Eight To Try: Autumn’s Best New Store Openings

High streets are having a bit of a retail resurgence in Melbourne. Down south, Armadale has been getting a workout, with a handful of exciting new stores recently opened on its main street. Up north, Northcote, Collingwood and Brunswick have respectively seen a vintage store, a unisex label and a circular fashion hub open up. Here are eight of the best store openings we’ve seen this autumn. 

Libertine Parfumerie, Armadale

Melbourne now has its own flagship Libertine Parfumerie on Armadale’s High Street. Over the niche perfume destination’s 18 years, it has grown a portfolio of more than 60 luxury perfume and lifestyle brands, such as Creed, Trudon and BDK. Designed by esteemed interior designer Tasmin Johnson, the store is richly layered with patterns, while decadent wooden fixtures and antique furniture breathe prestige into the space. Visitors can join in-store masterclasses and one-on-one consultations on personal fragrance, too. 1023 High Street, Armadale.

Swop, South Melbourne

Rejoice, south-siders. Consignment store Swop has opened up a massive new location in South Melbourne. This marks the chain’s fourth store nationally, and its most ambitious location yet. Designed with Sydney-based Studio Gardner, the 500-square-metre corner warehouse oozes industrial cool, with conceptual furnishings bringing personality into the open space. “We wanted it to feel more like a gallery, somewhere you’d want to linger,” Swop’s founder Brigid Gordon told Broadsheet. Browse the ever-changing stock in this new concrete and stainless steel-bedecked store now. 82 Clarke Street, South Melbourne.

Frank’s Rug and Vintage, Northcote 

Emma van de Merwe has been selling vintage clothes for a long time. She’s sold pre-loved pieces through markets, online stores and physical shops, running through various business names, like Loam Vintage and Halcyon House of Vintage. Her latest venture is Frank’s Rug and Vintage, a joint venture with Matt James from Romance La Roy, where the pair sling vintage apparel, accessories, homewares and Persian rugs on Northcote’s High Street. The space feels lived-in and full of life because items naturally come with their own histories. 253 High Street, Northcote.

A-Esque World, Armadale

A-Esque has opened a concept retail store in Armadale, a sister store to its atelier in Richmond. The Melbourne-made luxury leather handbag brand was started in 2012 by Mimco founder Amanda Rettig. It’s grown into a quietly confident brand, dedicated to high-quality, timeless accessories. Its new shop acts as a gallery-like retail space, with monthly rotating themes, events and installations. “After various trips to Milan [Design Week], I wanted to echo this immersive, theme-driven energy and bring something new to retail,” Rettig says. 968 High Street, Armadale.

Mutimer, Collingwood

How do you make the jump in perception from an Instagram brand to a legitimate brand? Mutimer would argue that a bricks-and-mortar store helps bridge the gap. The six-year-old label has opened up its first permanent store and has chosen Smith Street as its home. The flagship store feels less like a traditional retail space and more like an aspirational, mid-century apartment. There’s a wall-mounted CD player, a bunch of coffee table books and an Eames lounge chair. Of course, you’ll also find Mutimer’s full, ready-to-wear, unisex collections to try on and shop. 308 Smith Street, Collingwood.

Love Isabelle, Armadale 

There’s a new jewellery label on the block. Love Isabelle is a Sydney accessories label creating vintage-inspired modern jewellery, known particularly for its selection of chunky chains, petite watches and organically shaped hoops and rings. Its first Melbourne outpost aims to mimic the inside of a jewel box. It’s moody and intimate, allowing its gems to shine. 1250 High Street, Armadale.

Into Carry, Brunswick

It’s hard to sum up what Into Carry does in a neat sentence. The Melbourne circular hub is known for its upcycled bags, but it also exists as a community space where people gather, learn and hang out together. The seven-year-old business has moved premises, leaving Collingwood for Brunswick. The new space has some old finishings made from Saveboard’s recycled packaging waste and other repurposed materials. “[It] takes everything we’ve learnt about creating experiences and sharing impactful learnings … then [doubles] down on the juicy parts,” design director Luke Phillips says. The juice comes from community events, like sewing workshops, morning talks and monthly potluck dinners. 8 Duckett Street, Brunswick.

Aje, Chadstone

Aje has revamped its Chadstone boutique, giving it a renewed luxe appeal. A subdued tonal palette complements marble detailing and plush changing rooms. The space was made to feel like a Milan-based art collector’s apartment, with works of art interspaced between Aje’s apparel and accessories. “Chadstone is a destination in itself, so the store needed to rise to that expectation. Our ambition for this space, and for all of our retail environments, is to create something lasting – an experience that feels distinctly Aje and lingers well beyond the visit,” co-founder and CEO Adrian Norris says. Shop 357, Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road, Malvern East.