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australia shopping guide
Fitzroy & Melbourne
download a handy printable map.
1
Alannah Hill
After a colorful career that included a stint in the circus, Tasmanian-born Hill founded a clothing line, and its theatrical flourishes—flamenco-ruffle dresses, lavishly beaded cardigans—have made it a hit.
17 Howey Pl. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-9203
17 Howey Pl. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-9203
2
Alice Euphemia
For the past decade, Karen Reischieck has given Australian designers like Josh Goot and Tina Kalivas their first exposure in her tiny stained-glass-windowed shop. She continues to take chances on offbeat brands, such as Romance Was Born (beloved for its bizarre appliquéd sweatshirts) and Lucy Folk (a jeweler who turns out gold pretzel-charm necklaces).
Cathedral Arcade, 35-37 Swanston St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9650-4300;
114 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9417-4300
Cathedral Arcade, 35-37 Swanston St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9650-4300;
114 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9417-4300
3
Alpha 60
Named after a nefarious computer in a Jean-Luc Godard film, Alpha 60 offers streamlined pieces in a somber palette.
179 Brunswick St. FITZROY 61-3-9416-4296
179 Brunswick St. FITZROY 61-3-9416-4296
4
Cactus Jam
Now a mini empire with branches across the city, this irreverently named chainlet sells on-the-cusp local labels, such as Camilla and Marc and Alice McCall, plus established international ones—and it's this expansive mix of European names, like Chloé, Stella McCartney, and Matthew Williamson, that makes Cactus Jam so great (overseas lines aren't as easily found in Australia as you'd think).
12-14 Albert Coates Ln. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-0472
12-14 Albert Coates Ln. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-0472
5
Claude Maus
Deftly tailored classics with a unisex feel, like leather anoraks, are perennials at this Melbourne favorite.
19 Manchester Ln. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-9844
19 Manchester Ln. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-9844
6
Country Road
You can always count on digging up classics like cashmere cardigans and voile sundresses at this chain; currently, its old-school canvas duffels are all the rage among the nation's teens.
260 Collins St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9650 5288
260 Collins St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9650 5288
7
Craft Victoria
This nonprofit arts center exhibits and sells the work of crafters, jewelers, and ceramists who live in Victoria. Many of the items have a one-off, found-object appeal, like porcelain figurines cast from vintage Matchbox cars and swingy necklaces strung with an unusual combo of birch slivers and bright beads.
31 Flinders Ln. MELBOURNE 61-3-9650-7775
31 Flinders Ln. MELBOURNE 61-3-9650-7775
8
Fat
This fast-growing boutique chain has spawned four Melbourne locations. Our favorite is found in the lobby of a stately downtown post office—the building's high ceilings and marble-slab floors provide an arch contrast to the street-influenced pieces, like Antipodium snap-front skirts, Maisie high-waisted denim shorts, and Tatty Devine acrylic jewelry.
350 Bourke St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9662-3332
350 Bourke St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9662-3332
9
Glitzern
Quite possibly the smallest store we've ever encountered—it measures just 100 square feet—this accessories boutique actually benefits from its cramped alleyway. The atmosphere is so warm and intimate, it makes you want to take your time and linger over every Natalia Brilli leather-covered brooch and Scott Stephen tartan-bead necklace.
1A Crossley St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9663-7921
1A Crossley St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9663-7921
10
Left
This store's environs are moody and minimalist, as is the understated clothing from free thinkers like Rei Kawakubo and Veronique Branquinho.
161 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9419-9292
161 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9419-9292
11
Little Salon
Located in the city's hipster heart, the rough-around-the-edges Fitzroy neighborhood, this shop epitomizes the DIY retail feel of the area: It purveys limited-edition goods from local brands and keeps prices fair. Alongside proprietor Geneine Honey's laser-cut wood brooches are porcelain Chihuahua-shaped night-lights and sweatshirts screened with images of telephone cords.
71 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9419-7123
353 Little Collins St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9670-6996
71 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9419-7123
353 Little Collins St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9670-6996
12
Marais
Echoes of this boutique's original occupant—a fancy Turkish bathhouse—are still apparent in its elegantly columned, parquetry-floored interior. Glam pieces by venerable names like Lanvin and Yves Saint Laurent are found alongside edgier picks, including Viktor & Rolf and Anne Valérie Hash.
Royal Arcade, 314 Little Collins St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9639-0314
Royal Arcade, 314 Little Collins St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9639-0314
13
Metropolis Bookshop
In commercial downtown Melbourne, a cluster of alternative retailers are centered in a once-derelict office building called Curtin House, including this bookseller, which has a long-standing reputation as the city's premier source for the latest volumes on art and design.
Level 3 Curtin House, 252 Swanston St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9663-2015
Level 3 Curtin House, 252 Swanston St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9663-2015
14
Nothing by Nobody
Available only Down Under, jeans by this Melbourne-based label have broad appeal, thanks to their timeless and butt-enhancing styles.
396 Brunswick St. FITZROY 61-3-9419-3700
396 Brunswick St. FITZROY 61-3-9419-3700
15
Obüs
Locals know to look to this trendsetting favorite for unusually proportioned pieces with a playful sensibility.
226 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9416-0012
226 Gertrude St. FITZROY 61-3-9416-0012
16
Order & Progress
With a name taken from a slogan on the Brazilian flag, it's fitting that Order & Progress would proudly stock South American labels (look for Alexandre Herchcovitch and Maria Bonita Extra). But irreverent brands from Europe, like Eley Kishimoto and Katharine Hamnett, contribute to the inventory, as do ones closer to home, including Melbourne's cheeky Princess Tina.
Level 3 Curtin House, 252 Swanston St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-1329
Level 3 Curtin House, 252 Swanston St. MELBOURNE 61-3-9654-1329
17
Shweshwe
This imports store is a riot of color and pattern, and its onomatopoeic name comes from the swishing sound that traditional African waxed cloth makes when one walks in it. Clothing and pillows made from this vibrant fabric are sold alongside pebble-shaped felt cushions, Zulu wire baskets, and room-dividing curtains made from bright bottle caps that wash up on beaches in Madagascar.
202-210 Brunswick St. FITZROY 61-3-8415-1666, shweshwe.com
202-210 Brunswick St. FITZROY 61-3-8415-1666, shweshwe.com
18
Stella & Myrrh
There's no other reason to wander out to the sleepy suburb of Moonee Ponds than to visit this boutique. Though chaotically organized, Stella & Myrrh has an encyclopedic inventory of all the key players in regional design—from Mad Cortes to Karen Walker, plus bikinis by Zimmermann and Mor beauty products.
130 Puckle St. MOONEE PONDS 61-3-9375-2955
130 Puckle St. MOONEE PONDS 61-3-9375-2955
19
Supré
While their cavernous, dimly lit stores—with their turned-up-to-11 dance music—can test your patience, your reward is their ridiculously comprehensive stock.
284-292 Bourke Street MELBOURNE 61-3-9929-9100
284-292 Bourke Street MELBOURNE 61-3-9929-9100
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