Local label, Limedrop, pops up somewhere in the city approximately every 6 months. They have gone with a garden greenhouse theme for their latest temporary store. You can find them at Melbourne Central right in front of Stephanie's Kitchen Garden (see story below). It will be there until the end of December.
Lime drops in
Hoop-la
Country Road's Christmas windows are always very good, as is their seasonal packaging. This year's design doesn't disappoint.
Wired
Cose Ipenema on Collins Street has made a shiny silver Christmas wreath from a tangle of wire coat hangers.
Neat as a Nippy
A skilled front of house person is of equal importance to the food and furnishings.
I snapped these French waiters on the Rue St Honore in Paris and discovered The Perfect Nippy leafing through "The Art of Looking Sideways" (Phaidon). According to the book, Lyons Cornerhouses were an extensive chain of teashops in the UK founded at the turn of the previous century and closed down during the swinging sixties. The Lyon's waitress, or 'Nippy' as she was known, was formally dressed and Lyon's worked extremely hard to maintain the dress code as expressed in this instruction issued to its staff in 1937.
If only such attention to detail was applied to the middle ground dining scene here in Australia. Whilst the casual uniform category has been reinvented by the likes of Cargo Crew there is a long way to go with regard to the service skills of those wearing the designer garb.
Panda to my sense of fun
Italian jewellery brand Dodo teamed up with designer Paolo Navone to create a panda-themed shop to celebrate their 15th anniversary. A counter made from 9000 blocks of black and white Lego, wallpaper of a panda practising t’ai chi (hilarious) and enormous light bulbs featuring a smiling face (the thing that caught my eye as I walked by). Dodo chose the Panda theme to celebrate their association with WWF Italia, to whom they donate a % of sales on a regular basis. This is a pop up Panda open until the end of the year.
Designer doilies
It's a white Christmas with a delicate doily overlay at Chanel this season. Spotted at Chadstone.
Chat noir
Pussycat Black has opened a 2nd store right next door to AFTER (directly opposite the Deli Hall at Queen Vic Market). Supporting local and Australian artists with an ethical backbone, PCB offers a selection of indie fashion, accessories, stationery and ceramics. I was tad smitten by this kitten who is the perfect neighbour for the philosophically aligned AFTER. You can find this quirky cat at 105 Therry Street Melbourne.
It’s a sign
Sole Devotion is a vee cool shoe shop with 3 outlets in Melbourne and one on James Street in Brisbane (just look for the large orange monster decal). I first reported on their groovy jolly green giant store that appeared on Greville St a few years ago. Since then a women's shoe store has opened on Degraves St (signposted by a red monster) and this 'blue for boys' sign signifies the men's store at 326 Little Collins Street. I like the exposed lightbox / decal combo.
An American in Paris
The minute you step through the building’s cobbled stone entrance you know it's going to be special. Located in a 16th century Hôtel, the new flagship Ralph Lauren store on Boulevard St Germain embraces the classic French facade and delivers an absolutely divine interior in the Rococo style. The ground floor bar and dining, with its club like leather seats and French oak beams, suggests one should be on their best gentleman-like behaviour, order a cognac and light up a cigar. The interior courtyard, originally stables for carriages and horses, is a charming alfresco seating alternative if you prefer something a little lighter in your dining decor (see story below). At 2135 square metres it is the American label’s largest flagship store in Europe and showcases a full range of men’s and women’s collections, accessories and watches (the 30,000 Euro divine dark navy Ricky bag was not on my shopping list!) Ralph Lauren has delivered the most exquisite attention to detail and luxury with a capital L. Ralph Lauren, 173 Boulevard St Germain, 75006 Paris.
I love Printemps
Printemps was loving their New York designers last month. I was loving their windows (although I was not loving the amount of time it took to get these pics ... I think I snapped about 30 shots of each window to try and get at least one without a passer by in the frame). Printemps, Boulevard Haussman.
