MERGE

The Colonnade Centre – 

Shop 9/388 Hay Street, Subiaco , W.A

08 9380 4397

info@mergeclothing.com.au

www.mergeclothing.com.au

Merge clothing is my latest store that is now stocking my pieces.  I have always been a big fan of Merge Clothing from years ago and I am so proud that now my label is stocked at the store.  It has a really interesting mix of small independent local brands as well as established Australian and international brands.  It is located on ground floor of the Colonnade, corner of Hay Street and Catherine Street, next to a small café.  If you turn the corner from Hay Street to Catherine Street, you will see a display outside the store to welcome you through.

The store is very simple in its layout with their awesome collection accessories and bags in the middle section.  They have really cool dresses that I know girls would absolutely adore.  Every time I go there I always almost buy few items and I have to physically stop myself.    Most of all, the girls that works there are so friendly and also they are have a big presence on Facebook, they have daily updates and new photos uploaded all the time.  I particularly enjoy following what the girls wear on daily basis. They have a fantastic sense of style!  You should definitely follow them on facebook!

What do they sell?

Cool street wear as well as party dresses.  If you are going to a wedding or a special birthday celebration, you will definitely find a dress here and you will more likely to purchase some accessories to go with the outfit!

DESIGN A SPACE

Design a Space –City Store

20 Manchester Lane, Melbourne, VIC

03 9663 8991

city@designaspace.com.au

www.designaspace.com.au

Design a Space stores can be find in three different locations in Melbourne: Manchester Lane in the city, Chapel Street in Windsor and Brunswick Street in Fitzroy.  Their concept is that the selected designers rent a space within the store to sell their designs.  I loved the idea of the store and the level of freedom they allow the designers to have.  This is where you find rare one off pieces that you can’t buy anywhere else.  I used to sell some of my pieces at the street markets that I hand made myself.  I would use vintage fabric that I found in Japan and make them into dresses.  I have been looking for a place where I can sell these rare pieces and was very happy to hear about Design a Space from a friend I studied at uni with.

I am most familiar with the Melbourne City store as that is where I am stocked.  It is a really cool store located in an alleyway.  This almost secret location gives it the extra delight when you finally find the store.  The store has this crazy eclectic feel.  Each designer booth is bursting with their own energy of colour palette and design aesthetics.  My booth is in general very dark as I like to work with lots of black but bring in textured panels to create depth.  (Although some of my one off pieces are coloured capes and vintage silk dresses..)  My booth would be right next to another designer’s collection which could be full of colours and prints and highly contrasted against mine.  I love this tension that is present in the store. 

What is stocked there?

Young Australian labels- men’s wear, women’s wear, accessories, bags.  Everything is really cool and who says no to a one off piece ?

This is a photo of Pemily from the store.  I was trying to take a sneaky photo but she saw me and came out to say hi.  She is really cool, you should all go say hi to her!  I am the worst when it comes to taking photos, I always forget to take my camera..

HATCH

HATCH

Shop 55 Carillion City, Hay Street Level, Perth W.A

08 9226 0209

sales@hatchshop.com

www.hatchshop.com

Hatch is a store that just opened in Carillion City arcade in Perth just last year.  It is run in conjunction with the Perth Fashion Festival to promote up and coming W.A. labels.  It’s a great store that celebrates Western Australian talent.  It is amazing to witness such a variety of design that is produced right here in Perth.  It can be very challenging to find a store that is willing to take the risk of taking on a very young label.  Hatch provides a nest to nurture young labels and give them an outlet to display their talent.  I am very proud to be part of Hatch.  The shop has a contemporary feel, with pale floor and bright lighting.  If you look closely they have antique elements such as the old telephone which provides an interesting contrast.

What do they stock?

It has a great range from casual wear to resort wear to formal wear.  They also have accessories and some artwork as well.  It has a great energy when entering the store and it is probably due to the overwhelming passion that is being exerted from the works by young designers.  Chelsey Wayte is the director behind Hatch and her amazing styling skills is evident every time I walk past the store and see their window display.  Chelsey has been very supportive from the very beginning, giving me lots of advice and I am really grateful. 

This is Paris who works there.  We used to work together few years ago and it was such a surprise to see her!  The display is: Alina dress on the left and Violett shirt and Shadow skirt on the right.

BILLIE JO

Bille Jo

22 Criterion Street, Hobart, TAS

03 6231 9293

billiejo@billiejo.com.au

www.billiejo.com.au

My friend Kath is originally from Tasmania and from very early stages of Monster Alphabets, she was always telling me that Billie Jo is THE only boutique in Tassie that sells good clothes.  The owner Billie-Jo is a lovely and kind lady who is so supportive towards young labels and was one of the first store owners who kindly emailed me back to give me some great feed back about my first collection.  Hobart seems so far away from Perth but Billie and her friendly staff are always just a phone call away and they are such nice and bubbly people to talk to on the phone!

Billie Jo is tucked up a little side street off one of Hobart’s main shopping strip of Liverpool street.  Criterion St, where Billie Jo's is located is becoming a bit of a hotspot for quirky little shops and fashion boutiques.

It is small store and when you enter there is a seamstress section off to the right, where the alterations take place.  The presence of the sewing machine links you back to the idea that her clothes are actually designed by someone.  The store has a lot of timber details, and a huge wooden square table in the middle for the latest deliveries.  The timber elements together with the warm lighting bring warmth to the store.

What is incredible about Billie Jo is the way they communicate with the customers on social media and their website.  They constantly update their facebook status with new items and daily news.  They have sales and generous give aways exclusively to facebook followers.  They are the best at keeping the energy level of the staff very high and positive.

What do they stock?

They stock Male and Female street wear clothes.  The brands they stock varies in style and price range, but it is a store that caters for every hipster in Hobart.  They also offer in-house alteration as well as after hours styling service.  I personally think that in house alteration service is fantastic, you find a style you like, they can help to perfect the fit.  Most of the time clothes are all about the fit right?  If you like what you hear, you must check out their facebook page, and look out for their latest sale and give away.  Oh, did I mention that they offer free express post throughout Australia?


Thanks to Billie for these images!

ROYAL ORDER OF NOTHING

Royal Order of Nothing

165 Swan Street, Richmond Melbourne, VIC

03 9421 0856

hello@royalorderofnothing.com.au

www.royalorderofnothing.com.au

When I finished sewing my samples for my first collection, Winter 12, I had no idea how or where I should approach the stores.  I asked a former work mate and a great friend who is now based in Melbourne about some of her favourite boutiques.  One of her favourites was Royal Order of Nothing in Richmond.  

They have the nicest staff members working at the store and they make you want to stay at the store for just that bit longer.

What do they stock?

They stock both Male and Female street wear/ ready to wear items.   You will find pieces that you can wear quite casually on weekends as well as pieces that are quite fashion forward and have a designer statement on it.  Jono and Taryn are both very selective about what they put in the store and this is very evident.  There is a very strong cohesiveness about the store.  The colours are all in strange harmony with each other.  Their choice of stationary and accessories compliments the clothes that they sell.  If you can’t find something you like to wear from R.O.N, you will definitely end up purchasing some little accessory or some cute greeting cards.  How can you resist not buying some cool greeting cards?  You can save them till the next time you have to go to a friend’s birthday party.  Oh and if you have kids, they also stock the cutest kids wear and toys.  

I find that it is really rare to find a store that sells cool and edgy ready to wear clothes.  There is simply no other stores quite like R.O.N.

STORES!

I have decided to write a little about the stores that stocks Monster Alphabets.  It's a big risk for stores to take on a brand new label and I really appreciate all their faith in me and my work.  I choose the stores I approach very carefully and I would like to share with you all the special reasons why.oh, my boyfriend is away and he normally checks my erratic writing before I post on blogs but because of his absence I have no editor..  so bear with me folks!  

ALPHABET PONY

My friend I studied architecture with, Cian and his girlfriend Bianca writes Alphabet Pony, which is a web based magazine formerly based in Sydney and now Melbourne.

They asked me to answer quick 10 questions, and here it is!

Their website:
http://alphabetpony.com.au
has some really cool articles covering many genres.

ALINA DRESS

ALINA DRESS

Now available from

W.A:

HATCH - Carillion City

VIC:

ROYAL ORDER OF NOTHING -  165 Swan St, Richmond

or contact me at:

monsteralphabets@gmail.com