Sucker Buys Error 404, Bringing More Than 100 Independent Fashion Labels Under One Roof

Five years ago, Sucker opened up shop in Fitzroy. So did Error 404. Error 404’s mission was to spotlight local and international designers. As was Sucker’s. For half a decade, the two multi-brand boutiques operated on either end of Brunswick Street, building like-minded communities of boundary-pushing fashion enthusiasts.

That was until last week, when the two retailers officially combined forces. A couple of months ago, Error 404’s founder, designer Kacy Heywood of Kahe, sold Error 404 to Sucker founders Ben Tambyah and Aden McLeod. Now, Error 404 has moved out of its St Georges Road store and into Sucker’s two-storey residence. 

“[Heywood] contacted us one afternoon. We were pretty stunned, to be honest … It was quite a shock,” Tambyah says. He and McLeod sat on the offer for about a week before accepting. “We’ve always felt that Error and Sucker have been separate and offer different things to the community, and I think Error offered something that we were really excited about.”

Error 404 is now under Sucker’s ownership, but the two stores will remain separate entities. According to Tambyah, Heywood’s decision to sell Error 404 was largely due to the growing success of her 10-year-old ready-to-wear label, Kahe. It was important for Sucker’s owners to keep Error 404’s ethos true to its legacy, and so the new store remains female-run, now by buyer and brand liaison Paris Astley, and store manager Xiu Tan. 

“[Heywood]’s had the two businesses coexisting for five years … running two businesses, two stores, two teams,” Astley says. “She felt like she wasn’t able to put enough into Error … so she thought that she would pass the baton on [for] someone else.”

When asked what Sucker and Error 404’s professional relationship was previously like, both Tambyah and Astley laugh. “More so at the start, we definitely shared differences,” Tambyah says. “We opened up just around Covid time, so it was a very difficult time for the stores to be open … [It was] a smaller pond for us to be working in together at the time.

“We definitely fostered a more supportive relationship as the years went on, because we understood that we were developing the same vision, the same mission. We’ve always had the best interests of our designers in mind at the forefront,” he says.

From the outside, Sucker and Error 404 have notable similarities. Although Sucker leans towards more masculine, streetwear styles and Error 404 has a more feminine slant, both have overlapped significantly in what labels they stock. But in this new chapter, there won’t be any overlap in terms of what brands are sold. “I don’t think that there will be any crossovers,” Tambyah says.

The new plan has meant changes for some brands that were bestsellers across the two boutiques. For instance, Melbourne label Essbee will be staying in Sucker and moving out of Error. Melbourne label Toile Studios will be moving out of Sucker and into Error. “We’re going to give ourselves a year of trial and error to see how things go, and taking those risks and really developing the curation,” Tambyah says.

Error 404’s coming back with a bang; it’s stocking Club Venus’s first collection back from its hiatus as well as Be Right Back’s newest pieces, and is now the first Victorian stockist of swimwear label Ziah.

Ultimately, shoppers will be able to explore both Sucker and Error 404’s curated offerings with ease; they’re now downstairs-and-upstairs neighbours. “We’re in the same building – that’s the beauty of it,” Astley says. “Some people don’t have a set style, or every day, they’re a new person in how they dress. I think customers can expect bigger ranges [and] more volume.”

The space above Sucker previously served a rotating cast of subletters, ranging from nail and makeup artists to graphic designers and Salon Archive (which has since moved into the Nicholas Building). Now, 60 square metres of the upstairs floor have been gutted, allowing the building’s heritage to shine, playing into the beauty of the high ceilings, natural light and wooden floors.

“In any kind of retail space, when you walk up the stairs somewhere, you want to feel that kind of elegance and that levelling up. I think you are going to receive that with Error,” Tambyah says.

“Our very own Aden [McLeod] set up a majority of the store. His dad being an architect, he’s always loved projects like this; he’s been our main interior designer,” Tamyah adds. Many of Error 404’s old fixtures made it into the new space, like some of its racks and tables. Frosted windows have been replaced with clear ones, a feature wall of curtains has been put up, and McLeod even built a 1000-kilogram sandstone counter. 

In just five short years, Sucker and Error 404 have both been able to build strong reputations based on the quality and depth of their stock lists. “Having this hub of over 100 independent designers is really, really big,” Astley says. “You don’t really see that in physical spaces [here].” 

What’s the big goal for the next five years, now that they’re growing together? “We want to be the number one space to come to in Melbourne,” Tambyah says. 

Sucker Fitzroy

63 Johnston St, Fitzroy 

Sun to Tue 12pm–4pm

Wed & Thu 11am–5pm

Fri 11am–5.30pm

Sat 10am–5pm

shopsucker.com

@shopsucker

Error 404 Fitzroy

Level 1, 63 Johnston St, Fitzroy 

Sun to Tue 12pm–4pm

Wed & Thu 11am–5pm

Fri 11am–5.30pm

Sat 10am–5pm

shoperror404.org 

@error404store___