Long before online shopping, same-day delivery and luxury fashion hauls, there was Mark Foy’s.
For nearly a century, the legendary Sydney department store was the place to shop, helping introduce international fashion trends to Australian shoppers and becoming one of the city’s most glamorous retail destinations.
Now, more than 40 years after it closed its doors, the iconic name is making an unexpected return—with the option to refresh the wardrobe from the comfort of your couch.
The famous Sydney store has been reborn online
If you’ve ever walked past the Downing Centre in Sydney’s CBD, you’ve already seen the former home of Mark Foy’s. The grand heritage building on Liverpool Street once housed one of Australia’s most celebrated department stores, orignally founded in 1885. Inspired by Paris’s famous Le Bon Marché, the retail palace became a Sydney institution before eventually closing in 1980.
However, fast-forward to 2026, and the Mark Foy’s name is back as a luxury online department store founded by Mark Foy, the great-grandson of the retailer’s former managing director.
After years of planning, the new venture has launched with a carefully curated collection of designer fashion, accessories and luxury brands.
A new chapter for a Sydney retail legend
The original Mark Foy’s was known for being ahead of its time. It helped bring international fashion houses to Australian shoppers and became famous for introducing new retail experiences that felt remarkably modern for the era.
The revived version aims to capture that same spirit, albeit through a digital storefront rather than a sprawling city department store.
Luxury labels currently available include some of the world’s most sought-after names, such as Burberry, Celine, Givenchy and Loewe, with additional brands expected to join the platform in the coming months.
From Liverpool Street landmark to luxury e-store
While the original store employed thousands of staff across its heyday, today’s operation is considerably leaner. The company sources products directly from European suppliers and ships them to customers, avoiding the costs of maintaining extensive local stock.
It’s a very different retail model from the one Sydney shoppers would have experienced decades ago, but the ambition remains similar, by bringing premium international fashion to Australian customers.
For many Sydneysiders, Mark Foy’s remains one of those names that sparks memories of a very different city. Even those too young to remember the department store can still see its influence across Sydney’s retail history.
The physical doors may never reopen, but the Mark Foy’s name is back in business.
