Pickings and Parry opened in Gertrude Street in September 2013, when Chris Pickings dropped a career in engineering to start a premium menswear emporium with his wife, Carlan Pickings. Five years later, the couple moved into a sleek double-fronted space further along the strip and expanded into womenswear with Heffernan and Haire.

Now known as PPHH, the beloved boutique – offering fashion, homewares and a barber shop – is celebrating 10 years in the business by releasing 10 custom collaborations over the next 10 weeks. “We always said if we can survive 10 years we’d be happy, so we wanted to make a big deal of it in case we don’t make 11,” Chris says, chuckling.

Until early November, customers can land limited-edition pieces made exclusively for PPHH, such as a T-shirt by Merz B Schwanen (recently famed as the makers of the ultimate white tee in The Bear); Gertrude, an incense fragrance inspired by the area, by Japanese brand APFR; and a beanie knitted in PPHH’s signature colours from German brand Heimat. There will also be free haircut giveaways, custom garment chain-stitching and storewide discounts.

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“Each collab has been really thought through and tells the story of our relationship with that operator,” says Carlan. The idea was initially to make a complete outfit of limited-edition pieces for the decade milestone. “We had a wishlist of brands we wanted to approach and have chosen ones we love, know well and are a similar size to us, so they were flexible and able to work to a short timeframe,” says Chris.

The evolution of PPHH is perhaps best embodied by Chris, who was wearing heavy denim high-waisted pants and sporting a thick curled moustache 10 years ago, but now sits clean-shaven in an indigo-dyed technical jacket. “Originally we were a heritage store, but we have tried to progress while maintaining our roots,” he says. “We don’t want to be a costume store where you’re wearing the past. We’ve curated a list of brands that have a story and a relevance, but it’s not necessarily in a vintage style anymore.”

This changing style also reflects Fitzroy at large, which among other trends has recently seen the explosion of Gorpcore (wearing outdoor gear as streetwear). “Nineties outdoors is a thing – you see people wearing black Solomon trail shoes to walk around Fitzroy to get a coffee now,” Chris says. PPHH stocks around 50 brands, and new names are being added all the time – it just started selling Japanese scarves from One Ear Brand.

“One of the best things for us has been building a community here in Gertrude Street,” says Carlan. “It was very different when we first came here 10 years ago – we had the Everleigh, Belles Hot Chicken had just moved in, the McConnell guys were well established. But to have 10 years in retail in this area, and to survive Covid, feels like it’s worth celebrating.”

The collabs
Drop 1: Heimat U-Boat Beanie in PPHH colours
Drop 2: Merz P&P Barber souvenir tee
Drop 3: APFR Gertrude incense
Drop 4: W’menswear Flight Pants with custom woven label
Drop 5: Papa Nui Cap with a PPHH felt patch
Drop 6: Sanders Shoe celebrating PPHH’s 10th birthday, Sanders’s 150th
Drop 7: Ayame Socks in the PPHH colourway
Drop 8: Tender Co Mug featuring a custom stamp on the base
Drop 9: Lady White Co Rugby Tee and souvenir bag
Drop 10: Knickerbocker Jacket inspired by the vintage firehose in the PPHH ceiling

PPHH Store
Shop 3/166 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
(03) 9417 3390

www.pphh.store
@pphhstore