slow reply. Hope this does not come too late.

Yes, you are right, I'm Malin and I'm here in Brissy. I don't think I've ever mentioned that but maybe I did and I forgot, that's not unusual with me.

Anyway, firstly, the shopping here in Brisbane leaves much to be desired when compared to a metropolitan like KL. Having said that, there are some hidden gems to find, especially if you know where to look. I gotta say though, that if you're looking for high-end branded designer goods, you will be sorely disappointed. Firstly, you'll be hard pressed to find rows and rows of designer shops in one single place like KLCC or Pavilion. LV is situated at the end of Queen Street Mall in a building together with Tiffany & Co..... and that's about it. However, in the same building, you will find a David Jones department store (an Isetan or Parkson Grand of sorts) and it carries names such as Marc Jacobs, Tod's, YSL, Dior, Paul Smith (yes they make bags and leather goods, stripey ones that I love) and also Celine. You will be much surprised to see that these bags akan dilonggokkan bersepah2 not unlike Bonia and Guess bags sold in Isetan. Yes. But don't be fooled, because malangnya, the price tags do not reflect harga jualan longgok/murah. *sigh* Especially with the current exchange rates, memangla TAK MURAH. However, the upside to this is that, Aussies aren't fussed about high-end designer brands or even "IT" bags. Therefore, tak yah nak berebut or get on a waiting list. Choices abound!

But hey, I'm a firm believer in shopping for native specials when travelling. You can get designer goods just about anywhere else in the world, so why not buy something unique to Australia so you can get a bag AND also a fond souvenir, right?

Ok, right next to the Brisbane airport is the Direct Factory Outlet. Not the biggest outlet in Queensland but it's just the perfect size for me. Plus it's about a 15 minute drive from Brisbane's CBD (central business district). At DFO, you'll find the local brands such as Cotton On, Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Body (lingerie and intimates), Oroton (bags and leather goods), Rubi Shoes, Witchery, Forever New, Sportsgirl, Cue, Portmans, Joanne Mercer, etc. These outlets will have great great bargains and past season stocks that you won't be able to find in the retail stores anymore. Memang best, because you will go crazy with options and choices. Then you'll have the "surfer dude" brands such as Billabong, Roxy, Quicksilver... Ozzies are big on swimwear and surfwear. Great bargains there too, if you're into that. There's also an Esprit and Timberland outlet. Tidak dilupakan juga, kitchen and homewares.... sila lah borong Corelle yer. I'm not an expert on this, but I've had friends who've gone quite mad at the Corelle, Corning Ware, Baccarat and Scanpan sales.

So that's all about DFO. If you do have the time, you also need to take a trip down to the Gold Coast and stop by Harbourtown. That's the factory outlet equivalent of a small town. All the labels I've mentioned up there, and many more are available at Harbourtown. Tapi jauh la a bit from Brisbane.

So, Huda, hope this helps. Email me when you get here because I have a boy who just turned 2 too, so maybe we can set up a shopping/play date. :D

xoxo,
M