Forever 21 opened its doors in Nelson Mandela Square in Johannesburg this past Saturday, 17 October 2015. I was invited to the media launch last week, and found other “fashionistas” who were as eager as I, to get a first glance at the merchandise on offer.

I would say Forever 21, as the name suggests, is aimed at the teenage to late 20’s market, with some items geared towards the older age groups. The prices are very attractive and affordable for most items. There are some statements pieces that retail for around R450, such as this little number that I have my eye on.

The first Forever 21 branch in South Africa, opened in Canal Walk in Cape Town about a year ago, so I was keen to see what the Jozi store would look like. You won’t be disappointed, with more than 26 000 square feet of retail space over two floors.

“We have had a great response from our customers in South Africa and are very excited to open our second store,” said Linda Chang, Forever 21 Vice President of Merchandising. “We are looking forward to bringing a vast selection of fashionable merchandise at a great value to the people of Johannesburg.”

Complementing Forever 21® apparel and accessories, the store will also feature the retailer’s other brands including Forever 21 Contemporary, Forever 21 MEN™, Forever 21 Plus, Forever 21 Girls™, as well as Forever 21® denim and shoes.

I particularly liked their accessories selection, with on trend earrings and necklaces that are right up my alley.

The launch of the store meant bringing over a contingent of staff from Cape Town, the USA and Dubai, who all seemed excited to meet us, and I was eagerly shown around the store by Cape Town based Visual Merchandiser, Ntombi Johnson.

Ntombi Johnson and I

The MC for the evening was the vivacious Stacey Norman from 94.7, whom I chatted to for a while. She has only been in Jozi for a one and a half years, so we bonded over both being Capetonians, in the “diaspora” that is Johannesburg.

Stacey Norman from 94.7 and I

If you are new to the Forever 21 brand, here’s a bit of history:

Forever 21, Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is a fashion retailer of women’s and men’s clothing and accessories and is known for offering the hottest, most current fashion trends at a great value to consumers. This model operates by keeping the store exciting with new merchandise brought in daily. Founded in 1984, Forever 21 operates more than 700 stores in 47 countries with retailers in the United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Latin America, Mexico, Philippines and United Kingdom.