MELBOURNE–With the opening of a gigantic two-storey tall denim fly at Melbourne’s Chadstone shopping center on Thursday night, Gap officially ticked Australia off its to-do list. Total world domination? Done.

Or is it? While the Aussie fashion pack oohed and aahed over the teensy Gap kids line (anything small is always cuter), and stocked-up on undies for their boyfriends and brothers, chatter amongst the racks quickly turned to just how the very buttoned-up all-America GAP aesthetic is going to work into an Aussie wardrobe.

“Do you think I can Ksubi this up?” one blogger squeaked. “Does anyone really wear double denim?” asked another.

At first glance, the Gap 2010 spring range instantly conjures up images of vacations in the Hamptons, complete with tennis lessons, apple pie, and lobster sandwiches. Admittedly I’ve never actually been there (so please excuse the clichés). In contrast, the stereotypical Aussie summer style has more of a “drinking warm beer at a summer music festival” vibe.

So how does Gap fit in on Australia’s high street? To be honest, I don’t think it matters.

Why? Because it’s Gap! And the same goes for Zara and Uniqlo when open they open their doors here later on in the year. Yes, we have similar stores that sell the same things for very similar prices. But they are same old, same old. And Gap is big, shiny, and new. And not just that, these big international brands have been snubbing us for so long, it’s like they were playing hard to get, and Aussie shoppers have fallen hook, line, and sinker for their playboy ways.

So will I be adding a bit of Gap to my wardrobe this summer? Definitely–but I’ll style it with a Sass & Bide tee. My main concern is…what am I going to do on my overseas holidays now?

Kate McKibbin is the founder of Australian online publication Drop Dead Gorgeous Daily.