I, Like, Totally Heart Fashion Valley!

Songs aren't written about this glorious location for nothing. A place where the sun always shines, the people are beautiful and the shopping is spectacular. In California, anything is possible.

Even an upscale shopping mall called Fashion Valley, located in San Diego. While the name may lend itself to soap-opera-like images, it's actually a 1.7 million-sq.-ft. shopping center frequented by upwards of 18 million shoppers every year. That's more than the combined annual attendance of Sea World, Legoland, San Diego Padres, San Diego Chargers, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, The San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park.

Can you imagine what this place is like for holiday shopping?!

Oh, and it gets better--check this out--Fashion Valley is also only one of three venues worldwide to include the decadent shopping combo of Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. Hence, the 18 million shoppers. Think that's luxurious? Just wait. Things are about to get so much hotter.

In 2008, Fashion Valley will welcome Barneys New York COOP, CH Carolina Herrera, Hermes, Jimmy Choo, Just Cavalli, M Missoni, Michael Kors and Tourneau. That's like a luxury shopping overdose! Many of these retailers are entering the San Diego market for the first time, so you know the 18 million + shoppers will be dying to get a chance to shop at any one of these new stores.

With that many high-end retailers making their grand entrance in 2008, it's obvious that good things come in nice, big packages. When I called Fashion Valley to confirm that their 2008 retailers will all be opening at the same time, their representative could neither confirm or deny this report. Touché. They like to be mysterious too...

While typically, one or two stores will enter a shopping location together, rarely do they do it all at once. It sounds like this might be the strategy for Fashion Valley in 2008. I like it because it sends a powerful message to the shopping public--Fashion Valley is the place to be (duh!).

In addition, throughout 2008, Anthropologie, H&M, Juicy Couture and True Religion will also call Fashion Valley home. The goal is, of course, to make San Diego and thus, Fashion Valley, the location for trendy, high-end shopping. And it's working. Even the retailers are convinced. With CH Carolina Herrera boutique's due to open this month, she had this to say:

"I just adore Southern California. Fashion Valley is fantastic," said Carolina Herrera. "I love how you can walk around in the sun to see all the other great shops. I cannot wait to open my own CH Carolina Herrera boutique there."

I'm on board! Frankly, I would love to see luxury retailers go into an upscale area all at once. The impact would be huge, especially if it's their first time entering the market.

What do you think? All for one, one for all? Or is it best to maximize publicity and stroll into a market all by yourself? Would love to hear your retailing thoughts...

--Heather Strang