Domain Review Bayside & Port Phillip - October 11, 2023

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Broadsheet Editor: Jo Walker Assistant editor: Gitika Garg Design lead: Ben Siero  Design: The Company You Keep, Claire Bradbury Sub editors: Miriam Kauppi, Barnaby Smith Writers: Lucy Bell Bird, Emma Do, Grace MacKenzie, Tomas Telegramma, Che-Marie Trigg, Shannon Valentine, James Williams Photographers: Jamie Alexander, Pete Dillon, Kaede James Takamoto, Natalie Jeffcott, Ben Moynihan, Kate Pascoe, Samantha Schultz, Yvette Scott

Cover credits: Christine Lafian shot by Natalie Jeffcott

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These days there’s no shortage of independent Australian bedding labels. But 10 years ago Christine Lafian’s Suku was one of the first to make a play for sheets, doona covers and pillowcases delightfully outside the mainstream. A decade on, Suku (our cover story this week) is a fully fledged lifestyle brand with Lafian still at the helm, showcasing bold Melbourne-meets-Denpasar designs for homes and humans.

Jo Walker Broadsheet Editor

Neighbourhoods: Albert Park PAGE 16

Back Chat with Thanh Truong

Property Listings

21

Feature: Suku Home PAGE 13

PAGE 13

18

“Even though I live here in Australia, I want that connection to back home. So if I work with Indonesia, home will always be close to me.”

Feature: Christine Lafian

Studio Visit: Ngali

NOW OPEN

Mortadeli Pasta Bar

Shop 8 4-6 Gilbert Street, Torquay

There’s now morta love about Mortadeli, the Med-inspired cafe and deli-grocer that has taken Torquay by storm. Owner Jake Cassar has added a laid-back pasta bar to the “piazza” the sibling venues occupy, just off Gilbert Street in the Surf Coast town. He’s ever so slightly condensed the grocer’s offering to create a new part-diner, part-deli – teleporting you to 1970s Rome, with an air of a nonna’s house.

In the corner, an Italian-imported Bottene pasta machine gleams, churning out fresh pasta of all shapes and sizes for both dine-in and takeaway. Expect classics like cacio e pepe and carbonara along with handmade ravioli. But what’s also shaping up to be a signature is the Instagram-viral mozzarella in carozza – a deep-fried sandwich bursting with molten mozzarella and dotted with anchovy fillets. It’s the perfect weekend getaway diner as warm weather starts up again, teasing summer’s prospects. — TT

THREE OF A KIND

Offbeat Martinis

What the Martini lacks in ingredients, it makes up for with opportunity. The world is your oyster when infusing flavours – and their shells are used to make the gin in Pipis’ Oyster Martini. Omnia Bar and Bistro teams up with fromagerie Maker & Monger for a tipple tinged with fourme d’ambert blue cheese, but there’s no feta in the Greek Salad Martini at Capers. — JTW

Monger Martini

Vodka, olive rind, fourme d’ambert blue cheese

Omnia Bar and Bistro, South Yarra

Greek Salad Martini

Tanqueray gin, martini bianco, tamarind vinegar shrub, cucumber, olive brine Capers, Thornbury

Oyster Martini

Never Never Oyster Shell Gin, Constance fino, olive brine

Pipis Kiosk, Albert Park

Photo: Ben Moynihan

READ ME IN THE DIARY ADD TO CART

Vela cheese knives

Sydney-born homewares and fashion label Alex and Trahanas has an ongoing love affair with Italy. In the new Formaggio Odyssey collection, the journey and the destination are cheese –as evidenced in this Vela knife set inspired by the sculptural forms of sailing boats. Devised by leading Italian-Australian industrial designer David Caon, the three-piece set is crafted in olive wood and steel, riffing on a European aesthetic. Perfect for elevating everyday cheese snacking, or kicking off a full-blown festa del formaggio. — JW

$280 / alexandtrahanas.com

Ester

Mat Lindsay is renowned for deftly transforming the spoils of Australian produce into punchpacking plates via the glow of his woodfire oven. Every morsel at his casual Sydney fine diner –the namesake of this release – is licked by the heat: scorched heads of cauliflower, just-grilled pippies, flame-touched steaks, sticky-date doughnuts. Recipes allow the flavours to ripen with the char, and are designed to be pulled off in your home oven. A toast-dedicated chapter joins meat, seafood, breakfast and Sunday long lunches. — GM

$55 / murdochbooks.com

Space of Waste

A former office in the backstreets of Cremorne has become a temporary hub for creative thinkers focused on sustainability and climate action. Eco-conscious contributors to the space include Dodgy Paper and Lousy Ink, which upcycle waste into artist-quality paper and ink, and Cirque du Soil, an outfit investigating –through AI technology placed in local venues – how food waste can be transformed into new products. The space also hosts workshops, screenings and exhibitions and is open weekly until the end of 2023. — SV

10am–4pm Thu to Sat / 30 Stephenson Street, Cremorne / @alleyoop.world

HOME MAKER

Supper Supply

Ever had a restaurant seat with kitchen views? You may have noticed chefs dispensing olive oil from plastic squeezy bottles instead of unwieldy glass ones. These glimpses were part of the inspiration for Supper Supply, a new Melbourne brand founded by Daniella Cohen and Billy Riddle. Their first product is premium extra virgin olive oil, made with olives picked and pressed at a family-owned grove in Victoria, in squeezable bottles made from 100 per cent recycled post-consumer plastic. “With a squeeze bottle, you can squeeze as much or as little as you want,” Cohen says — CMT

suppersupply.com.au

SNACK BAR STREET STYLE

by Gitika Garg Johnston Street, Abbotsford

St Kilda scores another neighbourhood pub with the opening of The Lion & Wombat. It’s a taste of London by the seaside with Scotch eggs, fish finger sandwiches and a classic Sunday roast. 107 Grey Street, St Kilda / lionandwombat.com.au

CBD favourite Movida Aqui has reopened after extensive renovation. The signature tapas and paella are as good as ever, and there are plenty of new things to try including crumpet topped with spanner crab, saffron emulsion and finger lime. 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne / movida.com.au

Charlie Carrington of South Yarra’s Atlas Dining has opened Little Havana in Prahran. Pop by the neon-coloured shop to try five Cuban-inspired sandwiches including roast beef, mushroom, and the classic ham and roasted pork. 99 High Street, Prahran / littlehavanasandwiches.com.au

Japanese diner Yakimono’s new $89 bottomless lunch gets you three courses plus 90 minutes of matched drinks weekends from noon. Expect classics like prawn yuzu gyoza, miso apple pie and Yaki Espresso Martinis. 80 Collins Street, Melbourne / yakimono.com.au

Beloved Melbourne butcher Gary’s Meats has reopened as G McBean Family Butcher, with a bigger footprint than before. The new shop is designed by Wendy Bergman (The Orrong Hotel, Chin Chin, Studio Amaro) and located in the same spot where it first opened in 1984 Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra / garysqualitymeats.com.au

Her Bar welcomes new head chef Nada Thomas. With experience as senior pastry chef at The Press Club and Cecconi’s, she’s now bringing a European focus to the CBD restaurant and wine bar that’s strong on shareable fun. 270 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne / her.melbourne

Read the full story for each dot point: broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/series/snack-bar

Thelatestin Melbourne foodnews MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES

Name: Abby Goldie Age: 28 Occupation: Studying education What are you wearing today? I’m obsessed with Issey Miyake but cannot afford their designs, so when Cos came out with these pants I was like, “They can pass, it scratches the itch, I’ll get them.” And cobalt blue is very fun, so that’s the story there. I’m wearing two tops together and the hat is hiding really horrible hair! The bag is Sans Beast and I’m wearing my Millie Savage ring. How would you describe your style? My style fluctuates with my mood, so today I’m feeling very colourful, edgy and fun. I think it also fluctuates in terms of my queerness. Some days I’m wanting to dress quite femme queer, other days I want to

CHARMING ABBOTSFORD

Find a blend of historic charm and modern living along the Yarra with picturesque views and recreational opportunities. Housing options vary from period-style homes to contemporary apartments. The real estate market is competitive, with rising property values in recent years.

ABBOTSFORD

1 bed unit, $368k 2 bed unit, $563k 2 bed house, $1.123m

Photo: Yvette Scott

Photo: Kate Pascoe

Photo: Kaede James Takamoto

Photo: Pete Dillon

Source: Data based on sales within the last 12 months

BACK CHAT

Thanh Truong, aka the Fruit Nerd

Words by Lucy Bell Bird

Thanh Truong is an upstanding guy – and a fruiterer. For the man best known as “the Fruit Nerd”, the two go hand in hand. Being a fruiterer is “an honourable profession”, Truong says. “We don’t wear a tie, we don’t wear a suit, but we nourish people.”

A former national supply manager for Coles and current director of his family’s wholesale fresh food business, Truong has appeared on TV shows including SBS’s The Chefs’ Line and Channel Seven’s Plate of Origin – as well as being the ABC’s unofficial fruit correspondent.

In his Fruit Nerd persona, Truong beamingly delivers fruit and veg knowledge over social media in one of his 50 fruit-patterned shirts. And while his Instagram only started to explode over the past few years, Truong’s been in the fruit industry his whole life.

He’s the son of fruiterers, and the grandson of medicinal herbalists. As with many second-generation Australians, Truong fostered a connection to his parents through food, he says. Beyond “practically living in the fruit shop”, his childhood memories are dominated by fruity anecdotes: his dad’s truck smelling of cigarettes and mangoes, his mother proposing parent-child peace treaties over sliced apples.

“My mum used to cut me so much fruit,” Truong tells Broadsheet. “I remember it so vividly. She would core apples, cut half the skin off and slice them into perfect little wedges. I think there’s a huge unspoken theme in migrant culture where kids don’t communicate well with our parents, and so [parents would] often say sorry or thank you by cutting fruit.”

Having followed his Vietnamese parents into the family business, Truong is taking a different tack in a profession that mostly functions unseen in early morning darkness.

His parents are proud of his national profile. At least, he hopes so. But for his father

in particular – who arrived in Australia with nothing after nearly 20 months in a UN refugee camp – the decision to stick with fruit over white-collar careerism is slightly baffling.

“[My parents] have worked so hard, and migrant families work really hard, so that we don’t have to work hard. It’s such a weird thing … They don’t want us to be labourers, they want us to be educated and be lawyers,” says Truong, who has brothers in the legal profession and sisters in banking.

“But [through my platform], I just want to show my father and all of my uncles and aunties that the profession they do is really honourable, that what they do is important. They have inadvertently changed the lives of so many Australians by offering them different types of produce, demanding better quality.”

As well as demanding respect for fruiterers, Truong is teaching Australians to respect fruit through social media and through his new book, Don’t Buy Fruit & Veg Without Me! – essentially a dictionary of fruit and vegetable tips, tricks and recipes.

By promoting fruit literacy, Truong wants to save us from a future of blindly knocking on melons in the supermarket and squeezing (read: bruising) avocadoes. We’re also using fruit bowls wrong, apparently, and that’s something he’d like us to address asap.

Once we understand fruit more, we’ll grow to respect it, Truong says. We should be looking at fruit the same way we look at wine: considering terroir, the tastes of different regions and the characteristics of distinct varietals. The contrast in taste between two blueberries can be as pronounced as that between a sav blanc and a pinot gris, he says.

Through his book – and his infectious passion for all things fruit and veg – Truong is hoping to change hearts and minds. Once that’s done, he says, “strawberries and cherries will have the glamour that Penfolds has”.

Six Salad Servers That Make Even Iceberg Lettuce Look Stylish

By Gitika Garg

CUTIPOL GOA SALAD SET – $98 Designed by José Joaquim Ribeiro and made by a family-owned business in the village of Sao Martinho de Sande in Portugal, Cutipol’s Goa salad set features a brushed stainless-steel spoon and fork with contrasting resin handles. Slim and minimalist, they’ll add a touch of effortless chic to any refined dining experience. mudaustralia.com

FAZEEK SALAD SERVERS – $89 Melbourne-based

homewares label Fazeek has a track record of creating curvaceous colour-loving glassware. Following suit, its salad servers are made of hand-blown borosilicate glass, with elongated handles that lead to softly rounded spoons. Available in three playful colourways: pink and green, clear and amber, and lilac and teal. fazeek.com.au

DINOSAUR DESIGNS RESIN STONE SERVERS – $125

Handmade from resin in its Strawberry Hills studio, iconic Sydney label Dinosaur Designs’ stone servers come in 26 striking hues, from solid colours to textured, marble-like swirls. Go for hot-pink Flamingo, the dappled greys of Abalone, or Sky – a mix of blue and white inspired by the vapour of early evening skies. dinosaurdesigns.com.au

COUNTRY ROAD NOLAN SALAD SERVERS – $59.95

Known for Aussie-style understated luxury, Country Road’s approach to salad servers is unsurprisingly chic. The Nolan features a minimalist design with tapered handles and sleek spoons – a timeless style for seasons of dinner parties. Made of high-quality stainless steel in three neutral finishes: soft gold, brushed silver and shiny graphite. countryroad.com.au

MAISON BALZAC CLOUD SERVING SPOONS – $49

Loosely resembling the claws of a friendly lobster, cult Sydneyborn label Maison Balzac’s Cloud serving spoons are made of bamboo polymer with a soft, matte finish. Lightweight yet highly durable, they’re also biodegradable and designed to add a bit of whimsy to your table. Available in sky blue and beige. maisonbalzac.com

SAARDE OLIVE WOOD SALAD SPOONS – $45

Wooden salad servers are always a classic. Turkish-inspired, Sydney-based label Saarde’s are handcrafted using natural olive wood from pruned branches and dead trunks. With a simple pared-back design, the wood’s textured character does most of the heavy lifting, style-wise. Each piece gets darker and richer in colour as it ages. saarde.com

HOME OF THE WEEK

Pure joy from bottom to top

Words by Anders Furze

Luxury basements are having a moment. For many premium property buyers, a kitted-out basement is no longer a nice-tohave optional extra but a sought-out feature in its own right.

From home cinemas to gyms, wine cellars to multi-car garages, designers are increasingly embracing the multiplicity of possibilities to be found underground.

It’s a trend driven by various factors: the space premium, increasing time spent at home and, of course, international currents – as a cursory glance at any Beverly Hills property showcased on Netflix’s Selling Sunset will tell you.

This Brighton property is no exception to the trend of underground extravagance. “The basement living room is an extraordinary size,” says agent Matthew Pillios. “We are excited to be selling this wonderful home.”

Luxury is by no means confined to the basement of this show-stopper of a property, which unfurls across three levels. But it’s a good place to start. Here, you’ll find a premium living space, the garage, which has its own car turntable, and an adjacent

laundry, adding a practical element to the underground space.

What about the rest of the house? Head up the stairs to the ground floor and if legwork is not for you, don’t worry, there is a private lift.

Here’s where you’ll find the central kitchen, which has plenty of storage and leads into the dining and living rooms. There’s a bathroom close to the entry porch and a home office at the front of the house.

Back to the rear, the covered area adjoins a deck with vertical garden and bar. This leads to the pool and makes for a lovely sanctuary.

Head upstairs again to the first floor, which is devoted entirely to three bedrooms.

The north-west-facing main bedroom is a sumptuous highlight. It has a walk-in wardrobe, and the en suite comes with a bath.

The two other bedrooms come with their own unique features.

One has a walk-in wardrobe, while the other has two built-in wardrobes and a builtin desk.

Not to be outshone by the main bedroom, they have en suites as well.

This tribute to a life of luxury can be found on 365 square metres, atop landscaped gardens and with a secure street frontage.

Due to its convenient location, this is a tightly held neighbourhood in middle Brighton. Church Street’s boutique shops, restaurants and medical services are all minutes away, and it’s an easy stroll down Lynch Street to the Brighton Grocer.

Brighton Beach Primary School is around the corner, and all the suburb’s prestigious schools are within reach.

Brighton

50a Lynch Crescent

$4.5 million-$4.85 million

4 4 3

Auction: 2.30pm, October 21

Agent: Marshall White, Matthew Pillios 0408 145 982

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

“50a Lynch Crescent is truly a class above. It has some of the highest finishes ever seen in Brighton with beautiful marble and onyx throughout the home.”

NEED TO KNOW

The highest recorded house price for Brighton (past 12 months) was $31.6 million for 39 Seacombe Grove in November 2022.

RECENT SALES

$1.856 million

77 Durrant Street, August $3.45 million

6 Enfield Road, August $2.74 million

15 Peacock Street, June

Matthew Pillios Marshall White

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

Introducing Madison. A hand-tailored mattress made from luxurious European silks and German componentry. A successful day starts with a luxurious night.

SLEEPER HIT

Words by Emma Do · Photos by Natalie Jeffcott

Christine Lafian started Suku with colourful bedding. Now the Melbourne label offers a fully fledged lifestyle range of fashion and home accessories –still informed by Indonesian artisanship and big fun vibes.

Making your bed has never been easier. No matter your taste, price point or fabric preference, stylish Australian-designed sheets now abound – particularly if you’re shopping online. Things were different a decade ago. In  2013, Christine Lafian was in her mid-twenties and sleeping on “whatever Ikea had”. She dreamt of bedding that had personality: “something fun, affordable and good quality”. When she couldn’t find it, she made her own, christening her label Suku.

What began with four different ombre bedding sets is now a small kingdom of homewares, fashion and lifestyle goods. From the get-go, Lafian created an unmistakable Suku look – a combination of bamboo fabric, rich hues and graphic prints applied with an artisanal touch. The brand name, which means “tribe” in Indonesian, came about rather serendipitously when Lafian heard a radio announcer mention the French musician Soko and was so taken, she decided to adapt it to her liking. But it’s become an apt descriptor for Suku’s loyal fanbase of creative types.

Even if you don’t have an interest in Melbourne’s independent design scene, you’ve likely already glimpsed Suku pyjamas out on the street. The label’s slinky, oversized sets are a summer leisurewear favourite, not only for their comfort, but also because they exude a “luxuriating in the tropics” vibe, rather than “ready for bed”.

Like many successful small business stories, there was never a grand plan for Suku. Lafian, born in Makassar, Indonesia, moved to Auckland at age 15 for high school, before relocating to Melbourne to study graphic design. “My only goal in my twenties was to live in Australia,” she explains. “I was working retail so I could stay here, and just felt like doing something else as a hobby. I wasn’t thinking Suku would produce lots of money or even fund my life! It was just a product that answered my needs.”

When bedding was dominated by either serious, crisp cottons or matronly Laura Ashley florals, Lafian’s electrifying prints stood out. Word spread thanks to friends first, then coverage from taste-making local press. “When more and more people started DM-ing me and asking to buy, that’s when I found my confidence,” she says. “It grew organically into something bigger.” Lafian built Suku as an e-commerce business initially, and didn’t leave her day job at Zimmermann until three years in when she was offered a bricks-and-mortar space at the now-shuttered No Order Market boutique

on Elizabeth Street in the CBD.

Working with Indonesian craftspeople and showcasing traditional techniques was always a priority for Lafian. “It’s where I’m from,” she says. “Even though I live here in Australia, I want that connection to back home. So if I work with Indonesia, home will always be close to me.”

Her original plan had been to create cotton sheets – the kind you might find in a nice hotel. But it was her grandma in Bali who swayed her towards velvety bamboo. “She helped me out a lot with Suku,” Lafian says. “She has a small garment manufacturing business, and before that, she had a bed and breakfast in Kuta, so her background has always been in surfacing and leisure. She was the one who told me to use bamboo. She sent me a sample to try and I was like, ‘Wow, this is incredible.’”

to express themselves”. A customer once told Lafian that finding Suku was like being vegan and finally tracking down a restaurant that serves great vegan food.

In 2021, Lafian opened a flagship store on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, which also now houses a fully fledged fashion line (Lafian says garments and bedding are her biggest sellers). Surprisingly, it’s the Moon print from 2016 – tie-dyed white circles on inky black –that stays on rotation due to popular demand. “I don’t know why, but people are still buying it!” she says.

Over the years, the team has slowly expanded behind the scenes. Lafian leads as creative director, designing all the brand’s prints, but also employs six staff across Melbourne and Bali who look after retail and the technical aspects of design, as well

linens were all the rage – but ultimately believes in “what we do best: bold and colourful prints”. Suku’s production – the dyeing, printing, cutting and sewing – has always happened in Bali, where Lafian’s grandmother continues to manage the workshop. The operation remains small-scale and focused on handmade processes including batik and dip dyeing (you’ll notice painterly brushstrokes and splatters of ink flicked by hand on the final product).

Producing in Bali felt easy for Lafian, not just due to familial help, but because she never had to overcome language or cultural barriers, which she saw other Australianbased brands struggle with. “Bali people are so sweet, but they may say yes to jobs that they don’t understand completely,” she notes. “So a lot of my friends who manufactured there got frustrated when they got a different type of sample back. Miscommunication and cultural expectations can really get to you.”

Since 2020 , Lafian has manufactured Suku’s bamboo fabric in Java using a custom weft and weave. Previously, she sourced the textile from China, one of the world’s main suppliers. “I thought, what’s the point of importing so many fabrics, then importing it again into another country? When I found a factory in Indonesia, I asked them to tweak it to make it feel a bit like cotton, because sometimes bamboo can get real silky. Now we can proudly say that we manufacture our own fabric!”

Lafian and her then-housemates all pitched in as the first product testers. Those closest to her would also help cement the nascent Suku aesthetic: a dreamy, lived-in look that broke away from the meticulously styled set-ups typical of bedding companies. Photos from the label’s first six years, shot on film by Charlie Brophy, show bare-faced models bathed in natural light, peeking out from between the covers or sipping coffee in the brand’s robes. To any 20-something who’d just started making enough money to splurge on nice bedding, Suku felt both gloriously luxurious and within reach.

Suku’s customers today range in age from 15 to 50 . Over time, Lafian has naturally evolved the brand’s vision into something bolder and a bit glossier, but her designs continue to speak to creatives first and foremost – “people who want something a bit different

as 25 production staff in the Bali workshop. Still, you get the sense that Suku’s universe remains a reflection of what Lafian is personally digging at any given moment – whether it’s pet wear, swimwear, tableware or incense.

“The way I do things is still the same –I like to design for myself,” she says. “I look at Melbourne when designing winter clothes and Bali for summer. When I’m working on something, I just ask myself, ‘What do you want to buy next?’ Because if I want it, other people might too.”

Lafian chuckles, questioning whether the line of thinking is conceited. But clearly, the formula works. “I guess because I created the brand from my own aesthetic and personal style from the beginning,” she muses. To her, staying ahead of the curve means being faithful to the origins of her brand. She’s felt the temptation to give into trends – like when neutral

Reflecting on 10 years of Suku, Lafian is simply grateful to have made it this far. She’s content with the size of the business, pleased that the team still love what they do. “This is an industry where people get bored and want new things all the time,” she says. “So my biggest achievement is that we still exist.” She attributes the label’s longevity to her grandma’s advice. “It’s more of a mantra –if I’m too stressed, my grandma’s like, ‘What’s the point of doing it if you’re not having fun?’”

To Lafian, the ultimate business success would look something like the restaurant Noma – a brand that is “so powerful, the community will understand you and follow you whatever you do”. But today she’s simply embracing the lessons of parenthood: slow down, take things as they come. Giving birth to her son Enzo last year forced Lafian to examine her all-consuming relationship with work. “I think it’s healthier now – I don’t talk about work as much anymore, I just talk about my baby,” she jokes. “But it’s really just given me a different perspective – at the end of the day, your life is not your work. It’s pulled me back and made me see what’s important.”

This is an industry where people get bored and want new things all the time. So my biggest achievement is that we still exist.

WINDOW SHOPPING

Albert Park

By Jo Walker

Albert Park (the suburb) is named for Albert Park (the park) – although either way you look at it, not all of Albert Park is in Albert Park.

Slightly confusing suburb boundaries aside, the 3206 postcode is compact enough to retain a neighbourhood feel despite its inner-city location (just four clicks from the CBD), and spacious enough to offer green parks and a generous foreshore for outdoor activities.

Its namesake Albert Park is home to the Australian Grand Prix, which provides a yearly dose of high-octane action around the street circuit. Most of the time, though, it’s a magnet for runners, cyclists, picnickers and dogwalkers drawn to scenic lakeside trails. Local athletes jog past the recently installed statue of Aussie Olympian Peter Norman, who became part of sporting history in 1968 standing in solidarity with American sprinters performing the Black Power salute.

Nearby St Vincent Gardens is smaller though equally grand. It’s modelled on Georgian-era English parks like those in ritzy London enclaves. Heritage row houses line the park, and there are more to be found down Victoria Avenue and on the foreshore – also home to the historical Kerferd Road Pier and Pipis Kiosk, which offers relaxed-yet-elegant dining as well as takeaway fish’n’chips.

For more food and drink options, it’s tough to go past the Bridport Street shopping strip. Among retail outlets like Elka Collective, Mecca Cosmetica and top fashion destination Stable (formerly Filly’s Stable), find old-school burgers, like your local fish‘n’chip shop used to do, at Andrew’s Hamburgers (open since 1939). Or European-influenced cuisine plus smallgoods, breads and pastries at the slightly less vintage Albert Park Deli (open since 1972).

Leaps and Bounds – named for the Paul Kelly song – provides satisfying cafe fare. Bread Club (an outpost of the North Melbourne bakery) has bread, pastries and sandwiches, plus killer weekend specials. Albert Park Hotel is a recently renovated four-storey heritage boozer with a Hong Kong-inspired restaurant inside. Or for French bistro classics with a fun twist, head to Chez Bagou, which also has a 160 -strong, mostly French wine list.

NEED TO KNOW

Albert Park boasts wide streets, heritage architecture, open-air cafes and parks. The real estate scene here includes period homes, contemporary townhouses and luxury apartments, appealing to diverse tastes. The strong sense of community makes it a sought-after suburb for those desiring a fusion of history and contemporary living.

Average Age

46

Median Weekly income $2,533

Clockwise from top: Albert Park Hotel, photo Kaede James Takamoto; Leaps and Bounds, photo Jamie Alexander; Bread Club, photo Samantha Schultz; Plate from Leaps and Bounds, photo Jamie Alexander

Owner 61% Family 47%

Renter 39% Single 53%

WHAT THE AGENT SAYS

“With very few apartments available on Albert Park, the majority of homes are Victorian and Edwardian period residences. Average sized land is in the vicinity of 130sqm.”

MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES

Median price houses $2.435m

Median price units $590,000

Distance from CBD 2km

Clockwise from top: Heritage architecture and Albert Park, photos Kaede James Takamoto; Pipis Kiosk, photo Ben Moynihan; Bridport Street and Walks on the beach, photos Kaede James Takamoto

Oliver Bruce Marshall White

FASHION WEEK Ngali

Words by

We design to take our collections on a journey,” says Denni Francisco, founder of First Nations clothing label Ngali. “Every collection runs into the next.”

The local brand’s next destination is a Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW) runway at 101 Collins Street, presenting alongside established Australian designers such as Aje, Bec & Bridge and Carla Zampatti.

Back in May, Ngali marked the first ever standalone presentation by an Indigenous designer on the official schedule at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW) with a solo runway made up of 30 looks.

It’s not the first time Francisco has made history. The Wiradjuri designer is also a twotime winner of the National Indigenous Fashion Awards’ Fashion Designer prize and was a finalist for the Australian Fashion Laureate’s Indigenous Designer of the Year accolade –impressive for someone who only established their label in 2018

This year’s spring/summer showcase is a continuation of Ngali’s Murriyang collection, translating to “things that can be seen from above”. It celebrates Country as viewed from the sky, speaking to Australia’s diverse landscapes. “We thought about if Bunjil [ the ancestral wedge-tailed eagle ] , who in Wiradjuri language is the Creator, was flying over, what is it that they would see?” Francisco tells Broadsheet “It’s about the connection of land, sea and sky.”

It’s common in the fashion industry to be working one or two seasons ahead; the upcoming runway looks began months ago. At Ngali, each collection starts with scouting artworks by First Nations creatives that can be translated into textiles. Often this art curation process prompts a theme, forming the basis of each collection. Murriyang features works by longtime Ngali collaborator Lindsay Malay from the Kimberley in Western Australia, as well as two Melbournebased artists: Keedan Rigney and Laura Brown.

Next comes a two-month sampling process. Designs are “effortless”, letting artworks take centrestage on simple forms, Francisco says. “If you’re working too hard to make a particular silhouette look right, I think there’s a message

in that and maybe it’s not one to include.”

Often, collections are made up of 14 pieces produced across a number of different prints. Dresses, separates and silk scarves are either an adaption of previous silhouettes or designed completely new. A tight but considered body of work is also a reflection of Ngali’s sustainability commitment to producing less. At MFW, 10 looks will walk the runway, featuring versatile pieces that can be styled and worn in a multitude of ways.

But before it arrives in the city, the collection will already have toured across the globe, showcasing in the historic First Nations Fashion Show as part of London Fashion Week in September (the first of its kind) as well as Dubai Fashion Week in early October.

When asked what it feels like to be able to platform Indigenous culture and talent, Francisco’s answer is simple. “It’s time,” she says.

“It’s getting to the point where First Nations involvement in major fashion events is not so surprising, which is fantastic. Any time we show up as First Nations designers or creatives, we’re just widening that pathway for more of our mob to come in and feel culturally safe.”

Unlike Ngali’s solo show at AAFW, where the team had full control of production from styling down to the set and music, MFW’s collective runway will see the collection styled by Stuart Walford, whose resume includes Melbourne Fashion Festival as well as Chadstone runway activations. “There’s always that slight nervousness of how [the looks] are actually going to come down the catwalk,” Francisco says.

But as someone who’s been in the fashion industry for more than 25 years, learning to let go and have trust are lessons the designer has learned over time. She also finds comfort in connection to Country and ancestral support – two things at the core of Ngali. “We do what we can to be accountable to our culture and the First Nations people we collaborate with,” Francisco says. “If you take care of all of that, then everything else is kind of taken care of.”

Ngali will show at MFW as part of the 101 Collins Street Runway on Saturday October 28

Gitika Garg · Photos by Stephanie Rose Wood

Pambula, NSW

by Alice Jeffery

Asix-hour drive from Sydney and seven from Melbourne, the Sapphire Coast is home to the rolling hills of dairy country (Bega is famous for Bega, after all), as well as secluded beaches with sparkling blue waters (hence the name). And while Bermagui, Tathra and Eden might draw crowds for their adventurous and historical attractions, it’s Pambula that has our heart.

A perfect blend of country-meets-coastal charm, Pambula offers sandy summer days that start slow and stretch into candy-coloured sunsets backdropped by Beowa National Park’s natural beauty.

The town, which has a recorded population of under a thousand, is small but mighty. Wild Rye’s Baking Co has you covered for carbs and

coffee. The Oyster Barn, perched on the waters of Merimbula Lake, offers freshly shucked shellfish and a casual atmosphere. Bianchini Gelati takes local flavours and turns them into creamy afternoon delights.

The taps at Longstocking Brewery also highlight tastes from the area, including an espresso porter in collaboration with Wild Rye’s roastery and an alcoholic ginger beer with plenty of punch. Banksia brings fine dining to the mix with its changing set menu. And there are antiques to be foraged and local artisans to be celebrated in the shops that line the main street.

The area is home to the Pinnacles – a deep eroded gully of vivid orange and white rock face – and other dramatic coastal features that can be

explored on gentle bush walks. The Pambula River mouth is a great setting for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and generally enjoying crystal-clear waters.

As for accommodation, Lotte’s Hjem – a weatherboard cottage almost entirely encased by lush gardens – has stood on Ives Street for more than 150 years. In a celebration of domestic pleasures, the well-equipped kitchen (complete with a large awning window that opens onto an outdoor breakfast bar) is the heart of the home. There are complimentary bikes for rolling down to the beach and a restored zinc soaking tub, which is rumoured to have once belonged to French royalty. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay a while and consider making a sea change.

Photo

LUXURY

Words by Maria Harris & Peter Semple

Brighton East

58 Shasta Avenue

$3.55 million-$3.905 million

4 2 2

Auction: 3pm, October 14

Agent: Nick Johnstone Real Estate, Nick Johnstone 0414 276 871

In family-friendly Brighton East, this renovated four-bedroom home with a lavish main bedroom downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs hits all the right notes. It includes an office, retreat, gym and light-filled open-plan living and dining with vaulted ceilings, fireplace and bar. Sliding doors let the party spill outside to the lawn, pool, sauna and covered dining zone with a kitchen, barbecue and pizza oven.

Glen Iris

27 Queens Parade

$6 million-$6.5 million

5 5 3

Expressions of interest: Close noon, November 1

Agent: Harcourts, Andy Shi 0478 838 167

A commanding presence in the street, this striking home by Zeno Entity Architects delivers luxury and space over two levels with an outdoor entertainment zone and swimming pool. There’s a downstairs guest bedroom, a study, a formal living room and a dazzling kitchen (with butler’s pantry) overlooking the family-dining area. Upstairs is a private parents’ haven with a vast walk-in wardrobe and en suite. Three more bedrooms and en suites are grouped around a central retreat.

Surrey Hills

19 Suffolk Road

$4.5 million-$4.95 million

4 4 4

Private auction: October 27

Agent: Abercrombys, Simon Curtain 0405 385 285

This beautiful Edwardian house is set among formal landscaped gardens in Surrey Hills’ historically significant English Counties residential precinct. It has been the subject of a quality renovation, adding every modern touch while retaining the period charm. The main feature is a wall of retractable glass doors that open from the spacious family room to the in-ground pool-spa and entertaining area. There is splitsystem air-conditioning in every room.

Canterbury

22 Parlington Street

$6.8 million-$7.48 million

6 6 2

Private auction: October 31

Agent: Kay & Burton, Sophie Su 0425 270 125

Located within Canterbury’s sought-after golden mile, this luxurious mansion includes six bedrooms, five with en suites, and the main with a balcony and free-standing bath. The huge main living and dining rooms open to an in-ground pool, sauna and entertaining area with an outdoor kitchen and dining space. There is also a separate home theatre. Other features include marble benchtops, American oak parquetry floors, double-glazing and a butler’s pantry.

OPEN FOR INSPECTION

Words by Joanne Brookfield, Richard Cornish & Shae Wiedermann

LAST WEEKEND

Clearance Rate of 52%*

Source: Domain Group

WHAT OUR EXPERT SAYS

Hawthorn

54a Connell Street

$1.7 million-$1.8 million

2 1 1

Auction: 2pm, October 21

Agent: Jellis Craig, Campbell Ward 0402 124 939

The epitome of biophilic design, this stunning home encircles a magnificent tree and internal courtyard. Inspired by 1950s modernist Melbourne, especially the work of notable architects Peter McIntyre and Roy Grounds, this naturally lit, north-facing sanctuary won the Victoria Architectural Medal in 2000. Oversized doors are cleverly used to delineate rooms, with each space benefiting from the dappled light through the floor-to-ceiling glazed courtyard walls.

Dr

Nicola

Powell Chief of research & economics

“In Melbourne, the proportion of profit-making resales remains the lion’s share at 95 per cent. Additionally, the city provided home owners a large median dollar gain on houses resold, at $327,000.”

Source: Domain Research Tenure and Profit report, September 21, 2023

HIGHEST VALUE

$2.61 million

Burwood 21 Summit Road

Sold by Ray White*

*As reported on September 30, 2023

Kew

33 Edgevale Road

$2.7 million-$2.9 million

4 2

Auction: 10am, October 21

Agent: Jellis Craig, Richard Winneke 0418 136 858

On a quiet Kew avenue is this lovingly restored historic home with a stylish blend of modern amenity and original Victorian elegance. The location is pure blue ribbon, with a cafe up the street and Glenferrie Road shops, three trams and some of Melbourne’s best private schools nearby. It has four large bedrooms, a recently updated bathroom and a well-appointed kitchen.

Beaumaris

29a Cloris Avenue

$2.1 million-$2.2 million

4 3 1

Auction: 2.30pm, October 14

Agent: Buxton, Richard Slade 0419 588 873

Across from Beaumaris Reserve, this twostorey townhouse is modern, elegant and refined but comfortable for families. An inviting entry hall leads to a rear northfacing living and dining area, with a terrace beyond. Upstairs, the main bedroom (with walk-in wardrobe and en suite) has exceptional park views and is accompanied by a sky-lit retreat area for that extra space.

Camberwell

24 Canterbury Road

$2.5 million-$2.7 million

4 3 2

Auction: 1.30pm, October 21

Agent: Marshall White, James Tostevin 0417 003 333

This spacious, single-level house has enduring prestige, from its 1890s origins to today. With a desirable blue-chip location in Camberwell, this property’s flexible floor plan includes options for a home office, a library or additional living areas. Outside, it’s an entertainer’s haven, with a solar-heated pool, a pool bathroom and a pergola with festoon lighting for year-round use.

Beaumaris

15 Herbert Street

$2 million-$2.2 million

3 2 2

Auction: 1pm, October 14

Agent: Belle Property Sandringham, Andrew Solomon 0449 928 636

The vendors took a mid-century home in the heart of Beaumaris and completely remodelled it with hand-built Australian materials and beautiful, durable finishes inside and out. Ricketts Point is a stroll away, the Concourse shopping village is conveniently close and golf courses and schools are nearby.

Hawthorn East

31 Lingwell Road

$2.6 million-$2.8 million

3 2 2

Auction: 3.30pm, October 21

Agent: Marshall White, James Tostevin 0417 003 333

What was once a brick cottage has been transformed into a spacious, split-level family home. While Victorian-era features – such as a iron-lacework verandah – remain, modern features include a walk-in wardrobe and en suite in the main bedroom, a walk-in pantry in the kitchen, and a study alcove.

South Melbourne

6/132 Bank Street

$1.675 million-$1.75 million

2 2 1

Private sale

Agent: Belle Property Albert Park, Stephanie Evans 0420 215 919

This warehouse comes with all the style and versatility that you would expect from a converted industrial building. The townhouse is multilevel and has a corner aspect with panoramic views of the city skyline. It can be a three-bedroom home or an upstairs apartment with a separate office downstairs.

Hover your camera over the code to view live listings on domain.com.au

3810 Frankston Flinders Road, Shoreham

6 A 4 B 4

Expressions of Interest

Close Tuesday 31st October at 5pm

Viewing Saturday & Sunday 2.30-3pm

Contact Andrew Hayne 0418 395 349

Samuel McNeilage 0456 784 016

Stephen Baster 0417 695 644

29 Bay Street, Brighton

6 A 5 B 4 C

Retaining the elegance and grandeur of its century-old origins, complemented by sophisticated contemporary enhancements to inspire northerly facing indoor/outdoor living and entertaining, this captivating Brighton residence shines in its Golden Mile location on a 1154sqm (approx.) block.

marshallwhite.com.au

Private Sale

Viewing

By Appointment

Contact

Matthew Pillios 0408 145 982

Melissa Grinter 0409 805 035

Scott Xue 0433 493 837

13 Park Street, Brighton

5 A 5 B 6 C

Magnificently positioned, mere metres to Middle Brighton Beach and steps to Church Street, this palatial family estate epitomises refined resort-style living and grand-scale entertaining complemented by a plethora of five-star amenities. Privately set behind high walls and secure automated gates, on more than half an acre (2,079sqm approx.).

marshallwhite.com.au

Expressions of Interest

Close Tuesday 17th October at 3pm

Viewing

By Appointment

Contact Matthew Pillios 0408 145 982

Melissa Grinter 0409 805 035

Scott Xue 0433 493 837

13 Butler Street, Brighton

Expressions of Interest

Close Tuesday 24th October at 5pm

marshallwhite.com.au

Viewing

2

Auction

Viewing

Contact

110 Canterbury Road, Middle Park

4 A 3 B

Auction Saturday 28th October at 10.30am

Viewing

Wednesday 11.30-12noon & Saturday 1.45-2.15pm

Contact Oliver Bruce 0409 856 599 Ben Manolitsas 0400 201 626 Lachlan Dennehy 0402 769 388 marshallwhite.com.au

7 Mary Street, St Kilda West

4 A 1

B

2 C

Auction

Saturday 28th October at 10.30am

Viewing

Wednesday 12.15-12.45pm & Saturday 10.15-10.45am

Contact Oliver Bruce 0409 856 599

Lachlan Dennehy 0402 769 388 Justin Holod 0411 669 161 marshallwhite.com.au

5 Henderson Street, South Melbourne

S t K i l d a W e S t 20 longmore Street

Federation Splendour with Modern Finesse

A majestic celebration of period grandeur infused with contemporary elegance, this irresistible 4 bedroom + study 2 bathroom Federation brick beauty forms an unforgettable harmony of styles. Grand with its 3 6m approx. ceilings and magnificent archway hallway, this timeless haven highlights a superb living room spilling out to a deck enclaved mod grass courtyard, a glorious north facing dining room opening to a sun bathed rear entertaining deck, an exquisite kitchen with marble breakfast bar and an exquisite established landscape. Further complements include working fireplaces, plantation shutters, ducted heating, air conditioning security and a tandem carport behind an auto gate. A heartbeat to the light rail and Albert Park’s sporting fields, walk to St Kilda Beach.

• Magnificently retained originality

• High end renovation

• Secure undercover parking for 2

• Low maintenance gardens

• Footsteps to the light rail

auction: Saturday 21st October 11.00am

Guide: Contact Agent Contact: Jon Kett 0415 853 564 Tony Gaudry 0417 169 560

Auction (Unless Sold Prior)

Saturday 28 October at 12pm

3/28

Expressions of Interest Close 31 October at 5pm

Wednesday 12 - 12:30pm

Saturday 1 - 1:30pm

Damon

KAYBURTON.COM.AU

For Sale | 201/74 Well Street, Brighton

Inspection By Appointment

15 Berry Street East Melbourne

4 3 2

Parkside Paradise: 4-BR Townhome with Courtyard

Grand Town Home (351m2) in spectacular parkside location situated on boundary of Yarra Park, with easy access to Bridge Road, CBD, transport and shops, this home will provide a life of quality and style. Providing 4 levels of living, (elevator access across all levels) 4 large bedrooms, 3 stunning bathrooms, and 2 separate living areas for the diversity of life’s activities. Entertain in privacy with the generous central courtyard and included secure double lockup garage.

View

Thu 12th Oct 5pm - 5:30pm

Sat 14th Oct 1pm - 1:30pm

Expressions of Interest Closing

Tue 31st October 12pm

Contact

Oct O ber 11, 2023 M e L b OU r N e 43