In the age of mega malls and global e-commerce, many real world retailers have filed for bankruptcy and shut shop, but this is not the case for heritage fashion precinct The Strand Arcade.

Declared "the finest public thoroughfare in the Australian colonies" when it opened in 1892 and home to the Chequers nightclub in the 1950s, the Strand Arcade has survived two depressions, two World Wars and two major fires.

It has long been a go-to shopping destination for Sydney schoolgirls buying their formal dresses and brides-to-be looking for that perfect gown for decades. It still houses a host of luxurious Australian designers and artisans who say physical retail at the Strand is alive and well.

“It evokes a beautiful sense of nostalgia with its old-world charm and Victorian grandeur, while still being contemporary with its beautifully curated offering," said AJE co-founder Edwina Forest who opened her first Sydney store in the Arcade in 2015 with business partner Adrian Norris.