Melbourne shopping

[Boots & Perfume]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to melbourne in a month for a big shopping trip, and i want to make sure i don't miss anything!

Where are all the shops/locations i have to get to? Any fabulous vintage shops (i know i have to make a trip to Shag on Chapel Street) or boutiques? Where can i get Marc Jacobs and Balenciaga bags? What other Melbourne icons must i stop at?

Also where at the cutest lounges/bars, etc? Staying on Spencer Street in the city.

Thanks!

 

[hellooholly]

hey boots! you'll have a great shopping trip here i'm sure! =)

well there's a ton of amazing vintage places together on Chapel St..

the top / north end of chapel st (south yarra) is all the mainstream shops, great for street style.. the south end (windsor) has great but slightly pricey vintage..
and take a side detour to greville st, off chapel st; lots of more eclectic stuff, at least one vintage shop, and a scanlan/theodore clearance

you can thoroughly cover all of it in one day

Toorak rd (which runs across the top end of chapel) is worth a look too.. next to the elise caarels handbag boutique, is the consignment store mio tesoro, which atm has a rouge Hobo and a black Work.. the only place in Melb currently stocking Balenciaga.

Collins St has all the luxury designers.. a couple in Crown casino

GPO on Bourke St mall in the city, and QV on Lonsdale/Swanston, have all the local designers' boutiques.. and are beautiful spaces to shop in..

Bourke St mall has all the mainstream shops.. I like MNG, DJ/Myer

Block Pl is this great little lane with a whole row of indoor/outdoor cafes, looks amazing, and there's great coffee and food.. I love Cafe Segovia..

some other great bars in the city are: Tony Starr's Kitten club, which is totally a Melb institution (I think on Little Collins?), Phoenix (Flinders St?)..
Southbank is great for cafes and restaurants on the water.. Bear Brass is v nice, and fairly inexpensive..
Check out Fed Sq as well; Transit is very popular..

This website has alot of the best city bars: http://www.bar-secrets.com/thankyoum.html

North of the city (you can take a tram), Brunswick/Smith/Gertrude Sts are great for the more offbeat side of things, so again, vintage shops, large discount outlets, great ecletic cafes and dining...
check out Bimbo deluxe for cheap gourmet pizza during the day, and a bit clubby at night.. the Hideout across the street and Retro have great food and really cool spaces..

Have an ace time! =)
the chicks on vogue.com.au/forum may be able to help you out more if you wanna log on there too..
=)

 

[Jade///]

ok here are my suggestions as a proud part time resident of Melb

I absolutely love the QVB in the city because it is home to some of my ultimate favourite shops (Cactus Jam, etc) You will find some amazing stores hidden in some really funky architecture as well! Its really fun.

Chapel St is near home for me and has a great assortment of shops but I do think the city is more diverse if you are running low on time.

Toorak Village gets boring for me because its all about the $ and not about the fashion...

Goodluck!

 

[Little Star]

Ooooh! Yay! I think we have so much to offer down here shopping-wise!

As mentioned above definately go down Chapel St (and Greville Street, which is just off Chapel). Shag is quite cool (but can be expensive, as much of this area can be)...I also like Chapel St Bazaar (another vintage store...its huge!!). A nice place to have lunch down there is Sass Cafe...
http://www.chapelstreet.com.au/

I would definately recommend Bridge Rd also...its awesome down there, especially if you're looking for bargains!!! You could spend a whole day down there if you wanted to - I know I do!
http://www.bridgerd.com.au/home.asp

The City is great also, as you would expect. If you get a map from Federation Square, you will be able to find heaps of little cool laneways such as Centreway Arcade, the Block Arcade, the Royal Arcade, The Causeway, Albert Coates Lane, Red Cape Lane etc. I think you can find a vintage store called RetroStar upstairs in the Royal Arcade. There are also fabulous shops such as Genki, Kinky Gerlinki, Quick Brown Fox...anyway just do a bit of poking around and you'll find them. Thumbs up for the GPO (Wayne Cooper, Akira, Zimmerman, Roy) and the QV too!
http://www.qv.com.au/

There is also a large shopping centre called Chadstone, known as 'the fashion capital' which is chockas full of trendy clothing stores, both chain and upmarket. Just for starters theres Sportsgirl, Charlie Brown, Bettina Liano, De Cjuba, Pieno, Alannah Hill, Myer, DJ's, Glassons...I never get sick of it.
http://www.chadstoneshopping.com.au/defaultHi.asp

Anyway I hope this helps!!

 

[chiqmeow]

don't forget BRUNSWICK STREET!!!!!!!!!!

 

[copper]

^ yes definately, and johnson street that runs off brunswick.

and Acland street st kilda is a must.

 

[Boots & Perfume]

Oooh, thankyou sooo much everyone! I'll be sure to check them all out. It's been a few years since i had a whole week there, so i'm dying to get some quality shopping time in!!

Where is the QVB? And how far is Chapel St from the city (i'm staying at the Duxton on Spencer St) again? Walking distance?

Any other tips? I think i'll just print this whole thread out and take it with me! hehe

 

[Little Star]

To get to Chapel St from the city...just hop on on a train on the Sandringham Or Frankston line and get off at either South Yarra station (and walk down Lovers Lane until you hit the main shopping strip) or get off at Prahan. It shouldn't take any longer than 20 minutes from the city.

The QVB (Queen Victoria Building) is in Sydney isn't it? If you mean the QV it is on the corner of Swanston Street and Lonsdale Street.

I can email you a map of Melbourne (the central city area if you like) or you can pick a good one up at the information centre at Federation Sqaure (which is directly opposite Flinders Street Station).

 

[Jade///]

Melbourne has a qv as well the b at the end is just for building.

I wouldnt reccomend any malls like chadstone or anything because my favourite thing is the walking in melbourne. Such wonderfully diverse people. Its been a few months since Ive been in melbourne and you tend to start missing it so easily! i love that city so much. I hope the shopping goes wonderfully!

 

[Boots & Perfume]

Thanks, i can't wait to get there! Not long now

 

[Monsieur]

i haven't lived in melbourne for a year now so things might have changed, but a couple of my favourite stores were all along little collins street... you have to go right up towards russel & exhibition streets... i suppose it's because there is a concentration of nice men's stores... but there's stuff for ladies too. two stores not to miss are (chiodo & assin)
also don't miss Marais... which i think is on lt collins between bourke and elizabeth - it's kind of hidden away and upstairs, the sign is pink or fuscia
... also if u have the opportunity, eat at my favourite japanese restaurant there "kuni's" it's along china town but right up towards spring street - it's sooo super tasty...
another store to check out is zentini, which is along queen street, between collin and bourke streets - i think. my friend's sister runs the place and they tend to make very nice pieces so have a look !!!
i also enjoy manvious, which apparently has started to produce clothing for women, the designer's store is on Little Lonsdale street between queen and elizabeth streets....

 

[Monsieur]

haha and also check out savers and this store across the street from it... although i'm afraid i don't know the address my friends and i used to raid those places before parties
shag is a gem
but also i love Genki... u can find some cute items there

 

[Boots & Perfume]

Yeah, i can't wait to go to Shag! Where exactly is Kuni's? I LOVE japanese food!!

Thanks for the tips

 

[Monsieur]

[SIZE=-1]kuni's is at 56 Little Bourke Street (so if u are on swanston street where the china town gates are, keep walking up little bourke street all the way towards spring street. it is on your left, a blue and white sign)
[/SIZE]

 

[UniqueChic]

To all the Melbournians; what's your favourite boutique and where is it?

At the moment i'm in love with Schmik. It's in the Sportsgirl Centre b/w Collins and Little Collins st in the Elizabeth and Swanston block. They have girls and guy's stuff (limited guys). They stock True Religion, Joe's and Diesel jeans, Indiana by Freya, Roger Grinstead, Belinda Fairbanks, Lenny tees for guys, Autonomy, RubyRuby by Ruby Smallbone. They also have these gorgeous snakeskin wide belts in bright trippy colours, but i don't know who they're by.

 

[Boots & Perfume]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! Just got back and had a great time

My favourite purchases- Chanel Classic black caviar quilted 2.55 flab bag with gold chain (from the Collins Street Chanel boutique), quirky gold mirrored perspex horse necklace and gorgeous bath products from Kleins Perfumery on Acland St in St Kilda, Black velvet and grey silk ruffled skirt and hair/corsage flowers from Alannah Hill Little Collins St, and a few other things (though nothing can top the bag)!

Totally loved just walking around & exploring all the little shops, and eating lots of delicious food (which was very cheap, btw!).

 

[Boots & Perfume]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! Just got back and had a great time

My favourite purchases- Chanel Classic black caviar quilted 2.55 flab bag with gold chain (from the Collins Street Chanel boutique), quirky gold mirrored perspex horse necklace and gorgeous bath products from Kleins Perfumery on Acland St in St Kilda, Black velvet and grey silk ruffled skirt and hair/corsage flowers from Alannah Hill Little Collins St, and a few other things (though nothing can top the bag)!

Totally loved just walking around & exploring all the little shops, and eating lots of delicious food (which was very cheap, btw!).

 

[Boots & Perfume]

Oops, sorry for the double post!

 

[UniqueChic]

Your purchases sound great! Can you post some pics?

 

[Boots & Perfume]

Sure! I'm on holiday for a week in Queensland, but as soon as i get home i'll post some