South Australian fashion outlet BNKR has opened in Adelaide Arcade, but for a short time only.

A BNKR pop-up is open in Adelaide Arcade until the end of October, with hints of a bricks-and-mortar return in the works.

For many South Australians, BNKR was known as a quintessential local fashion hub, but it has dropped off the sartorial radar in recent years.

The business, which is part of the Australian Fashion Group stable, moved to a solely online model after closing its physical Rundle Mall store in 2019.

Its parent company, then known as Australian Fashion Labels, went into voluntary administration in January 2021, with administrators Duff & Phelps brought in on 6 January 2021. In March 2021, Australian Fashion Group was purchased by a group of South Australian investors, with Michel Boutin installed as global CEO six months later.

Meghann Reeves, Australian Fashion Group chief marketing officer, says the investors are “really passionate about keeping the brand in South Australia and having a fashion industry in South Australia”.

Through BNKR’s Adelaide Arcade pop-up, launched as part of the inaugural ADL Fashion Week, the brand is set for reinvigoration.

“We’re really excited to dip our toe in the water and be back,” says Meghann.

“Having this physical presence allows us to show people that we’re back and thriving.”

The pop-up kicked off on 6 October and will run until the end of the month, though Meghann hinted at a possible extension.

Whether or not an extension happens, a more permanent return to a physical site is on the cards for the once iconic fashion outlet.

“We definitely have plans to bring a bricks-and-mortar store back in as part of our retail mix,” she says.

“We definitely would look to bring a store to life in SA. It’s something [we’ll] look to do early next year.”

Meghann says a return to physical stores is important for Aus Fashion Group, as it allows consumers to experience products from the company’s clothing labels – Finders Keepers, Keepsake, The Fifth and C/MEO Collective.

“I don’t think a lot of people realise how much goes into getting that final garment,” she says.

“Sometimes that can get lost online. I think having that physical store environment really helps show that craftsmanship.”

A dress from Aus Fashion Group label Finders Keepers. This picture: Supplied

Though the pandemic has seen many sectors, such as retail, questioning the need for physical space, Meghann says she’s seen a “big resurgence back into bricks-and-mortar”.

“People had to shop online, and now there’s the opportunity to have that hybrid model,” she says.

“We wanted to test [a store] out and see if that suited our customers, and so far the feedback has been that they’re really excited to pop back into a BNKR store and try on brands that they have loved for so long.”

The BNKR pop-up is located at Shop 5G on the ground floor of Gay’s Arcade and will be open for the remainder of October.