HOWEVER NICE the architectural packaging, the tenant line-up in shopping centres and retail thoroughfares increasingly tends to be described as “generic”.

The critics have a point. At a time when indigenous retailers are struggling with upward-only rent reviews and often high local authority costs, the giant multi-brand owning fashion conglomerates have the economies of scale to absorb the costs, pounce on vacant units and emerge with even more stores than before.

Popular Swedish clothing chain Hennes Mauritz (HM) is among those with the muscle to negotiate advantageous turnover-based rents when the time comes for further expansion into Ireland – both for the HM brand and its more adult brand COS (Collection of Style), which has yet to make its Irish debut.

The Gap will also want to extend its presence in Ireland before introducing its sister stores Banana Republic and Old Navy, while Hollister’s foray into Belfast’s Victoria Square is likely to be just the advance party for an eventual invasion by Abercrombie Fitch.

A surfeit of retail developments may have sprung up during the boom years, but a significant amount of new retail space is still planned for Dublin over the next few years. This will include the Dublin Central development on O’Connell Street and possible extensions to Blanchardstown Centre and the Square in Tallaght.

But for the moment, there is evidence that once fast-moving fashion brands are happy to sit out both the recession and the standstill in the commercial property market. Spanish retailing giant Inditex has opened 166 new stores worldwide in the first half of 2009, but none were in Ireland.

It’s not like the company has got nowhere to go, however, a recent agreement with Indian company Tata will see it roll out the Zara brand in India next year.