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Finding a store that sells avant-garde fashion is a feat of its own. They’re incredibly rare and known to only a discerning few. After an arduous hunt, we present to you the best avant-garde stores in Australia.
The FALLOW
Fallow, founded in 2008, houses artisanal fashion that keep versatility and longevity in mind. Their almost genderless range is what makes Fallow unique (before androgyny became trendy), and many pieces are handcrafted by artisans in limited quantities. Essential to their buying ethos is a focus on luxurious natural fibres; cotton, silk, leather, linen and wool, as well as forward thinking silhouettes. They work closely with suppliers to ensure exclusivity, which allows them to present an offering that is unique and meaningful. No one in Australia can match their range of artisanal jewellery.
Address: Level 1/ 354 Brunswick Street, Brisbane Queensland 4006
Website: fallow.com.au
Dot comme
Enclosed within a futuristic space and decorated with surrealist furniture, the three-level store houses some of the rarest vintage pieces from Issey Miyake, Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto. Dot Comme’s owner, Octavius La Rosa, built his collection over the course of a decade and Dot Comme represents just a small portion of his 3,500 pieces. It’s an incredible avant-garde boutique in a country more well known for its meat pies.
Address: Curtin House, Level 3 & 4/252 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: dotcomme.net
pieces sydney
After 4 years of research and development, Pieces finally opened in 2007 in a historic building constructed in 1888. Pieces has split their collection across three independent chambers – Department, Container, and Basement – to best showcase their designers in specially constructed spaces. On the ground floor you will find designers like Maison Margiela, Yohji Yamamoto and Rick Owens. And on the second floor you’ll find cult brands like Maharishi and Boris Bidjan Saberi that mix easily with workwear and streetwear outfits. These pieces each aim to truly reflect the voice of their designer by bridging the past and present. There are plans in place to launch a second boutique in Auckland, New Zealand in January 2019.
Address: 4/8 Goulburn St, Haymarket NSW 2000
Website: piecesydney.com
MARAIS
Marais in Melbourne is one of Australia’s best stocked avant-garde fashion stores. The multi-brand luxury boutique is a rarity in Australia, and features the latest from Rick Owens, Wooyoungmi and TheSoloist while also offering classic luxury labels like Celine, Givenchy and Loewe too. A pilgrimage to the store is an almost spiritual experience, as you take in the oversized quartz patterns, translucent crystal floors, and smoked mirror ceilings – perfect backdrops for taking a selfie.
Location: 1st Floor Royal Arcade, 314 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
Website: marais.com.au
AOYAMA ARCHIVE
Aoyama Archive, founded by Sebastian Suppel, curates rare archival pieces sourced from Japan. Suppel’s collection is extensive, featuring designers like Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons to Jean Paul Gaultier and Junya Watanabe. There is also the occasional grail by Japanese wunkerkind Takahiro Miyashita of (N)umber Nine and TheSoloist. Aoyama Archive only has a website at the moment but keep your eyes out for their pop-ups, that feature garments which capture the unique essence of Japanese design.
Address: Level 1, 250 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3000
Website: aoyamaarchive.com
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