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As a time-poor, sleep-deprived mum, Melburnian Jacqui Hoang dreamed of creating something that made her feel good, felt comfortable to lounge in all day and was stylish enough to wear out. “Naturally I thought of designing luxury pyjamas,” she says. That was 2017. Fast forward three years and throw a pandemic in the mix, and… Continue reading Sleeping With Jacques, the Melbourne Sleepwear Label Blurring the Line Between Bedroom and Bar
Written for Broadsheet Sharon Taylor is an advocate for wearing knitwear in any climate, all year round. Whether it’s a long lunch in winter or balmy rooftop drinks in summer, a knit is your friend. That’s why she launched her own all-seasons knitwear label, St Cloud, in Melbourne last year. “Our knit dresses are very… Continue reading Australian Label St Cloud Makes Retro Knitwear for Every Season
Written for Broadsheet Flinders Lane’s historic Richard Allen & Son building was constructed in 1897 and operated as a fabric-manufacturing warehouse in the early 20th century. More recently, the site existed as office space before the Mulberry Group – which sold its iconic Melbourne cafes Top Paddock, Kettle Black and Higher Ground last year – took it over in 2017 and began… Continue reading First Look: Nathan Toleman’s Hazel Arrives, All Soft Hues and Natural Light, in a Historic Flinders Lane Building
Written for Broadsheet When Becky Cooper and Bridget Yorston first met in 2000, they were both studying fashion design at the University of Technology Sydney. “We’d hang out all the time, did all our uni assignments together and loved working together,” Yorston remembers. “And then a friend of ours approached us with a pair of… Continue reading First Look: Bec & Bridge’s First Melbourne Store Sweeps Into Armadale, All Soft Curves and Neutral Tones
Written for Broadsheet Canadian-born Kalaurie Karl-Crooks travelled to Australia by boat in late 1998. She grew up on the mid-north coast of NSW before moving to Melbourne in 2010 to study costume design at Swinburne University in Prahran. “Halfway through the course I realised I ultimately wasn’t interested in working in the film or television… Continue reading Back to Basics: Timeless, Collectable Statement Shirting Handcrafted to Order by Sustainable Melbourne Label Kalaurie
Written for Broadsheet Husband and wife team Nikita Miller and Omar Asadi are behind the new minimalist Melbourne womenswear label Nikita Miller, which launched in August. The “part one” collection is made-to-order and features simple, structured staples that look and feel almost Japanese. Standout pieces include the oversized long-sleeve Luan shirtdress (which resembles a trench coat and… Continue reading The New Minimalist Label From Melbourne Inspired by Performance and People-Watching
Written for Broadsheet After a long day spent working aboard a cargo ship, head stockperson Mimosa Schmidt suffered from chafing between her legs, under her arms and on her neck from the ill-fitting boilersuit she was wearing. The constant discomfort made her wonder, “Why isn’t there one of these suits [designed] for women?” “I wanted… Continue reading Boiler Suits Made for Busts: The New, Affordable Melbourne Label Challenging Traditional Workwear
Written for Broadsheet As far as city dining goes, Melburnians have a tonne of choices. The recent opening of upscale food hub Ella really ramped up the options for casual city lunching, and now, further south, another high-end food hall is attracting attention. St Collins Lane is a shopping hub that runs between Collins and Little Collins… Continue reading Six to Try: The Best Dishes at St Collins Lane
Written for Broadsheet A neon “it was all a dream” sign is all that remains of all-night pho joint Twenty Pho Seven. The Russell Street diner that blended R’n’B tunes with the sound of diners slurping noodles transformed into Straight Outta Saigon in March, leaving the 24/7 concept behind, among other things. “We’re getting away… Continue reading First Look: Goodnight Twenty Pho Seven, Good Morning Straight Outta Saigon
Written for Broadsheet On a street corner in Ascot Vale, past a grand old green and ivory facade, is a whimsical new cafe laced with old-world charm. In some ways, Old Man Drew is a labyrinth mistaken for a cafe; it takes more than a few (panicked) moments to spot my friends for brunch. The… Continue reading Now Open: A Whimsical, Labyrinthine Cafe in a 150-Year-Old Former Auto Parts Shop
