First In, Best Dressed: Melbourne’s Best New Store Openings in Spring

Hold onto your credit cards, because a host of new stores has just opened in Melbourne. It’s hard to have missed the news that Mecca’s biggest-ever store opened on Bourke Street, but did you know they quietly reopened in Carlton too? Local labels Crumpler, and Scarlet & Sam, have pop-up activations worth getting to, as well. Plus, a couple of Emporium openings have piqued our interest.

Here’s where we’ll be shopping this spring.

Brotherwolf South Melbourne

Dare we say, this might be the chicest barbershop we’ve ever set our eyes on. Brotherwolf has opened its fourth salon-cum-fashion store, upping the ante on what men’s grooming and shopping experiences can look like. The 11-year-old brand has opened shop in an old South Melbourne bank, and the space’s grandeur has been elevated by interior designer Jessica Ellis. At the rear, customers can peruse Brotherwolf’s unisex garments.

Mecca Carlton

Don’t let Mecca’s Bourke Street opening let this new store fly under the radar. Mecca has reopened its doors in Carlton, doubling its previous store space. Housed on the corner of Lygon and Faraday streets, its design has been influenced by the area’s Italian heritage. The fresh-faced beauty destination features a semi-private skin space, eight artistry chairs and a dedicated fragrance section.

Crumpler Womb Fitzroy

Crumpler Womb is the Melbourne label’s inflatable, womb-like pop-up. Explore the bag brand’s latest offerings in the close confines of a blow-up, red room. It’s as wacky as it sounds. It’s running until mid-November, so squeeze in while it’s still spring.

Scarlet & Sam Armadale

Now’s your chance to touch and try on local label, Scarlet & Sam. For five months, it’ll be settled on Armadale’s High Street for a spring-summer residency. Playfully dubbed its “little sister store”, followers of the label can discover fan-favourites in person, such as its ruched shirting and cropped bombers.

Camilla Emporium

Australian resort wear label Camilla is no stranger to physical retail; its newest opening in Emporium marks its 27th store in Australia. The pattern-fanatic label is now in its third decade of operation, with travel its leading source of inspiration. Its CBD boutique features floral wallpaper, intricate ceiling trimmings, mosaic floors and custom-made lampshades, as well as a train carriage installation experience showcasing various cultures Camilla has been inspired by.

Belance Little Bourke Street

Tucked upstairs on Little Bourke Street is Belance’s Melbourne showroom, an appointment-only, intimate dressing room for one-on-one consultations and try-ons. The menswear label creates elevated and modernised garments and accessories from premium fabrics. Book in to see its pieces in its new sun-drenched loft.

Mecca Bourke Street

The biggest store opening to open in Melbourne this year (or even this decade) is Mecca’s three-storey Bourke Street flagship. As one of the largest standalone beauty stores in the world, Mecca’s new HQ is a sensory playground. You can peruse its hundreds of skincare, makeup, fragrance and haircare brands, as well as indulge in its special service areas. This includes a nail station run by Richmond salon Trophy Wife, Mecca’s first wellness apothecary, floristry by Flowers Vassette, a hair salon by Josh Wood and a petite cafe tucked away upstairs. Word of warning: you may get lost wandering its hallowed, art deco halls.

Salomon Emporium

Outdoor performance brand Salomon’s popularity shows no sign of slowing down. The French sportswear brand opened its first Australian store in Chadstone last November, and quickly followed up with two others, one in Sydney and this one in Melbourne’s Emporium. Its fleet of functional, aesthetically led footwear makes it a favoured choice for hikers and inner-city style enthusiasts.

E Nolan Collingwood

Womenswear designer Emily Nolan has had a few shops her eponymous brand has called home – from a converted shipping container to a three-storey converted Fitzroy warehouse. Now, she’s settled into a bricks-and-mortar store on Gertrude Street. “I might be mad opening a store in this economy but I so believe in the magic of retail,” Nolan said on Instagram. Here, fans of her label can shop her ready-to-wear collections, from her signature shirts to accessories and footwear.

Handsom Fitzroy

Handsom has been in Fitzroy for the last 13 years. Now, the contemporary fashion label has revealed a subtle rebrand, refreshing its retail space with the help of local architect Chris Thompson of Officeof. The menswear and womenswear label is leaning on three values to carry it through this next chapter: timelessness, clarity and quiet refinement. The updated physical store is inviting and open; its exposed, light-brown brick walls complemented by timber, stone and industrial finishings.

Nakedvice Armadale

Nakedvice launched its trend-driven styles into the world 11 years ago. Now comes a second physical store. Following its first in Abbotsford, this Armadale shop showcases an array of modern garments and accessories in a luxe terrace building. Designed by Golden, its double-storied shopfront is pared back and sleek, while upstairs hosts one-on-one consultations and special events.

Article has been updated to include new openings.