NOT JUST A CLOTHES STORE EMBRACING ELEMENTS OF ART, LIFESTYLE AND MUSIC, BRISBANE‟S MULTI-BRAND FASHION BOUTIQUES ARE SHAKING UP THE LOCAL RETAILSCAPE. MORE THAN JUST PROVIDING CITY DWELLERS ACCESS TO EDGY AUSTRALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL LABELS, THEY AIM TO CURATE A UNIQUE AND QUALITY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. WHILE THESE BOUTIQUES EACH HAVE THEIR OWN DISTINCT PERONALITIES, ALL OF THEM PROMOTE THE SAME SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE AND INDIVIDUALITY, BEING YOUR OWN PERSON AND NOW FOLLOWING TRENDS BLINDLY. WE SPEAK TO THREE BOUTIQUES BASED IN THE CBD TO FIND OUT WHY THEY STAND OUT, AND HOW THEY ARE INJECTING A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN THE BUSY METROPOLITIAN.
Text SONIA KWEK Images COURTESY OF VIOLENT GREEN, BUNKER & THE LOFT
VIOLENT GREEN Nestled along the strip of shops at Elizabeth Arcade, you might miss Violent Green if you walk along too quickly. However, when you do discover it, it will be hard to resist stepping in. A black wall partition with a diamond shaped cut out frames the entrance of the store, enticing you to enter with a hint of what lies within.
important.” Kimberley said.
This symbol is also the Violent Green logo, which in fact came about from a happy accident. “When we were moving into our very first location (back in 2005), our friend who was helping us with the store renovations ended up with a partition like this,” Simon Sun, co-owner of the boutique, revealed. “But we liked it, and it‟s stuck with us since.”
“We don‟t like the idea of fashion being just for a certain kind of people,” Simon said, and explained that they prefer to meet and “just chill” with their labels/designers over a meal and drinks, rather than socialise at the runway shows and soirees.
This spirit of spontaneity was exactly what spurred Simon and Kimberley, his wife and co-owner of Violent Green, to start the store. What originally started out as a space to sell silkscreened tee shirts, which they loved doing back in their early 20s, just kept growing and evolving.
Sticking to their guns and being true to their character is another defining trait of Violent Green. Although the boutique is quite prolific and featured regularly in top 10 lists, they have remained on the outskirts of the Brisbane fashion scene.
“I guess we‟re a little rough around the edges,” Kimberley said, cracking a slight smile. Unpretentious, genuine and with a whole lot of attitude, Violent Green is definitely a place for someone who knows what they want, and is not afraid to try something new. “You just got to do your own thing.”
Both currently in their early 30s, it‟s refreshing to see that their passion for youth, culture and originality has not abated. “Being an individual. Standing up against the mainstream. I think that‟s the common thread since we‟ve started, to always try to keep our personality. It was really
True to its name, Bunker boutique is hidden underground in the city, accessible only through a laneway tucked away along George St. Started by 19-year old Jordan Iovenitti, Bunker is a fresh newcomer to the fashion scene. Bathed in warm lighting and wooden furnishings, the room evokes a rustic feel. But the edgy accessories on display and indie pop playing in the background create a youthful juxtaposition.
While he may be young, Jordan is certainly not reckless. He revealed that Bunker had been two years in the planning, back when he was still studying fashion design at TAFE. He made the decision to drop out early and worked for a year, saving up enough capital to start the boutique.
Filled with rows of neutral colours, classic designs and relaxed (sometimes unisex) cuts, the clothes at the Bunker reflect a timeless and transcendental style. Jordan explained that he wanted to find clothes that were able to enhance people‟s existing wardrobes easily, clothes that provided multiple ways of wearing so that they could be open to each person‟s interpretation.
BUNKER “Bunker is like a storage type thing. So for me, it‟s the end of the world type thing, you grab the best of what you have,” Jordan said.”So [we‟re] working with the idea of grabbing the best of fashion, the best of what you can take.”
Jordan also wanted „to fill a certain void‟ in the Brisbane scene. The Bunker has a strong focus on helping young, emerging designers based in Australia and New Zealand get their name out there, people starting out just like himself.
“I believe, no matter what your age, [it doesn‟t matter] as long as you have good quality designs.” With plans of developing mens grooming products, launching his label at year end and even going interstate, Jordan brims with zest and enthusiasm. If this is what the next generation has up their sleeve, Brisbane definitely has much to look forward to!
The Loft is the latest store opened by Brisbane fashion powerhouse Natalie Denning, sixth in her current umbrella of concept boutiques. Each of these boutiques has a distinct aesthetic, each catering to a specific crowd of people.This allows for a clear targeted market for each store, and a different experience curated at every single one. “A strong concept is a must.” Natalie said. “A store must reflect the direction of the clothing it sells. Always have a plan as to where you see it in years to come.” Indeed, The Loft was actually a revamp of their previous store Bam&Juju. Weekend store manager Jordan Anderson explained that they felt it was time for a change, to get customers excited again. Location played a big part in this; Bam&Juju used to be in the Wintergarden mall, but The Loft is now located at Broadway On The Mall. “People like things to be convenient,” Jordan said, “and now having three of our boutiques (the other two are Bessie Head and Dirtbox) in the same building on the same level enables our customer to commute from store to store.“ More importantly, the revamp also allowed them to capture the current spirit of that customer more clearly, to appeal to their wants and needs more effectively. While Bam&Juju was aimed at „the girl who reads Frankie and loves handmade stuff‟, the Loft represents „a woman's boutique that is a little more high end, feminine and colourful‟. It is almost as if the their original customer has grown up and they are merely reflecting the change. Thus far, the response seems to be favourable.
“It takes time to build up a strong, loyal customer base, [and] many of our Bam and Juju customers have adapted to The Loft and love the new space and labels,” said Jordan. “All in all it has been a very positive move and we are progressing week by week.” They attribute this success simply to listening to your customer “If you‟re not listening to what people want, then you‟re going to fail,” Natalie emphasised. “I think that‟s the key; chatting to customers and finding out why they‟re annoyed and what they‟re looking for that they can‟t find and then going out and finding it. It‟s really about investigating the gaps in the market.“ Jordan chimed in agreement, stressing that engaging and interacting with the customer is essential, because ultimately they decide.
“The future at the end of the day lies in the hands of the consumer and the choices they make.”
THE LOFT