International fashion brand Pomelo. opens 1^st store in the PHL

POPULAR fashion brand Pomelo. has brought its stylish pieces for women to Manila, opening its first physical store in the Philippines at Glorietta, Makati, last Wednesday.

“We started selling online in the Philippines maybe seven years ago. We were blown away by how popular the brand was. Honestly, we didn’t know that much about the customer,” said David Jou, chief executive officer and co-founder of Pomelo., at the store’s launch.

“This time, we worked with our partners SSI, who researched the market and what the fashion customer wants. We found a perfect fit with what the ‘Filipino Pomelo. Girl’ is looking for,” he added.

Known for weekend fits, corporate attire, and even beach and gym clothing, Pomelo. focuses on women’s fashion for every occasion. It was founded in 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The name, which is indeed a reference to the fruit, reflects the brand’s identity. “Basically, we wanted to bring something fresh, something new, something that represents the region. We thought, Pomelo. is a perfect name,” said Mr. Jou.

He explained that feedback sessions with the online Pomelo. shopping community was what motivated them to transform from an online omnichannel fashion platform to spread physical stores across Southeast Asia.

“One question was, what’s one thing you want for Pomelo.? Every single one said, ‘please open up a physical retail store!’” he said. “That was back in 2018. We now have stores in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and now, the Philippines.”

Two main collections can be found at Pomelo.: Sophisticated Urban, for “chic, city-ready modern women,” and Velvet Horizon, offering “feminine rustic charm with floral prints and soft color palettes.”

There’s also a wide array of collections for other occasions, from resorts wear to sportswear. One corner of the store is dedicated to an exclusive Pomelo. x Hello Kitty collaboration.

Finally, the store houses VERSE, an independent brand with office-ready pieces that prioritize elegance.

The space spans 270 square meters and is located on the ground floor of Glorietta 1.

“It’s a really nice mall because it’s in the middle of Makati, the business district, and it’s also a transit hub,” Mr. Jou told ����ý. “We felt like we really had to be in the center of the city, so we selected this place.”

He added that the next branch will be in another central location: Robinsons Place Manila in Malate, Manila.

As for what more to expect from these physical spaces, Mr. Jou teased that the “Come Try Buy” experience will be launched in the Philippines soon. It allows Pomelo. app users to select what they want to try in the store ahead of time.

“You can build outfits and create looks online, then everything you want to try on will be waiting for you in the fitting room,” he explained. “That’s coming soon. It will be one of the key experiences.”

Pomelo. is available on Zalora and soon on Shopee. They are also available through their app and . — Brontë H. Lacsamana