hile Alice Euphemia’s store was getting a well-documented facelift a few months ago, the same team behind the now iconic staircase was also working on bringing to life another equally well-known brand. Architects Ben Edwards and Juliet Moore of Edwards Moore were behind the design of the new Melissa retail space in QV, aptly named M Dreams.

The corner shop calls Vanishing Elephant and Incu neighbours and is almost an embodiment of the brand’s range of plastic shoes – bubbly, colourful and oh-so sweet. Shiny, rainbow-coloured shoes perch atop white plastic bubbles that look almost like they float around the room.

Walking into the space the first thing you notice, aside from the divergent plastic shapes covering every surface, is that telltale, sickly-sweet fragrance, not unlike a brand new Barbie Doll or a My Little Pony. Melissa’s sculpture-like pumps, wedges and glitter flats are anything but child-like, apart from the adorable choices available for little people, however.

A word of warning, it’s going to be hard keeping your hands off these shoes. Not that that’s a problem; it’s a pretty tried and tested fact that Melissa shoes are as sturdy as they are stylish. Heck, you could run around in ankle-deep puddles in the rain in a pair of their heels (something we’ve done multiple times).

M Dreams
Albert Coates Lane, QV, Corner Lonsdale and Swanston Streets, Melbourne

Hours
Mon to Thu 10am–6pm
Fri 10am–9pm?
Sat 10am–6pm
Sun 11am–3pm

melissaaustralia.com.au