"Snow globes and koala magnets won't be found at this gorgeous gift souvenir gallery store, melbournestyle. This is instead the place to locate souvenirs Melburnians would like to buy for themselves. Strategically located halfway between the river and the lake on South Melbourne's Clarendon street, melbournestyle is awash with deliciously different distractions for design-addicted shopping splurges. The shop's designer/curator, maree coote, has a good eye for what the home-grown (or blow-in) downtown hipster wants (there's loads of leather daisy chains, cool coasters, twig swizzle stix, elegant skull-and-crossbones jewellery and esoteric artworks), as well as offering meaningful Melbourne mementos."
a great night at melbournestyle
The Griffin and the Hatter were a sensation, with William Llewellyn Griffith's jewellery irresistible to buyers on the night, while the cheekiest hat in the Peter Jago collection was bought by Melbourne's own favourite fashion legend Jenny Bannister.
Also in attendance were Wendy Rule, darkly sonic singing sensation, Melbourne painter Julia Ritson, and William Eicholtz, Lempriére-prize winning Sculptor.
Melbourne turned on a perfect evening for this launch of the gallery space at melbournestyle, and guests wandered from store to windows to gallery under the stars.
Powerful, original jewellery makes a WLG statement from as little as $55 for exquisite silver crowns or swallows earrings, right up to $3500 for magical, mystical hair clasps to frame a face in florentine silver and zirconia hearts.
And Peter Jago offers original hats that range from a peach bloom velour finished with exotic plumes at $800, down to a snazzy fur and peacock wire rosette on an alice band that will steal any show for just $150, as worn by Jemma, Ginger and Clea, above.
The exhibition is installed for the coming weeks, at melbournestyle. Visit 155 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne.
THE GRIFFIN & THE HATTER?
This month's featured Melbourne Maker materialised like a time lord to recharge Melbourne's creative flame. WILLIAM LLEWELLYN GRIFFITHS is celebrity jeweller and dimension drifter. With a demeanour not unlike the Doctor himself, WLG as he is known, is the man to whom you'd go to buy Johnny Depp a pressie. When only the best bijoux will do, Griffiths ensures quality
meets creativity in just the right measure.
Accompanying the gems are hats by landmark Melbourne milliner PETER JAGO, in a collection of carribean-coloured fab felt berets. In his first ever winter collection, Jago explores the exotic inspirations of the south seas birdlife and jungle colours. Collections in store from April 2.
A little more affordable glamour can be found at the bottom of a very smart glass: irresitible cut and etched glassware mix and match the patterns - Some full sets available, only a limited range. Priced from ($25-50 each).
For the more restrained melburnian with only $8 to $25 to spare, good finds include funky acrylic tram rings, and Gumleaf and Banksia bookmarks for just $12.50.
GET LOST IN SUDS. This gorgeous Melbourne map soap has its very own tram tag to get you around town on a cloud of fresh lemongrass fragrance. A great gift. more
INEVITABLE FRIDGE MAGNETS. But these ones have style.
Smart black acrylic chairs, designed by famous Melburnians over the years, for famous melburnian bottoms. Set includes the brilliant 'Pepe' chair designed in 1994 by Chris Connell of Map (now part of the Gugg.'s permanent collection), and the 'Contour' chair, invented with the aid of a folded tram ticket in 1951 by Melbourne's Grant Featherston. And you thought these were just fridge magnets.
MEANWHILE, the Big Neds keep coming to melbournestyle. Large canvasses arriving mid March. See more Ned kelly gear here See more of the Big Neds by Maree Coote, and other artworks available at melbournestyle gallery here
