Under the big shed they’ve created a space for small shops and pop up sites called SO:ME Space. It’s filled with clothing, accessories, artwork and bikes – a fun place to browse before or after your market grocery shopping.

Some of the designers include previous blog favourites Wet & Wendy and Skinny Nelson at Jane, plus cool bikes and accessories from Bakerlite and a very eye-catching shop display at Stone Glint and Bone.

SO:ME Space, South Melbourne Market, 322-326 Coventry St, South Melbourne

Wed 9am-4pm
Thurs 5pm-9pm
Fri 9am-5pm
Sat 9am-4pm
Sun 9am-4pm

Nestled in Johnston Street, in between the curry houses, Latin American restaurants and sweaty gyms is Zakkaya, a quietly beatific shop selling contemporary Japanese goods.

Their wares range from clocks, clothing, jewellery, toys, storage and everything is delicate, charming and oh-so-cute. It’s the perfect place to find a unique gift for that special person with an eye for design and craftsmanship. Lots of the things are made from natural materials like wood or stone or cotton.

Love these items…

A wooden hanging vase.

Kid-sized coat rack with animal heads on it.

Cute farmyard wooden balance game.

Colourful toy storage boxes.

I bought a Make Me Iconic Melbourne Toy Tram for a friend’s son and a beautiful Japanese papercut Christmas decoration as a Kris Kringle present – someone is going to be very lucky!

Look how beautifully they are packaged – typically elegant Japanese attention to detail. If you’re in a hurry with your Christmas chores, the gorgeous gift-wrapping is free too!

For other places to buy unique gifts in Fitzroy, try Little Salon or the Rose Street Artists Market.

Zakkaya, 52 Johnston St, Fitzroy +61 3 9419 1882

Stuck for a unique, Melbourne-themed Christmas gift or holiday souvenir?

Then make sure you get to Melbournalia, a series of pop up stores open now in the lead-up to Christmas. Over the next few weeks four Melbourne CBD venues and one repurposed newspaper stand will host displays of Melbourne design goodness, with HQ being at Melbournalia Home in an out-of-the-way laneway (naturally) off Franklin St.

Melbournalia Home is a stylish converted warehouse filled with stationery, jewellery, homewares, fashion, coffee, art and design from some of Melbourne’s best-loved boutique design brands.

My covet list includes:

Gorgeous Neighbourhood throw and picnic rugs from Otto & Spike and make-your-own mobile from Ink & Spindle.

Tram roll cushions from Poulier & Poulier.

 Mattt cases for notebooks and laptops.

In 2011 our kitchen calendar is by The Design Files. In 2012 our calendar will be the designed by the giggle-worthy Able and Game.

Tonight Melbournalia Captains opens at Captains of Industry (Level 1, 2 Somerset Place, CBD) with a launch event 6-8pm and everyone’s welcome! Enjoy some wine and browse the Captain’s selection of Melbournalia gifts for the modern gent.

I chat with Anna in her Collingwood studio as she gets ready to launch her Spring/Summer 2011 range, some of which is available in my business CycleStyle.

Anna, tell me a bit more about your background and how you came to start your weatherwear fashion line Wet & Wendy?

I’ve been working as a designer for over ten years, back and forth between London and Melbourne. It’s wonderful to have worked for so many brands and it really gave me a clear direction for my business.

Living in London meant that the weather became a big part of my life and after moving back to Melbourne and feeling a change was happening with even more unpredictable weather than ever before, starting my own weatherwear label just felt like the right thing to do.

I also wanted to do something which brought a smile to peoples faces and that’s how Wet & Wendy came about!

Where do you turn for design inspiration?

My inspiration comes from days gone by. Traditional weather products and the feeling of nostalgia. I love the way remembering a time in the past gives you that warm feeling.

Wet & Wendy is inspired by old films and advertising, photographs, stories and the fact that in the days of old you (or my grandmother!) purchased things out of necessity.

Mixing a traditional raincoat silhouette with a modern fabric in a fresh colour captures the perfect mix of old and new and a stylish take on necessity dressing.

What has been the most challenging thing you’ve faced in starting up your own business? What advice would you give to a small business owner?

Going out on my own is the most challenging thing I have ever done by far.

It is important to be ambitious and realistic at the same time. The right thing for me was to start small and to grow the brand slowly and in the right direction.

There are a lot of challenges but one of the biggest has probably been getting the product right, and getting it here. For people not familiar, the processes that happen behind the scenes to get products to store is overwhelming and being organised and working with the right people is key. Planning is the most important element, even in a creative environment, a clear plan and knowing what/ when/ who/why/ how is the only way.

What are your next plans for Wet & Wendy?

So many exciting things going on! We have designed a bike cart, like an old fashioned ice cream bike with Peter from PS Bikes. Its going to be riding around the Harvest Festival selling Wet & Wendy. We also have a new Pop-Up shoppe opening next month, especially for our Summer ‘Love The Sun’ collection and the Mens collection ‘Westerly by W&W’ is about to launch with Summer too. I am so excited to be working on next Winter, designing weatherwear is the most fun design work I’ve ever done! It’s hard work but someone’s got to do it!

Finally, what are your tips for what’s HOT in Melbourne?

My favourite things

Cafe- Proud Mary (cnr Stanley and Oxford Sts, Collingwood) for the coffee
Restaurant- Mamasita (1/11 Collins St, Melbourne) for the corn
Shop- Chapel Street Bazaar (217 Chapel St, Prahran) for the fact I always find something I love that’s been loved before.

Things to do

The view of the city down St Kilda road from the Shrine of Remembrance, it’s beautiful.
The Fitzroy Gardens, a blanket, sunbrella, a good magazine and a coffee is my idea of heaven.

Mad Men is probably my favourite television series. Besides the tight script and convincing acting I really enjoy seeing the beautiful 60s costumes and set design (I have a penchant for vintage lamps and mid-century furniture).

So I was quite excited to discover that from Thursday September 8 to Sunday October 2 Chadstone Shopping Centre is hosting Icons of Style, a free exhibition of some of the costumes from Mad Men. In all my years living in Melbourne I have never been to Chadstone (unbelievable, I know) but Betty Draper’s Grace Kelly inspired wardrobe to Joan’s Va-va-voom tailored dresses was enough to draw me there. (Note that this is a picture-heavy post!)

I went with the ever-lovely Marianne from Esme and the Laneway – elegantly dressed in vintage, perfectly coiffed and with immaculate make up.

Mad Men’s Costume Designer, Janie Bryant, has curated a selection of looks worn by the main characters in the show. They have been set up on a round stage in the luxury precinct along with some furniture and objects of the era – such as the covetable desk, vintage typewriter and drinks trolley – and Mattel’s Barbie Collector Mad Men Dolls.

The podium is bounded by perspex which is understandable as you don’t want people touching the garments, but on the other hand there’s no way to avoid the ring when taking photos, so please bear with the faint line and slight reflections that you see in the images.

While the womens clothes were pretty (I didn’t bother with the mens’ garments – a suit is a suit is a suit) they had been put on standard sized modern mannequins, which meant that some of the clothes didn’t quite fit properly (especially Joan’s dresses) and the vintage inspiration behind the costumes was kind of lost.

If you’re in Chadstone I suggest popping by to have a look. But I don’t think there’s any need to cross town to see this exhibition – just check out my photos or Marianne’s blog post :–)

Icons of Style, Mad Men Costume Exhibition, Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone

Thursday September 8 to Sunday October 2

Melbourne Writers Festival is over for another year and we’re in the middle of the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week – so this post straddles the two events nicely.

One of the events I attended this year at the Melbourne Writers Festival (along with the Jonathan Franzen Q&A which was really enjoyable – he’s the guy you want at all your dinner parties) was Dressed for Murder: Fashions from the World of Hitchcock.

What does vintage fashion have to do with books? Well, the presenter was Charlotte Smith, the author of two autobiographical books, Dreaming of Chanel and Dreaming of Dior, and the event was about her custodianship of the Darnell Collection. This is a private collection bequeathed to her by her godmother Doris Darnell which contains over 5,500 vintage pieces, from dresses to hats to handbags to shoes. Charlotte now manages the collection fulltime and shows off certain pieces around Australia and overseas at select events when she’s not storing, cataloguing and restoring items and recreating the stories behind them.

Charlotte was a very engaging speaker, articulate and passionate about her work and she really took you on a journey by building the story behind the collection. The most drool-worthy part was the fashion parade of some of the collection’s pieces, inspired by the fashions featured in Hitchcock’s films by beauties such as Grace Kelly and Kim Novak. They’ve inspired me to dress up more!

Vintage fashion is a passion for my friend and fellow blogger Marianne from Esme and the Laneway, so who better to accompany me to this event. Marianne has a gift with the camera so today’s photos are thanks t0 her work. For more images, check out her full blog post here.

Since I wrote about The Social Studio almost 18 months ago the social enterprise has grown and developed.

In terms of their cafe, it has moved from the back of the studio (where it was cute but small and hidden) to a bigger, brighter and more prominent site right next door. I’m so glad that they’ve taken over the forlorn Eatz and Treatz and jazzed it up to turn it into The Cutting Table. The cafe is part of The Social Studio enterprise and it provides hospitality training, work experience, employment and pathways to employment for refugee youth.

The menu has expanded too to encompass burgers galore. Eight African inspired burgers to be precise – from beef to chicken to lentils to tofu. The burgers are a variation on a theme – some sort of protein filling, some sort of sauce (shiro, spicy lovers sauce or tahini yoghurt), salad and all sandwiched between a Turkish roll. The menu states that all meats are halal and they use free range chicken and free range eggs.

I decided to go for the tofu burger marinated with spicy lovers sauce ($10). The burgers are not for elegant eating – mine was a hefty two-hander containing several slabs of spicy tofu. As with all the burgers it came with a small side of home-style African potatoes which were cold and frankly an unexciting mix of boiled potato, chopped carrot and a very mild sauce. I washed it down a smoothie ($5), a very vibrant purple coloured mix of berries, bananas, oats and cardamom, the spice taking it above the norm.

At lunch time the cafe was fairly busy so there was a bit of a wait on the food, but I would have expected dishes to come out much faster since most menu items were very similar. In fact, if you’re in a hurry at lunch time this is not the place for a quick feed – the service was a little haphazard but I understand that comes with the territory of it being a training business.

Besides the burgers they also have daily specials which commonly feature some sort of African stew. Seeing the other (African) patrons gnawing on drumsticks and cleaning their plates with injera bread makes me think that next time I’m going for the stew.  I also like the idea of returning on a Wednesday night for ‘African night’ which features an Ethiopian coffee ceremony, music and food.

In more Social Studio news, this Thursday 8 September they are launching their Magic Tent Collection at BMW Edge as part of Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. The gala event will feature fashion, food and music and tickets are $55 ($45 for Craft Victoria Members. For more information, click here.

The Cutting Table, The Social Studio, 128 Smith St, Collingwood +61 3 9417 2143

Café hours     7am-4.00pm, Mon-Sat, 6pm-9pm - Wed African Night

In Melbourne it seems that we’re in store for yet more rain. But don’t let the drizzle stop you from getting out and about, because local label Wet and Wendy have taken over one of the city’s round disused news stands, and like the Eco Innovators Showcase, transformed it into a neat little stall.

The racks are filled with fabulous rain gear, from umbrellas to rain coats. The small retractable umbrellas with a cheerful rain print on the underside are $39.95 and the large umbrellas are $49.95. In weather-wear, the stylish waterproof cape coats are $99.95 and the remaining handful of samples of the silver and navy blue rain coats are $60 (snap them up quick – they’ve sold out online at Wet and Wendy and my business CycleStyle already).

The pop up shoppe is open from Tuesday 16 August to Thursday 25 August, on weekdays only and from 8am every day.

This week, why not LOVE THE RAIN!

As if Fitzroy didn’t have enough markets already, on the first Saturday of every month the carpark of Fitzroy Primary School sprouts the Fitzroy Market.

What makes this market special? Well, it is small enough to enable dedicated browsing at every store and it has a lovely chirpy community feel to it. The market also raises money (through its gold coin donation entry fee) for various charities in the neighbourhood - Cultivating Community, the Fitzroy Learning Network and Live Wires programs.

It’s pretty much a car boot sale and I found the vintage/secondhand clothing and accessories on offer to be interesting and of good quality. I’m not much of an expert op shopper but in the space of my half hour visit I found a couple of gems, which pretty much never happens.

Pretty vintage girls dresses in excellent condition from the 80s (which makes me vintage too!).

A lightweight coat with a broderie anglaise like hem. There are stains on the front of it but for $15 I thought it was worth the gamble to take it to the dry cleaners.

Some homemade jam from the St Marks Church stall. I went for a large jar of plum jam $6.

Spotted – sequinned hotpants, leather handbags and a barrow full of terracotta tiles, all in one stall!

For market-going sustenance, a vegan, gluten-free black forest cupcake made by Carla, blogger at Easy As Vegan Pie, as part of the Vegan Bake Sale to raise funds for RSPCA Queensland. Vegan never tasted so good! (PS Carla just got accepted by CAE to teach vegan cooking classes so maybe she can teach you how to make these amazing cupcakes.)

Happiness by the Melbourne Ukelele Collective!

I thought it was amusing that the Finders Keepers markets were actually quite hard to find in the nether regions of Docklands. Once you did draw up to Shed 4 after a bit of searching, there were lots of treasures to be found at the  handmade, crafty, designer market.

Out of the 120+ stallholders in the huge warehouse space, here were my highlights from the pick of clothing, stationery, jewellery, home furnishings and toys:

Beautiful letterpress stationery from Bespoke Letterpress.

Innovative leather and silk accessories from okt-ober dee.

This tea towel from Able and Game made in giggle! In fact, lots of their cute cards made me giggle, including a series twinning cute illustrations with puns on Melbourne train stations – You can ring my BELL, You are my SUNSHINE, I’ve got my heart SEDDON you. Guffaw.

Chalkboard placemats from Sand, F, beautifully presented in a muslin bag with a sweet sachet of (dustless) chalk included. I bought a set of six to liven up my dining table, but I also thought they’d be great for keeping score during boardgames, as signage and of course for kids to play with.  They also had packets of chalkboard stickers, perfect for labelling jars and tins.

Cutesy-tootsie handmade leather shoes from All About Heidi.

Last but not least, blog favorites and previous HOT Chat interviewees Make Me Iconic and The Rabbit and the Duck.

The next Melbourne markets will be held in the same location in October – see you there!

I first visited Genki‘s Cathedral Arcade shop when I arrived in Melbourne way back in 2003. I immediately fell in love with the tiny colourful shop and the adorable aesthetic of their clothing and accessories, especially their ‘I love….’ range of T-shirts (I still own a limited edition tee designed to commemorate the 2006 Commonwealth Games – ‘I love the Games’).

Fast forward to 2010 and I discovered that after a hiatus from the retail world, Genki was reopening with an online store. As I browsed through their collection I realised what was missing – ‘I love cycling’! So on a whim I contacted Chanie Stock, the owner of Genki, and suggested that she launch a cycling t-shirt….and when she did I would stock them in my online store selling stylish cycling accessories, CycleStyle.

So today’s HOT Chat is with Chanie, who’s not only one of my suppliers, she’s also worked in a big law firm like me, has a love of fashion, is a mother and is a delightful bundle of energy. Thanks Chanie!

Chanie, tell me a bit more about your background and how you came to start your store and label Genki?

I studied Arts/Law but my true love was always fashion. Even from a very young age I had a very clear aesthetic and dreamed of having my own label. My grandparents worked in the fashion industry so it must be in my blood, but unfortunately they sold the family business when I was just a baby. I got my first job at Portmans when I was only 14 and then continued working in retail all through school and uni and never tired of it.

I decided to leave my job as a lawyer after 2 years to pursue my dream to work in fashion and after a few years as a buyer, I decided to open Genki. Many people though I was crazy as there was nothing like it happening at the time and no one (except the first incarnation of Alice Euphemia) was in Flinders Lane. But I had such a clear vision for Genki – that it break away from traditional retail concepts and be something totally new. I wanted to create a space where it didn’t feel like you were shopping but more like visiting a friend.  When I discovered the Cathedral Arcade space I had butterflies in my belly, as I knew it was perfect and then with the amazing design by Six Degrees my dream became real.

I was inspired to sell all the things that I wanted to wear but couldn’t find locally (remember, this was 1998, well before online shopping). The original product mix was Japanese accessories, homewares and clothing, mixed with exclusive UK labels like YMC and US brands, Daryl K and Built by Wendy (which at the time were only available at Genki in Australia).   I also tested a few simple styles by the Genki home brand, which to my surprise really took off. So as time went by the Genki label developed into something very special with its own identity and great loyal following.

One of your most popular lines is the ‘I love…’ T-shirts. What’s the story behind how you came to develop that range and your collaboration with Beci Orpin?

This is a funny story which shows how even with a clear business plan things pop up along the way that you never expect.

I had a weird vintage t-shirt from when I was little that said ‘I love talking’ with the strangest illustration of a boy (like those oddball 70s tees that are NQR). At that time I had just started working with Beci, who I met through Misha Hollenbach (who designed the Genki logo and the graphics during the first year). The minute I met Beci I knew she was a kindred spirit. We instinctively understand each other’s language and working with her is effortless and always a joy.

So, back to the “I love..” t-shirts…. I went to Beci with the idea for an “I love talking” tee with a Genki character. It was an instant success. The rest just flowed from there. Soon they had a cult following and even now, 12 years later, people still love them.

Where do you turn to for design inspiration?

When I had the Genki shops, I used to get a lot of inspiration on my trips to Japan. It is a place that truly stimulates all the sense and is an aesthetic paradise. But it also gave me a break from the day to day so my mind would open up to new ideas.

Today I can’t travel as much as I did, but I find inspiration in the simplest of things. Food, nature, films, art, old magazines but mostly inspiring friends. There are some days when I wake up and feel fresh and clearheaded and I know something exciting will happen. I don’t want to get old, dull and boring so I need to keep learning and surrounding myself with innovative people.

You used to have very popular shops in the City and Windsor but now sell only online. What kind of challenges have you faced launching an online store?

Closing the city shop in 2009 was very difficult for me and while it was the right decision I still miss that part of my life. It was such a pleasure to go to work with fantastic staff and wonderful customers and do what I loved most. It wasn’t just about selling fabulous things. We laughed and chatted and built close friendships and a special community. My challenge with the online store is how to preserve some of that magic and create that warmth and familiarity in a virtual space.

It has taken some time, but since I turned the “Genki News” section into the “Genki Blog” so there has been a shift and I sense an online Genki community is forming.

What advice would you give to people wanting to start their own business?

The most important thing is really believing in what your business is about. Be it a product or a service, you must live and breathe it and know it inside out. Following on from that, it must be original and have your own fingerprint or flavour.

Assuming the passion and dedication is there the next step is good planning and discipline. A clear detailed business plan is essential and use the resources you have around you (for example if you have an accountant in the family or someone who has specialist skills). Never be afraid to ask for help.

What are your next plans for Genki?

I would like to develop the Genki Blog to touch on other aspects of life. Not just style, but food, hobbies and funny odd topics.

I will continue producing the “I love..” tees, the striped tees and the basic denim pieces as long as the demand is there. There have been many requests for our fleece hoodies and jumpers so I’m planning to bring them back for winter. My plan in the next 12-24 months is to reach new customers, especially the 18-25 year olds (the most popular age demographic back in the day).

Finally, what are your tips for HOT places you like in Melbourne?

Being a mother of three I don’t get out as much as I used to, but I do have a few special tips to share:

I adore De Clieu (187 Gertrude St, Fitzroy +61 3 9416 4661), Seven Seeds (114 Berkeley St, Carlton+61 3 9347 8664) and Brother Baba Budan (359 Little Bourke St Melbourne). The best coffee in the world and most excellent treats.

I still love Ciccolina (130 Acland St, St Kilda +61 3 9525 3333) for lunch or dinner and the new Ilona Staller (282 Carlisle St, St Kilda +61 3 is just fabulous.

Kappaya at the Abbotsford Convent (1 St Helier St, Abbotsford +61 3 9416 0070) is a haven for me. It’s so beautiful there and the food is fresh, pure, tasty and simple.

The Beatbox Kitchen and new Taco Van. Delicious great quality food with heart and a great soundtrack-too good!

The NGV (International and Australia) and other local gallery spaces in Melbourne. What a perfect weekend outing for the whole family. My kids love it as much as the grown ups and it reminds me how lucky we are to live in this wonderful city.

Happy Monday! What did you get up to on the weekend?

My weekend was full of weddings. On Sunday it was my one year wedding anniversary and RM and I had our first baby-free evening out, although we still had dinner at the parent-friendly hour of 6:30pm. Thank you Kat’s Cakes for our unexpectedly large one year anniversary cake too!

And in a nice turn of events, on Saturday we attended the wedding of a friend which was held in the same location as our own wedding a year before, the Portico Balcony of Melbourne Town Hall. Melbourne turned out a gorgeous sunny day, the bride and groom looked very happy and the father of the bride teared up. Oh I do love a good wedding :–)

So today’s giveaway is well-timed, as I reflect on my wedding and weddings in general. Portobello Bride is a website and blog that features wedding suppliers who are cool, unique and interesting rather than the frou frou and once a year they hold a boutique wedding market. While I have a fear of bridal expos generally, I know what it’s like to work full time, have a busy social life and still try and fit in wedding planning. The Portobello Bride Boutique Wedding Market contains a curated selection of 30 or so stallholders in one place who will hopefully provide you with some creative inspiration beyond the norm.

For brides (and grooms) to be out there, I have 5 free tickets for the market on Saturday 26 March 10am-5pm which is being held at St Kilda Town Hall (cnr Carlisle St and St Kilda Rd). All you have to do is leave a comment below and the first 5 responses will win. If you miss out you can still purchase tickets for Saturday or Sunday here or at the door. Good luck!

Smith Street, along with the perpendicular Gertrude Street, is fast becoming Melbourne’s main destination for good quality vintage clothing and furniture. Starting from Victoria Parade, your first stop is Lost and Found Market, then keep heading north to check out 84 Smith Street, Angelucci, with your final destination being Smith Street Bazaar. Not to mention all the op shops on the way as well.

Like Lost and Found Market, Smith Street Bazaar is actually a collection of individual stallholders who sell different sorts of items – some show in mid-century wooden Danish furniture, some stock in clothing, some specialise in lamps and knick-knacks. The items are aimed at the high end of the market, hence there are no bargains and some of it is gasp-inducing expensive, but all of it is good quality, hopefully durable and classic, and most importantly, beau-ti-ful.

For a while I had been looking for a chest of drawers/tall-boy for our front entrance. After stalking eBay for a couple of weeks, I finally came across the perfect one at Smith Street Bazaar, on sale at 20% off. Each item is unique so without too much thought we snapped it up. For an extra $50 they can organise delivery.

I make a point of dropping in every couple of weeks or so, mainly to seek furnishings inspiration, but I’m now also  haunting the store for a matching hatstand for our winter coats, hats and helmets. If you spot one, let me know!

• Smith Street Bazaar, 305-307 Smith St, Fitzroy +61 3 9419 4889

This is where new Melbourne-based shoe store CMUK Shoes comes in, because coupled with the HOT Chat with CMUK Shoes founder Steve Chambers is a giveaway for readers to win a pair of shoes! Thanks Steve.

Steve, tell me a bit more about your background and how you came to start  CMUK Shoes?

I’m someone who has always enjoyed change – I’ve taught in Aboriginal schools in the Northern Territory, worked with compensation programs for Holocaust survivors throughout Eastern and Central Europe, spent time in Banda Aceh with re-construction projects following the tsunami and most recently worked as barrister in Melbourne.

A couple of years ago I went to a friend’s wedding in South America, was in awe of their beach culture and love of colours and thought it was time for another change! CMUK Shoes is a St Kilda based company that imports its own sneakers focusing on style, comfort, bright colours and cost efficiency.

What makes CMUK Shoes different from other designer sneakers on the market?

I firmly believe that cutting-edge style doesn’t have to come with a lead weight for a price tag, so our sneakers retail for under $50.  CMUK Shoes are very lightweight and comfortable, which makes them perfect for a day at the beach, a walk in the park, a stroll down the shops or out for a bite to eat or drink with friends. They also dry very quickly in the sun so customers having been buying them for boating or for non-running activities at the gym as they can also be machine washed on a cold cycle.

You may also have seen in the Herald Sun last weekend that Miss World and her runner up, Miss World Africa, called in to pick up some CMUKs (check out the picture)!

What do you enjoy about the world of retail versus working as a barrister? What advice would you give to people wanting to give up their day jobs to start their own business?

Retail has been a fantastic way to connect with people so as listen to their input, find out what they like and don’t like and what they would like to see next. It is also really enjoyable to go to work knowing you’re going to be running into smiling people most of the day, as opposed to people who come to see you due to often extremely stressful and often unpleasant circumstances occurring in their lives.

My advice to people wanting to start their own business is plan well, get a good mentor, do your homework and then roll the dice. Life is too short to be left wondering!

What has been the most challenging issue you’ve faced starting up  CMUK Shoes?

Establishing relationships with suppliers has been a taxing process but when you are putting all the pieces of the puzzle together it is integral to the success of a business such as ours. Luckily I enjoy working with people and negotiation comes with the territory.

What are your next plans for CMUK Shoes?

We are currently having a new website built and pushing hard with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) to focus on our online presence. To not do so would be madness. We are working on new designs, colour ways and researching new materials that comply with the global organic textile standard for our next range, so what you can see now is only step one. Stay tuned.

Finally, what are your HOT tips for where to take your CMUK Shoes around Melbourne?

Giveaway: Steve is kindly giving away three pairs of CMUK Shoes to three lucky blog readers! All you have to do is check out the photos from the CMUK Shoes website and write a comment picking your favourite style. Entries close 5pm Thursday 10 February and the winners will be drawn randomly and announced on Friday 11 February. Good luck!

Ages ago I enrolled into two beginners sewing classes at Thread Den (you can read about my experiences here and here). With each sewing class comes 2 free hours of machine use in the sewing lounge, but until now I’ve not had a reason to use them.

Now that Thread Den have decamped from North Melbourne to Fitzroy, the sewing lounge is really convenient for my house. As I’ve been collecting (and spending money on) baby things, I thought an economical way to use some old sheets was to cut them up and use them as cot linens. Sheeting cotton is expensive and a few hours spent against the backdrop of whirring sewing machines seemed like a relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

The new Thread Den store is bigger and lighter than the previous incarnation and I particularly liked the turquoise/gold Art Deco wallpaper behind the counter. Downstairs they stock clothing and accessories from independent designers, including previous HOT Chat-er, The Rabbit and the Duck and my favourite Thread Den stocked label, Side Show Designs.

Upstairs the airy sewing lounge houses eight machines and two big cutting tables and is supervised on Tuesday and Fridays 1-5pm by Juliet, a bespoke clothing designer for her label Dress That Rustle whose studio is right next door. Juliet was very friendly and helpful as I’d pretty much forgotten everything I’d learnt in my sewing classes. She gave me advice as to how to hem the sheets and set up my machine for me, so all I really had to do was put my foot on the pedal and try to guide fabric in a straight line.

An hour later and to the tones of Regina Spektor and the 112 tram, I had two sheets hemmed and finished. For seasoned sewers, no big feat, but for me a real sense of achievement and a sense of housewife-thrifty satisfaction. Sadly they don’t run any mums-and-bubs sessions, but their range of classes has expanded since my first visit to include all sorts of interesting projects, so no doubt I’ll be back.

• Thread Den, 422 Brunswick St, Fitzroy +61 3 9486 9821

Little Salon is a cute shop in Fitzroy (and the CBD) which stocks a curated a selection of lovely designer things for you and your house. There’s a little range of sweet, muted and draped womens clothing, a little bit handmade jewellery, a little table filled with pretty stationery and a little sprinkle of quirky homewares and decorations. Everything just makes you want to go out and touch it.

My reason for visiting Little Salon is because they stock articulated wood veneer wall decorations made by Melbourne artist Geneine  Honey under the label Love. I had my heart set on the classic storybook style girl in the red dress ($75) and the bike ($60), perfect additions for a little girl’s room and my bike business’ office.

Other lovely things I spotted on my recent visit…

Chalkboard hangings – a customer before me had bought my favourite, a big umbrella, but I still liked the little girl and the bunny rabbit shapes.

Clutch purse in the shape of an old-fashioned airmail envelope.

Plus at the moment all of their summer clothing stock is on sale, with 30% off Love and 20% off everything else. A good excuse to pop into Little Salon methinks.

• Little Salon, 71 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Alyssa, tell me a bit more about your background and how you came to start your label Lyssy May?

I have always been interested in crafts and started selling things I had made from the age of 17 at local markets which I continued to do as a hobby for a number of years. After studying business and working in marketing I travelled and lived in London for a couple of years and whilst living overseas I was inspired to start creating handbags.

Upon my return to Australia I started to make bags using vintage fabrics I collected. They proved popular with friends and colleagues which eventually built to the point where I owned and operated my own store in Brisbane selling my designs and other handmade goods. I moved to Melbourne 2 years ago to soak up the local fashion scene and to expand my business.

Your bags and accessories are all produced using distinctive fabrics and papers. Where do you source your materials?

Everywhere! I am always on the look out both when out and about and also online. I have hundreds of fabrics I have collected over the years and often use basics like denim or corduroy which I team with special prints. I have also been collaborating with a textile designer for my latest range which features natural fibres.

Where do you turn for art and craft inspiration?

Vintage stores are a favourite haunt for inspiration. I also have a huge library of craft books dating back to the 1950’s which was passed on to me by my Grandmother. This is a real treasure trove of ideas for me.

What has been the most challenging thing you’ve faced in starting up your own business? What advice would you give to a small business owner?

I think the most challenging thing is to continue to look at the bigger picture as day to day there can be many disappointments and lots of exciting moments which can be very draining. So over time I have learnt that things generally even out as long as you keep working hard and being focussed. Holidays are also a hard thing to manage but you need to try and make time to rest and recharge (although that is often easier said than done).

What are your next plans for Lyssy May?

The first thing is to make it through to Christmas as this is always my busiest time of year when the sewing machines are going nearly around the clock. The longer term plans are to continue to develop a reputation as delivering quality handmade Australian products and to one day open a concept store.

Finally, where are your HOT places to visit or things to do in Melbourne?

My studio is based in Kensington and I just love the community vibe of the suburb. The Luncheonette (173 Rankins Road, Kensington)  is a lovely little spot for coffee and Tonik (524 Macaulay Rd, Kensington +61 3 9376 9928) is perfect for a meal with friends.

In Richmond I love go to Bridge Road Florist (597-599 Bridge Rd, Richmond +61 3 9428 9715) who I rely on to always have fresh flowers in my house and the Bridge Hotel (642 Bridge Road, Richmond +61 3 9428 3852) is a great place to take advantage of the local specials on a weeknight when catching up with friends.

Fridays at the Mountain Goat brewery (North St & Clark St, Richmond +61 3 9428 1180) is also a great time to grab a sample tray of their beers.

As you’ve no doubt noticed from the blog, I like parties and I like bikes. So there was no way that I was going to miss the opening party of Melbourne Bikefest, Melbourne’s celebration all things bike-related for the next 4 days based at 1000 £ Bend (note that my business CycleStyle is also a sponsor of Bikefest, but even if this wasn’t the case this is so my thing).

Bike valet parking – a great idea thanks to Crumpler for when you have that many bikes all congregating in one place. Look how many more bikes you can fit in the same space in a carpark.

Crazy bike riding antics in the carpark!

Hear a story and/or share your story about your experience with bikes at Bike Story. Stories collected at Bikefest will be posted at the conclusion of the festival.

Some of CycleStyle‘s products on display (and for sale) in the Bike Shop – colourful bells and skirt garters.

More Cyclestyle goodness – French bike satchel, reflective legwarmers, floral helmet and all sized bags for fitting on your bike.

Two of my VIP guests for the evening, Cheryl from Business Chic and Kealey from Thelma Magazine.

Cute Bikefest badges – I like the presentation too, using an old wheel.

There is so much more stuff happening in the next 4 days that I can’t list or describe them all here – so I suggest you go check out the program for yourself. And if you don’t ride a bike, no big deal – there’s something for everyone at the Bikefest. To read an interview with Pip Carroll, the director of Melbourne Bikefest, click here.

It all bodes well for the upcoming Melbourne Bikefest, a 5 day festival being held at 1000 £ Bend which will celebrate all things cycling related in our city. Today’s HOT Chat is with Pip Carroll, the director of Melbourne Bikefest. Thanks Pip!

Pip, tell me a bit more about your background and what inspired you to start Melbourne Bikefest?

My background is pretty varied, I’ve been running a business called Ambiguous Horse since 2006 that specialises in management, marketing and producing for the arts and cultural industries. So I’m always working on something different. Ambiguous Horse, supported by a volunteer committee produced the Melbourne Bicycle Film Festival from 2007 to 2009.

Earlier this year we decided to branch out from the BFF and create a new event designed especially for Melbourne – and Melbourne Bikefest was born!

We wanted to celebrate and support an emerging bike culture in Melbourne, one that is less focused on sport and recreation and more interested in bikes as a means of daily transport, integrated into other parts of life. The more people that choose a bike over a car, the better the road conditions will be for everyone, including motorists. For people to choose to ride however they need to identify as bike riders, and through Bikefest we hope to create something more people can see themselves being a part of.

What is Melbourne Bikefest all about? What can visitors expect to see or experience?

Melbourne Bikefest is about celebrating bikes in everyday life. This doesn’t mean that you need to ride one everyday to enjoy it though! In fact there are only one or two events in the entire program that actually requite you to be on a bike. Most of the program is devoted to other cultural activities – art, design, music, fashion, shopping, forums, workshops, and advocacy projects. Bikefest really is more of a cultural festival about bikes than a ‘cycling’ event.

The majority of our activities are held right in the middle of the city at 1000 £ Bend. We will offer Bicycle Valet Parking for anyone that rides, but it’s a very easy place to get to via public transport. Over 5 days the space will host events and activities from morning to night, all against a backdrop of art and interactive installations. Plus a bar!

At the end of the day it’s really just about having a good time and giving people a glimpse of life on two wheels.

What is your one must-do recommendation for Melbourne Bikefest?

I’m always reluctant to choose just one thing! We’ve programmed Melbourne Bikefest so that you have the opportunity to experience several different activities all in the one visit. However I would say that the Bikefest Great Debate will be a night to remember, we’ve got together some amazing local comedians to put a light hearted spin on the argument that ‘Bikes are the best form of transport’. It features Charlie Pickering, Hannah Gadsby, Bart Freebairn, Lawrence Leung, Harley Breen, Andrew McClelland and is moderated by Josh Earl.

My other recommendation, for those that like to dress up (and who doesn’t?) would be the Melbourne Tweed Ride. Leaving from the State Library steps, it’s a slow cruise in salute to times gone by. Hopefully it will help redress some of the crimes against Lycra we see all too frequently on the streets of Melbourne.

Why do you like cycling, and particularly in Melbourne?

Wow I like riding a bike for so many reasons, where do I start? First up would have to be sense of freedom I get riding. If I have a frustrating day, chained to the desk, feeling like I’m not getting anywhere, stuck in the treadmill of life, riding home just unravels all of that immobility and delivers a palpable sense of achievement.

I’m also one of those people that has subconscious punctuality sabotage syndrome – I think I can get anywhere in 20 minutes. Thankfully on a bike in Melbourne it’s mostly true.

And do I need to mention the great things it does for your butt?

Finally, what are your HOT tips for Melbourne where you like take your bike?

I like going to the Penny Farthing Espresso (206 High St, Northcote +61 3 9482 2246). It’s just up the road from my house and has a welcoming and relaxed vibe. The coffee is good, the food uncomplicated and satisfying and they always seem to be exceptionally well staffed with polite and good-looking Gen Y employees. What more could you ask for?

Down the road is The Movie Reel (69 High Street, Westgarth +61 3 9486 8866). It’s a great old school DVD hire place that’s good for a bit of eavesdropping on a Friday night. They have an amazing range. I reviewed some bike movies last year and they had every title I asked for. Plus they don’t mind if you tell them the fine belongs to your ‘housemate’.

I’m partial to popping down to the Ceres Organic Market & Shop (Cnr Roberts and Stewart Streets, Brunswick East +61 3 9389 0100) on a Saturday morning. It’s a lovely ride down along the Merri Creek and it’s great to see the chickens that have laid the eggs you’re about to eat. There’s also something very satisfying about whipping your credit card out in the open air.

Also nearby is Fowlers Flowers (488 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill +61 3 9489 9114). It’s next door to another favourite café, Mixed Business (486 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill +61 3 9486 1606). Their arrangements are simple and beautiful and inspire me to clean the house so the flowers have a more fitting backdrop.

Melbourne Bikefestt is being held from Wednesday 24 November to Sunday 28 November. CycleStyle is one of the sponsors – if you see me at any of the events or speaking on a forum, please come say hi! For more program information, click here.

Owen, tell me a bit more about your background and how you came to start Hipside Guides?

I’m a relative newcomer to Melbourne, originally coming from London. I married an Australian and we moved here four years ago. One of the first things I looked for when we arrived (after an umbrella and sunglasses) was a guidemap, but none of the ones available met my requirements. So I decided to create my own.

It’s been a really fun way to get to know my new home city and I’m hoping it will also help other visitors and settlers, as well as any locals who want to explore beyond their usual neighbourhoods. It’s easy to take a place for granted when you’ve lived in it all your life, so a fresh perspective can never hurt.

In my previous life, I was a programmer and artist working on computer games, but strangely, map-making does seem to run in the family. One of my father’s first jobs was analysing aerial photographs for the air force and my brother is also a cartographer, mapping everything from wildlife to landmines.

What makes Hipside Guides different from other tourist maps or guides available about Melbourne?

There are mainly excellent books on Melbourne, but these days, who really has the time to read them? A good guidemap can give you an overview of a city in a fraction of the time and you also get a better impression of how everything fits together.

The Hipside Guides Melbourne Guidemap has a slightly hand-drawn look, making it visually very different from other maps that are available, but I’d say the main distinction is in its scope and level of detail. Most tourist maps cover just the CBD or a specific suburb, and don’t actually tell you much more than the location of the major museums and landmarks. At best, a few provide superficial ‘top ten’ type lists of the most popular bars, shops and restaurants. And of course, the free maps are either sponsored by the featured businesses or by local government, which has to affect impartiality to some degree.

The Hipside Guides Melbourne Guidemap covers the CBD, as well as a large part of the surrounding area. It features over 350 businesses and institutions, selected purely on merit. Alongside the usual, well-known destinations, I’ve made a point of including as many of the smaller, quirkier places as possible.

This isn’t a guidemap just about shopping and dining. Melbourne has a really fascinating history, which is clearly visible in its architecture and public artworks, so I’ve picked out the better examples and peppered the map with interesting facts, anecdotes and background stories.

With all its laneway hidey-holes, Melbourne is a city which really rewards those with the curiosity to explore, and that’s something I’ve tried to reflect in the guidemap. The intention was to create a deliberately sprawling and information-overloaded map, designed to be pored over and explored just like the city itself.

There are a lot of places on the map! How did you go about selecting which places to include in your guide?

I began with lots and lots and lots of walking. Then I walked some more. In Melbourne, you have to explore even the grottiest of laneways, because they often contain the best surprises. I try to never pass an open doorway or a shop without exploring inside and I’m sure I’ve sampled far more drinks and meals than is probably healthy. Yes, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!

I’ve looked for places that are exceptional or at least unusual. It’s easy to forgive a few rough edges if a place has a unique charm or is offering something out of the ordinary.

Of course, all guides are ultimately subjective, but I’ve done my best to keep its appeal as broad as possible. It isn’t a guide just for tourists or hipsters or any other single group, but for anyone who wants to get an understanding of the city as a whole. I personally may have no interest in poetry bookshops (Collected Works) or spice merchants (Gewürzhaus), but they’re all part of what makes up Melbourne and I find it wonderful that such places exist.

What has been the most challenging thing you’ve faced in starting up your own business? What advice would you give to a small business owner?

I think any independent publisher will tell you that one of the biggest challenges is getting exposure, so opportunities like this interview are really important.

Getting distribution into shops is also difficult, but at least people are getting more used to buying over the internet these days (you can get your copy from www.hipsideguides.com for $12.95 including free delivery).

As for advice to other business owners, I don’t think I’m qualified to give any just yet. Ask me again when I’ve sold my first million!

What are your next plans for Hipside Guides?

As soon as time allows, I want to expand the Hipside Guides website with more interactive features, more updates and maybe even a blog. And, in the long run, I’d like to apply Hipside Guides to other cities.

Finally, where are your HOT places to visit or things to do in Melbourne – maybe an entry that couldn’t fit into Hipside Guides?

The Butterfly Club is one of my favourite spots (204 Bank Street, South Melbourne +61 3 9690 2000). It’s a great little cabaret venue, but it’s also worth visiting just for a drink. From the outside it’s just another respectable-looking old house, but when you venture inside you find every available surface jam-packed with super-kitsch memorabilia. It’s one of the few places in Melbourne that can make even Madame Brussels look a bit on the timid side.

As far as shops go, Lost and Found is hard to beat (12 Smith St, Collingwood +61 3 9419 4477). It’s a real treasure trove of retro clothes, furniture, art and bric-a-brac. It’s a huge place – more of an indoor market than an individual store really – and it’s easy to lose a few hours searching through the all the racks and piles. You do tend to feel your age, though, when you discover your old toys in a vintage store.

One place that I couldn’t quite squeeze on to the map was New York Tomato (24/2-6 New St, Richmond +61 3 9429 0505). It’s a fantastic café, but it tends to be forgotten because it’s a little out of the way and simply because it’s no longer the new kid on the block.

If you really want to impress an overseas visitor, though, just take them to see the flying fox colony at the Bellbird Picnic Area in Yarra Bend Park. Australians barely notice their own wildlife, but to many foreigners a bat is a rare, mouse-sized creature that flits past in the dark and is gone, so the sight of 10,000 monster bats hanging out in broad daylight is quite mind-blowing.

Today’s HOT Chat is about Shannon and her lovely business. I’m inspired to hear that she trained to do a ‘proper’ job but then found a much more satisfying creative outlet through her business. Thanks Shannon!

Shannon, tell me a bit more about your background and how you came to start your craft business The Rabbit & the Duck?

I’ve always been a crafty girl; from as early as I can remember there were either knitting needles in my hand (thanks Mum!) or some other project on the go. My first experience with sewing was with my Grandma, we made a pencil case that I still use today!

Despite this crafty upbringing I ended up in a town planning course at university and after graduating worked in various offices for a few years. It was not a good fit at all and I soon felt the urge to do something more creative. I then moved to retail and sold kitchens, homewares, and then stationery – the list goes on! But still something was missing…

One day I decided to take up sewing again and bought myself a second-hand machine. Soon there was fabric taking over the house and a big pile of finished projects that I didn’t know what to do with. I had heard about Etsy being a great place to sell handmade things so I opened a store and haven’t looked back!

From these small beginnings I now have over 20 stockists across Australia and run my business pretty much full-time – I sometimes have to pinch my arm to remind myself that this is my job!

The first thing I noticed about your products were the beautiful printed fabrics you used. Where do you source your materials?

I love hunting out unusual fabrics. Most of the fabric I use comes from Japan, but I also use a lot of local hand printed fabrics, such as those from Ink and Spindle. I’ve also started a collection of vintage fabrics for an upcoming project!

What’s your favourite The Rabbit & the Duck product?

Definitely the snap to it! wallet. I love the simplicity of its design – it can be used as a coin purse, passport holder, business card pouch, or for many other things. I have about 3 of them in my handbag right now!

Where do you turn for art and craft inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere! I love getting out to the countryside around Melbourne – the open space clears my mind and I am always in awe of the beauty of nature. I also find inspiration in my favourite magazines (such as Frankie and Peppermint) and love seeing what other designers are up to. And sometimes just a pretty piece of fabric will inspire me!

What has been the most challenging thing you’ve faced in starting up your own business? What advice would you give to a small business owner?

It can be quite daunting when you realise that as a small business owner you are now fully responsible for generating your income! The highs and lows from month to month can be tricky and can also be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.

My advice is to surround yourself with a network of like-minded people – I have found the craft / handmade community in Melbourne to be a wonderful support, both in terms of offering advice and providing a social outlet (I work from home so it can be isolating at times!).

And don’t give up! Building a business takes time. Set your goals but be flexible – things can change (and they will!) but the beauty of running your own business is that you can change with them.

What are your next plans for The Rabbit & the Duck?

I would love to see The Rabbit & the Duck stocked overseas, perhaps in each of my favourite cities so I can plan ‘business’ trips to them! I also have other plans for a new venture, but that is all I can say at the moment, as it’s still top secret….

Finally, where are your HOT places to visit or things to do in Melbourne?

CERES Environmental Park (Cnr Roberts and Stewart Streets, Brunswick East +61 3 9387 2609) Just like visiting a farm but in the middle of Melbourne! They have a great café and a twice-weekly organic farmers market.

The Vintage Shed (93 Mornington Tyabb Rd, Tyabb +61 3 5977 4795) If you love all things vintage then it’s worth a trip down the Mornington Peninsula to visit The Vintage Shed. They have the most amazing collection of vintage clothes – I never leave empty handed!

Gertrude Street, Fitzroy – My favourite shopping street with a great collection of small boutiques, cafes and galleries – the perfect way to spend an afternoon! (Joyce – the Gertrude Street Shopping Guide from The Design Files may help you).



**Please note that my HOT was based on my experience in February 2010. It seems that things have gone very downhill since then and the company has gone into administration. Read the comments below for more information.**

I’ve never been one for wearing rings – in fact, I find them quite uncomfortable (I think it’s from years as a pianist).

But I did think that when it came to marriage a wedding ring was an important symbol for me to wear. As I’d never received an engagement ring  (I got a Kitchenaid – much more ‘me’) I wanted my wedding ring to be a combined wedding/engagement band.

After receiving a number of quotes from jewellers around the city RM and I decided to order a platinum and diamond ring for me and platinum wedding band for RM with Diamonds Exchange. We basically selected Diamonds Exchange based on their price, service and proximity to my office.

We met with one of the jewellers Annie and together flicked through some magazines before coming up with a few basic ideas for what I liked and didn’t like. After about 30 minutes, Annie and I designed my ring together  – a single ring spitting into two overlapping bands, with just a simple row of diamonds on upper band (my thin fingers don’t look good with a solitaire) and a scattering of diamonds on the lower band.

Not only was the design unique and subtle, just as I wanted, but the price was between $500-$1000 cheaper than some of the other quotes I received. Also, the whole experience was done with a minimum of fuss – an important aspect given the million other things you could be stressing about as part of wedding planning.

(Image by Rodney Hobbs Photography)

• Diamonds Exchange, Level 7, 267 Collins Street, Melbourne +61 3 9650 8331

Afternoon tea is partly about ambience too and that’s where A Vintage Affair caught my eye. Today’s HOT Chat is with Melburnian Lee Elizabeth George who has just started a vintage crockery hire and events management business so that your next wedding, hen’s day, baby shower or photo shoot can be touched with some old world charm. Thanks Lee!

Lee, tell me a bit more about your background and how you came to start A Vintage Affair?

I developed a passion for all things vintage while living in London. My idea of a perfect break was to catch the train to Paris for the weekend and hunt through the little antique stores and flea markets in Rue Charlot. I would spend the length of the channel tunnel trip listing to Charles Aznavour albums on my iPod and arrive at Gare Du Nord completely transformed.

Then on one of those glorious weekends a handsome young man proposed with a vintage emerald cocktail ring. The next thing I knew we were married and I was back in Melbourne!

I managed to smuggle home a small collection of crockery and trinkets, which I was lending out to friends for hen’s days, weddings and High Tea parties. Then once I started to get requests from friends of friends, the idea for A Vintage Affair was born.

Now, no matter how big our collection gets, it still feels like I’m lending out my personal collection to friends as I hand pick every piece and each one has a set of memories from the day it was discovered.

Where do you source your vintage stock from – and where do you store it all??

When we first started out, having lots of vintage crockery was the perfect excuse to buy lots of vintage furniture to store it in! Then as we grew, we began storing our collection in antique French wine crates which we also use to deliver the crockery to our customers.

As for finding it, that’s half the fun. Regional Victoria, especially the Central Highlands, is an amazing patchwork of beautiful small towns, all dotted with quaint little antique stores and markets. My weekends are now mostly spent treasure hunting with my husband. We have so much fun driving around the countryside, listening to Charles Aznavour.

Where do you turn for vintage inspiration?

I’ve always loved things that are unique, with beautiful features that transcend whatever practical purpose they may have been designed for. Whether it’s a 1966 250 SL Mercedes (navy blue with white-wall tyres)…. or the interior of the Plaza ballroom, anything that embodies a beautiful attention to detail that is all too rare these days. Life is too short to be practical.

I am inspired by old world charm – when women had time to frock up in beautiful clothes, wear red lipstick just to feel good, spend days planning a dinner party and entertain friends often, drinking champagne from fine crystal.  I am inspired by being proud of your own style and making an effort to make everything you do beautiful.  I love intricate details and paying attention to the small details.

Most recently though, I have been hugely inspired by the incredible community of women running their own small businesses. To see the passion a baker puts into her exquisite cupcake flavours and intricate designs then to then turn that into a successful business is truly inspiring.  There are so many talented ladies producing beautiful work with such passion.

The internet is a constant source of inspiration for me and I am guilty of spending hours and hours scouring Australian and international sites for inspiration, seeing what beautiful and clever ideas event stylists, couture designers, bespoke stationers and caterers are producing , taking inspiration from colours, patterns and style.

What has been the most challenging thing you’ve faced in starting up your own business? What advice would you give to a small business owner?

No matter what you do, if you start your own business you will need to do a lot of hard work. That’s why it’s so important to love what you do – then it won’t feel like hard work.

So start by asking yourself what you love to do most. Then ask yourself how you can turn that into a profitable business. You’ll know you’ve found your true passion when you actually look forward to spending those extra hours working on it.

It is probably a great surprise to a lot of people that I managed to find a way to turn my passion for beautiful vintage pieces and buying hidden vintage treasures into a business.  I spent hours every day researching and developing the business which didn’t seem like work at all because I love every minute of it.

Once you have found your passion, if you can start out small with a business model that is scalable. Wherever possible, avoid the need for large amounts of up-front capital. There is no more certain way to take the fun out of your passion project than the pressure to make it to grow at an unrealistic rate just so you can pay your overheads. It’s much more fun to gradually scale up as you become more successful, enjoying every little step forward, constantly refining as you go.

What are your next plans for A Vintage Affair?

Our range is constantly growing and we are now catering for larger events and boutique weddings.  We are also refining the complete High Tea Experience, including beautiful bespoke invitations, catering, accessories, styling, beautiful cupcakes and of course the vintage crockery hire which is proving very popular for Hens Days and Baby Showers.

Most importantly, our expansion requires more stock so we will be able to justify a few European buying trips!

Where are your favourite places to visit or things to do in Melbourne, vintage-y or otherwise?

Madame Brussels (Level 3, 59-63 Bourke St Melbourne +61 3 9662 2775‎) – for Pimms and lemonade on a summer evening

Siglo (Level 2, 161 Spring St, Melbourne +61 3 9654 6631‎)  for a late night wine with rooftop vistas – you could definitely be in Europe with that view

The Max Hotel (32 Commercial Rd, Prahran +61 3 9529 1006) – for a little taste of France.

Cavallero (300 Smith St, Collingwood +61 3 9417 1377) and Min Lokal (422 George St, Fitzroy +61 3 9417 0333) – for coffee, baked eggs and people watching.

Botanical Gardens (South Yarra)- for a springtime picnic and stroll

Brunswick Street, Gertrude St, Smith St – for a lazy afternoon exploring the shops and people watching.

One of the most oft-asked questions for the doctor is a list of must-dos for a weekend trip to Melbourne.

When answering, I assume that most visitors are either aware of or have done the usual ‘touristy’ stuff. So here are my Melbourne Top 10 to do/eat/see suggestions which are slightly more hidden, in no particular order. Most of them I’ve reviewed before so you can find further info on the site.

1. Eat at Italy 1, MoVida Aqui, Cutler & Co, Grossi Florentino Grill, The European. You may need to book…

2. Wander down Centre Place, between Flinders Lane and Collins St then Degraves St. I recommend the almond chicken baguettes and crepes at Aix, the lunch food at Jungle Juice, Hell’s Kitchen for drinks, Body for subtle, Melbourne-esque clothing. Further on try Journal Cafe at the City Library or Journal Canteen (Rosa’s Kitchen) next door. Oh, and have a waffle at Waffle On for dessert.

3. Do the Characters and Spaces free guided walk, which covers a similar area to 2. You’ll appreciate new views of Melbourne that even the locals miss.

4. Do a free guided tour at NGV International. Guildford Lane has 2 independent galleries worth checking out – Utopian Slumps and Guildford Lane Gallery.

5. Shop at GPO, Flinders Lane, Lt Collins St, Brunswick St, Smith St, Gertrude St.

6. Walk in any of the parks. My favourite is Fawkner Park in South Yarra.

7. Poke around Queen Vic Markets (or any of Melbourne’s food markets), maybe buy some food for a night in.

8. See a movie at old-fashioned Astor in Windsor or The Sun in Yarraville. Lots of shopping/eating around those areas too – Windsor end of Chapel St in particular has great vintage and designer shops.

9. Have dinner one night along Southbank and ask for a table with a river view. I recommend Walter’s Wine Bar, Tutto Bene, Rockpool, Nobu, The Brasserie and Number 8. Also heard Bistro Guillaume is very good.

10. Lunch at St Kilda on a Sunday…Donovans and The Stokehouse are institutions by the water. Otherwise head to St Kilda East which is very cool and an eclectic Eastern European/Jewish area.

There’s so much more! What are your Melbourne must-dos for visitors?

Before entering this show I had the opportunity to try out the Napolean Perdis Beauty Lounge. Amazingly there was hardly any line for the expert makeup and hair touch-up, and it was nice sitting on the comfy couches watching the action while I waited. The makeup artist applied some blended neutral eyeshadow, rather severe looking bronze blush and crimson laquered lips. I was too embarrassed to take have my photo taken while in the chair but I was quite chuffed to receive a few compliments on my makeup afterwards – red lipstick is definitely my look.

Anyway, back to the clothes. For me the standabout show was Trimapee . I’ve never seen their clothes before and while I can’t say I would necessarily wear everything, I found myself excited by what was on offer. It was intelligent, conceptual and highly textural – it made me want to grab it, turn it over, look a little longer and see the interesting details starting to emerge. In second-place was above. I liked the burnt orange, cream and steel grey palette, I liked the cutouts in the back of garments and I liked the twisted draping.

And I was right about quiffs, yo. It was on the catwalk, it was in the crowd, male and female Elvis fringes abounding. Oh that and men with shoes and no socks is my prediction for the big trend for summer :–). Works well in St Germain Paris, not so sure about the Australian heat. Remember the talcum powder boys and no cankles please.

Once again, some of my favourite shots and a slide show at the end. Enjoy!

PS If you want a more detailed description of the looks on offer, check out the writeup from my date for the night, Poppy from Poppy Gets a Life.

My tongue-in-cheek conclusion: quiffs are in fashion. Big quiffy fringes are not really my look, but they sure add height to models, and ‘edged out’ (as Tyra Banks would say) some of the more feminine and frilly looks of this parade. My neighbour’s fashionable quiff also managed to obscure many of my camera angles, so you’ll have to forgive the quality of some of the photos. Excuses, excuses…

I don’t proclaim to be a fashion journalist, so for what it’s worth Nicolangëla and Wayne Cooper provided most of my picks of ‘things I liked and that I would actually go and buy’. What can I say, I have a penchant for cocktail and evening dresses, not so much cutesy bum-grazing hemlines. And for me the very last dress worn by the face of MSFW, Lucy McIntosh, was the most swoon-worthy (by Wayne Cooper). Glamorous, slinky 30s style black silk gown, modernised by an oversized asymmetrical frill. Seriously sexy yet elegant. LOVE IT.

Here are my favourite images and a slide show of all the photos for you.

With Spring comes Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, the fashion festival that’s the baby of the bigger Loreal Melbourne Fashion Week in March.

I was lucky enough to be invited to watch the collections being shown in the Designer Series runway shows at Melbourne Town Hall. For what could be more hotter in Melbourne than fashion?

Unfortunately I missed Show 1 so my coverage starts with Show 2, featuring the luxury fabrics and embellished threads of AG Arthur Galan, Akira, Aurelio Costarella, Christine, Collette Dinnigan, Gwendolynne, Lisa Ho, Megan Park, Thurley and Yeojin Bae.

In general, I loved this show – the elegance, the grace, the Veronica Lake curls and glamorous goddess gowns skimming wasp waists and all that chiffon floating around long legs. If only I had more opportunities to wear beaded gowns in my life! Or a corseted bodice. Or be so careless with my laundry and my finances as to have everything made in silk.

For those who couldn’t make it to the show I tried to take as many photos as I could of the garments – so here’s a selection of my favourite images plus a full slideshow for you.

Hi everyone! A quick background on myself. I am a Music Teacher by day, and a Jewellery Maker by night. I make little accessories for children and classic jewellery for adults from resin, acrylic, swarovski crystals and so on. Handmade items surround me all the time and I am currently on a year-long challenge in which I try to buy only handmade or 2nd hand items. So my love for crafts is pretty huge.

Now, I do understand that not everybody is into making things. But have you ever thought about supporting the handmade movement by simply choosing to buy handmade? Say you have a mate’s birthday coming up, would you rather pick up something that was stamped ‘Made in China’ or would you rather buy something that was unique and lovingly handcrafted for them?

I know it’s the latter for me. Always was and always will be. And it’s not just that it’s unique. Many crafters opt to go organic and environmentally friendly by using organic cotton or by upcycling unwanted materials and junk into beautiful practical items once more. The possibilities are endless, and by supporting handmade, you not only support the handmade movement, the small businesses, you are also going green and playing your part in being eco-friendly. What’s not to like about the handmade world?

But don’t know where to buy handmade?

I have just the place. Little Shop Of Handmade is a beautiful little store next to Carnegie train station. Stepping into its threshold is like stepping into a magical world of beautiful creations and breathtaking talent. It is a little shop that supports Australian handmade in every spirit, as it not only houses the owner’s own creations, it also plays home to 60 other crafters from all over Victoria.

Bec Albinson (pictured) is the owner of this lovely little shop. A graphic designer of over 8 years, she used to design luxury gifts and personal care items from Chocolate Bar Soaps to Lip glosses for other big companies. It was mass produced, and lacking in the personal touch. Bec felt no actual attachment to her craft so one sunny Sunday afternoon, Bec decided that handmade was the way to go; resigned from her job and started up Little Shop Of Handmade .

The original idea was to be a studio/showroom for Bec as she had completely outgrown the spare bedroom at home (where many crafters originate from, myself included!). Living in Carnegie made Bec realise that there was potential for a handmade shop in the area, and when the perfect little shop front came up, she pounced on it.

The magic of discovering such a shop is not something that can be described by words. Many a times when I’m in the shop chatting with Bec (it’s really easy to spend a whole afternoon with this lovely lady!), a passerby would walk by, backtrack and then come in with this amazed look on their face.

“Why have I never seen this place before?” they’d ask in wonderment. And it’s so heartwarming to watch as their faces light up at the sight of all the endearing and heart warming creations that populate the shop. Equally heartwarming is hearing the stories that Bec tells of her customers. My favourite is of the lady who told her boyfriend that he was welcomed to “buy anything from this shop” for her.

Shopping handmade may not be the first thing you think of when you have a gift to buy. But change that thinking today, and support the handmade world. “Made in China” doesn’t need more support, neither does “Made in India”. It is time we support “Made in Melbourne” or even better yet, “Made in Australia”. Support handmade, the local little businesses and play your part in encouraging the growth of a beautiful heartfelt movement, not to mention the local economy!

• Little Shop of Handmade, 8 Woorayl St, Carnegie +61 416 550 979

Magnolia Square is a pop up market that comes to Melbourne a few times a year (and goes to other Australian cities) and it’s full of stylish goods aimed mostly for women. It’s mostly babies/kids stuff, with really ups the cute quotient, but there’s also handmade crafts, jewellery, clothing and gourmet food.

On my most recent visit to Magnolia Square I encountered some of the same stalls as my first visit, but happily also stumbled across some other new goods. Here’s what caught my eye and what went into my shopping basket this time:

Clucky handmade babies’ toys, blankets and clothing. I fell in love with the crochet rattle (more chewable than plastic presumably!) and the baby duck. Luisa, who handmakes all of the products, also told me that she’s about to start ‘Clucky Cravings’, a line of food to meet the cravings for mums-to-be.

Rabbit & Duck. Shannon handmakes all of her cushion covers, notebook covers, wallets and cases from pre-washed fabric. Being a cycling fan, I was immediately drawn to her bike-bedecked A5 notebook ($45) and told her that she should considering making tote bags for cyclists :–)

I spotted the last red polkadot raincoat made by Suzy Allen ($65) and kept circling around it for a bit before deciding to buy it. Suzy is from Brisbane and stocks a couple of stores on the East Coast with her girl’s trenchcoats, dresses, skirts and t-shirts.

Make Me Iconic. Natasha Skunca uses young local students from Sydney and Melbourne to design iconic city images and prints them on posters, cushion covers, tea towels and mugs  – from the Nylex sign to vintage Melbourne tram rolls. For a gift I bought a Skipping Girl mug ($20) and matching tea towel ($25). In about 2 months’ time she’ll be launching the wooden W-class tram complete with colourful passengers and a tram conductor!

Chook Leaf leather children’s footwear and accessories from Mornington. My camera ran out of battery at this point, so here are some images of their adorable shoes.

via Chook Leaf

I have a bit of a fixation on French kids’ clothes (well, French clothes generally), and whenever I got to the Paris sales I’d buy beautiful items for my god-daughter. Now that Paris is far, far away, I can shop at Castlebox, a new Melbourne-based range of vintage French-inspired fashion for kids aged 3-10 years.

via Castlebox

Finally, from Black Eyed Green, the Eco Cradle made of corrugated cardboard and flat-packed for easy travel. I also liked the other items from the range such as the flat-packed bench and table and Feedaway high chair.

via Black Eyed Green

If you missed out these markets, mark the following dates in your diary for the next Melbourne markets – 21, 22 and 23 October at Malvern Town Hall and 2, 3, 4 December at St Kilda Town Hall.

• Magnolia Square, Malvern Town Hall, cnr Glenferrie Rd and High Street, Malvern

Design:Made:Trade was a 4 day exhibition (2 day trade, 2 day public) set up in the beautiful heritage listed Royal Exhibition Buildings and a keystone event of State of Design 2010, Victoria’s annual design festival.

The grand vaulted space was segmented with 3×3 metre VISY cardboard booths, each containing fabulous furniture, fashion and industrial design brands. It was inspiring to see how the designers transformed the same space to reflect their brand, for example by using felt circles, drawing silhouettes of gabled windows or turning it into a 50s lounge room.

A ‘no photographs’ sign was prominently displayed at the entrance so I felt a bit shy about asking permission from individual stallholders for photos unless I’d bought something from them. So unfortunately I can’t show you some of the absolutely drool-worthy lighting and furniture I spotted for my dream designer home or some of the more inventive stall decorative ideas.

Here is what ended up in my shopping bag:

Buro North Christmas tree. I’ve been eyeing the sustainable plywood Christmas tree from multidisciplinary design studio Buro North ever since I read about it in The Design Files and saw them on sale at the Melbourne Design Market. It’ll make a great hanging space for my Christmas ornament collection and for the rest of year, a nice place to hang my keys and other sundries!

Cycle Signs. Being an owner of a cycling accessories business, I’m always on the lookout for innovative bike products. Thanks to a tip from Miss Kish, I went hunting out Sydney industrial designer Trent Jansen‘s stall where he was selling Cycle Signs, reflective discs attached to spokes or the front shaft for extra visibility. He uses a water jet cutting method to fashion circles from old reflective road signs salvaged from scrap metal yards – a truly upcycled product.

Letterpress cards from Vince. Graphic design Meaghan Barbuto was part of the Craft Victoria stall. Her background is in graphic design and she’d always dabbled in letterpress as a hobby, but she’s now focusing full-time on her letterpress business Vince. Given the number of babies being born in my circle of friends, I bought a be-ribboned box of gorgeous creamy stock printed with a motif of three yellow ducks.

On the weekend public days the Australian Graphic Design Association also held the ‘Design Fete’, a contemporary take on the traditional fete by leading and emerging Melbourne designers. Here’s Stuart from design studio Chase & Galley, very convincing as the role of the Mad Scientist as he made crystals and slime, and the Psycho Tatt Parlour (something about reacting psychically to certain signs and having them inked on you – bizarre).

• Design:Made:Trade, Royal Exhibition Building, 9 Nicholson St, Carlton