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• Collins Street – international and iconic
• Little Collins Street – Australian designers
• Flinders Lane – cutting edge
• Department stores and more
• GPO – city luxe
• QV – state of the art
• Melbourne Central – retail heaven
• Markets
• Southbank – shopping by the river
• Docklands – emerging retail
• For more information

The city is a place for discovery and adventure, filled with shopping delights.

Let your imagination guide you to boutique designers tucked into an array of laneways and arcades or waterfront shopping at Southgate or Docklands. Or head straight to Melbourne’s retail heart, the Bourke Street Mall and see where your curiosity leads you.  For shopping in Melbourne, remember the golden rule – seek and you shall find!

Collins Street – international and iconic

The city’s most famous tree-lined shopping street is Collins Street, home to high end jewellery (including Georg Jensen, Makers Mark, Bvlgari, Jan Logan, Rutherford and Tiffany & Co), fashion (look for Cose Ipanema, Husk, Herringbone, Hugo Boss and the legendary appointment-only boutique Le Louvre), shoes (the exquisite Miss Louise is a must) and luxury goods (think Ralph Lauren, Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, Bally, Salvatore Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton).

You’ll also find multi-level shopping centres Collins Place, Collins two3four and Australia on Collins, all packed with fashion, home wares and gift stores. A must see on Collins Street is the exquisite 19th century Block Arcade with its selection of beautiful shops including Melbourne-based Douglas & Hope (fashion and homewares) and the perennially popular Haigh’s Chocolates.

Georges on Collins, once the site of the famous Melbourne institution, Georges, has re-opened as a boutique retail complex for the style conscious including designs from Leona Edmiston and fashion from Kumquat by Sky and Bossini Menswear.

Little Collins Street – Australian designers

Little Collins Street has a well founded reputation as the place for the
discerning to shop. The fabulous Hero Building includes Anna Thomas, a fashion fave of smart Melbourne women, plus Kenzo, Sarti, Mecca (for divine cosmetics) and Chiodo. Keeping company in the street is a diverse range of shops selling highly regarded designer men’s and women’s fashion. Store names to take note of are Verve (also a café), Assin, Ted Baker and AG. Little Collins Street and neighbouring Howey Place are home to some of Melbourne’s most famous designers including Alannah Hill, Bettina Liano, and Scanlan & Theodore. It’s also a great spot for shoes with Zomp, Giallo and Dolci Firme.

Little Collins Street is also home to Canturi, jeweller to the stars. Make sure you pop into Royal Arcade, one of the oldest arcades in Australia for its interesting and delightful stores. Guarded by giants Gog and Magog since the late 1800s, here you can find everything from high end international and Australian fashion (Marais and Don’t Come), confectionery (Suga and Koko Black) to quirky stores featuring tarot card readings and Russian dolls.

Flinders Lane – cutting edge

Flinders Lane, once the centre of the city’s rag trade, is an unmissable shopping destination for the hip and happening. Melbourne boutiques like Christine, Zambesi, e.g.etal, Green with Envy, Miss Lau, plus Alice Euphemia, Route 66 and Genki in nearby Cathedral Arcade who sell fashion and accessories from the eccentric to the sublime. Centre Place, running off Flinders Lane, shouldn’t be overlooked.

In the thick of the atmospheric cafes and bars you’ll find fabulous shops like Kinki Gerlinki, with its fun fashion imports, Fokus with its cool range of sunglasses and watches, and Body, selling fluid and beautifully designed women’s clothing. Degraves Street plays host to the gorgeous Il Papiro (think writing implements and accessories) and Elegantly Scant (for underwear). Campbell Arcade is a treasure trove of independent fashion, art and design tucked away under Flinders Street Station. Find second hand vinyl, possibly the world’s only zine shop and a wide range of one-of-a-kind fashion with a vintage flavour.

Department stores and more

Bourke Street Mall is recognised as Melbourne’s shopping heartand is always pulsating with shoppers, buskers and city workers. Here you’ll find Melbourne’s two big department stores – David Jones and Myer.

Bourke Street is also home to the iconic Kosminsky, Melbourne’s most famous jewellery store. Affordable shopping chain store Target is just east of the mall in Bourke Street proper, while running off the mall are The Causeway Lane, The Walk and Centrepoint arcades, revealing more shopping delights.

Melbourne’s spine is Swanston Street. It is home to everything
from discount souvenir shops and cheerful teenage fashion to
high end jewellery stores.

At Southern Cross Station, you will find a retail shopping plaza
including DFO Spencer Street, home to more than 120 discount fashion, food and home wares retailers, including Country Road, Sheridan, Simone Perele and Polo Ralph Lauren.

GPO – city luxe

Situated next door to Myer on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth streets is the sublime GPO. This historic postal building was built in 1864, in the neo-Renaissance style fashionable during the lavish days of Victoria’s gold boom. GPO provides a highly sophisticated and contemporary retail experience and showcases the absolute best in fashion, luxury goods and dining. Look out for shops such as Belinda, Lisa Ho, AG, Karen Millen, Camper, Mandarina Duck, Mimco, Metalicus, Ben Sherman, Gorman, Georg Jensen and Akira
plus many delicious bars and eateries. Paradise found!

QV – state of the art

On the corner of Swanston and Lonsdale Streets is QV, one
of Melbourne’s most exciting retail developments, which boasts
an innovative mix of fashion, dining, homewares and furniture.

For slaves to fashion, Albert Coates Lane at QV is home to a
dynamic mix of high-end fashion and lifestyle retailers, many of
which call QV their first Melbourne home. Retailers in Albert Coates Lane include Aesop, Cactus Jam, Christensen Copenhagen, Boss Orange, Zimmerman, TL Wood and Wayne Cooper.

QV is also now home to some great restaurants and bars including Palette, Three Degrees, Jwow Wine Bar and Match Bar.

Melbourne Central – retail heaven

Also on Swanston Street, Melbourne Central is an urban inner-city precinct presenting a style laden destination for shopping, eating and
entertainment. There are over 300 stores to explore in a unique and modern architectural space, reflecting the diversity and evolution of the Melbourne CBD shopping centre. Melbourne Central is a multistorey shopping mecca housing clothing retailers such as Oroton, Country Road, Morrissey, Sportsgirl, Marcs, Witchery, Dom Bagnato, DeCjuba, Fashion Incubator, Oxford and RM Williams. Melbourne Central is also home to Freedom Furniture and Borders Books.

Markets

Everyone ends up at Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market at some stage. With its huge range of souvenirs and great priced clothing, it’s a veritable visitor magnet. While you’re there picking up some bargains, don’t miss the fabulous produce section with hundreds of stall holders selling everything edible! The market is open daily Tuesday – Sunday (except Wednesdays).

The Sunday Market at the Arts Centre brings together over 150 stalls of the finest arts and crafts from around Victoria. The Sunday Marketis the place to find one-of-a-kind gifts ranging from handcrafted Australian timber products and Aboriginal artefacts, to organic teas and homemade preserves. The Sunday Market at the Arts Centre runs every Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

Southbank – shopping by the river

South of the Yarra River loom more shopping possibilities.
The Southgate complex features three levels of shops with over 80 unique retailers including Ken Duncan Gallery, selling mesmerising images of Australian landscapes. Follow the river west and indulge your passion for shopping at Crown Entertainment Complex with the world’s leading designers including Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and L.K. Jewellery. Urban favourites are also well represented with FCUK, Guess and Beach Culture.

Docklands – emerging retail

Docklands offers a cosmopolitan experience, just metres away from the water. While you’re at Docklands, pamper yourself at Aqua Hair Design or Papillon Day Spa and take time to browse through the quality art galleries including Ngapa Gallery and Goya Galleries.

Visit the new Harbour Town at Waterfront City which features an exciting mix of national and international retail brands with more than 100 specialty stores, and 90 outlets. Find your favourite high street fashion brands in discount outlets and enjoy the food and entertainment precinct and its wide range of tasty offerings.

For more information

• Visit the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square, located on
the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets;

• Visit the Melbourne Visitor Booth in the Bourke Street Mall;

• Call City of Melbourne on 9658 9658;

• Purchase the latest Shopping Secrets Melbourne – a guide to 52 of the finest shops in town with something to suit every taste, budget and occasion, presented in a deck of cards. Available for $9.95 from the Melbourne Visitor Centre, good newsagents, bookstores or online at www.deckofsecrets.com

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