Marais is the Melbourne retail equivalent of French fine dining. Beautiful panelled walls, black herringbone parquet floor and leather-wrapped racks are the perfect accompaniment to the labels stocked here. Balenciaga, YSL and Anne Valerie Hash set the tone for what is predominantly and suitably a French label nirvana. Add Victor and Rolf, McQueen and Galliano and this is arguably one of the most sophisticated shopping experiences in Melbourne today.

The store is tucked away in the Royal Arcade, up a flight of stairs and around the corner you will come out into a wide expanse of bright natural light and a hidden oasis of contemporary fashion. And unlike many Melbourne shops, Marais doesn’t follow the usual trends and styles, they collect the rare and exceptional and present them to their customers like a work of art.

While the store may be veiled by the arcade, it was always meant to be a special destination, a hidden location for people to discover in awe.