New Jet flagship store in Canal Walk to enhance the value-fashion retail experience

Jet is a modern and accessible clothing brand for every customer: a store that boasts some of the most trendy designs for all ages, which situates its products between affordability and world-class concepts in clothing.

The brand recently launched its flagship store in Canal Walk – and the new 1 800-square-metre space is something special to behold.

The floor plan and store layout are immaculate, featuring a variety of sections dedicated to men, women, children and babies. As the flagship store, Jet’s incredible range represents the brand’s identity holistically, focusing on sheer style and is tailored uniquely for the future and innovation when it comes to Jet’s ever-evolving market. It also provides home products, beauty offerings as well as cellphones.

To enhance the shopping experience across both in-store and online platforms, the new store includes a Bash Screen that allows customers to browse and shop online on Bash directly from within the store.

For moms and kids, you can modify your wardrobe effortlessly by selecting only the best in fashion to make you look your best, no matter what the occasion. Whether you’re going for a fresh new look, selecting something unique for a special event or seeking trendy kids wear, Jet boasts some of the best ensembles to complement your style.

As mothers, you want your outfit to shine no matter where you are, and Jet’s range is tailored to each and every situation. Whether you’re looking for attire that hails sophistication or just something casual for the everyday routine, there’s an array of clothing to uplift your look.

When it comes to kids- and baby wear, the assortment bursts with colour and superior wearability that is comfortable, practical and is at the height of practicality and fashion for the young ones.

The Character World Fashion Zone is another appealing addition to show off Jet’s apparel for your child to express their personality and feel like trendsetters. This section, conveniently located in the centre of the store, showcases popular characters and themes from animated films and cartoons – the fan favourites – such as Barbie, Lilo and Stitch, Spiderman and Frozen, among many others.

At the launch of Jet’s flagship store, media, influencers and esteemed guests were invited to find out more about the prominent brand. Head of Business for Jet, Jeannine de Chaud, said that as a longstanding brand established in 1976, it’s always been about providing affordable and stylish clothing that speaks to the everyday South African. “For both apparel and home, with the opening of this store we continue to fulfill our promise of delivering accessible fashion, while embracing innovation and evolving trends to better serve our customer.”

She then focused on the brand’s business strategy and vision. “Backed by incredible teamwork and very strong partnerships, it is really important we acknowledge the contributions that have come together to make this happen. To our trend and design partners, we have been through a few seasons together, raising the bar each time – with product obsession being at the centre of every discussion.”

De Chaud noted it is highly beneficial being part of The Foschini Group (TFG), which Jet joined about four years ago, and which wants to reclaim Jet’s rightful position as the most loved store in South Africa.

“We firmly entrench our supply model to be more agile and demand-led, ultimately more profitable for all. To our extremely talented merchant teams – which includes buying, planning and sourcing – your creativity and passion and drive continue to push Jet forward, ensuring we aggressively gain strides in the value-fashion retail space, becoming the Jetsetter team to beat.”

She also highlighted Home and Beauty, highlighting local collaborations and how Jet has repositioned these sections in such a short amount of time, with so many amazing things yet to come in these departments.

With regard to value-added services, De Chaud said that, “Although we know the core of the business…we must recognise the enhanced value we bring to our customers. The store’s fashion shopping experience has been carefully curated to offer stunning touches that Jet customers haven’t enjoyed before. For instance, there’s an exclusive intimate-wear fitting room, a fun selfie wall in the teen girl’s NTK department, and digital screens across the store flighting engaging content.”

Jet celebrates individuality and style, and invites customers to experience the very best of South African value-fashion retail. Jet is “a place where fashion meets affordability”, said De Chaud.

We also spoke to Thabana Khothule, Head of Buying, who said that holding on to the company’s value perception is very important. “The flagship store is here to really reposition Jet as a value-fashion retailer, where we deliver an assortment and purpose that we offer at incredible prices. The store is here to help showcase the product in a better way; however, it doesn’t mean that since the store is now revamped and looks amazing, that the prices have gone up.”

He explained the significance of launching the flagship store in Canal Walk and the amazing layout. “The old Jet store was pretty much what I used to call quite a ‘shy’ approach: very small, a bit cluttered and didn’t want to be bold. However, with the entrance of new markets and new competitors in the South African retail space, we ought to quickly get out of that modesty and realise we are the most loved value-fashion brand in South Africa. And the Jet brand holds so much heritage. So this store is literally celebrating that.

“We have a beautiful Home offering, which is world-class – it’s right up there with the best of the best. We also have a Beauty [section]. We’ve launched Colours with Jet, which is an amazing beauty offering from skincare to eyelash extensions to nails. So we have a bit of everything.”

What makes Jet stand apart in baby- and toddler wear? “You are appealing to parents’ emotions,” noted Khothule. “So it’s all about the cute factor: everything in the baby section needs to be soft, comfortable, cosy and very practical. So we’ve added things like zip-guard safety to some of our sleep suits, and we still add a bit of fashion. Colours include mint, dusty pinks and light blues, which are practical and Jet-cute.”

Focusing on the reliability and durability of their baby- and kids clothing, he explained the rigorous tests that the apparel goes through. “To make sure it is SABS-approved across all the boards, we also benchmark internationally to make sure we deliver better quality than our competitors. And that’s how we really unearth that value for money.

“For me, the baby customer is what I call a ‘true customer’ because when that child is born, the first thing they need is warmth, and the parents are already stretched financially. So those are the true customers I personally hold very dear to my heart. Because practicality and especially affordability are important for that customer because already they are having to buy so many nappies – so a little bit of relief for parents is quite critical.”

Jet is redefining customer experience in South Africa’s value-fashion retail sector. The flagship store is on the cutting edge of fashion, designed and curated to meet the expectations of Jet’s modern and aspirational customers.

As De Chaud summed up, Jet offers an elevated shopping experience tailored for all customers and positions itself remarkably as one of South Africa’s most trusted retailers, focusing on sheer quality and bold trends available at affordable prices.

Matthew van Schalkwyk

Jet’s new flagship store is ideally located on the Upper Level of Canal Walk, next to The Fix and opposite Primi restaurant.