Melbourne is a city well known for it’s culture, style and boutique shopping. I love that every suburb is unique and every pocket oozes its own eclectic personality, each one different from the next. This Spring, Melbourne Girl have teamed up with the stylish City of Stonnington to profile our favourite retailers within the precinct.
City of Stonnington covers the inner south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, including Toorak, Armadale, South Yarra, Glen Iris, Malvern, Prahran, Windsor, Kooyong and Malvern East, and has an economically and culturally diverse population of just under 90,000 residents.
Boutique Shopping in City of Stonnington
Boasting a great variety of shopping precincts including:
• High Street, Armadale
• Chapel Street Precinct
• Waverly Road, East Malvern
• Toorak Village, Toorak Road
• Glenferrie Road, Malvern
• Hawksburn Village, Malvern Road
• Malvern Central Shopping Centre
• Chadstone Shopping Centre
The Melbourne Girl team hit the streets, revisiting some of our favourite shopping destinations and discovering some wonderful new hidden gems.
Top Shopping picks in City of Stonnington
TOP FASHION BOUTIQUES >
Swish Clothing
469 Chapel St, South Yarra
Picked by Emily Collie
Swish Clothing is a haven for dresses, with a style for every occasion and every body shape. This season, structural cuts and dresses with unique layering are very on trend. My top picks are dresses by Keepsake The Label and local fashion house, Very Very. Both brands have a beautiful selection of dresses (and skirt sets) in store, which are sure to get you trackside in style.
Gorman
248 Chapel Street, Prahran & 561 Chapel Street, South Yarra
Picked by Shannon Clarke
When I think of spring I think of fun colourful patterns and where better to find these than Gorman?! Their new Spring ’15 collection titled Leisure Ladies is really playful, think fun prints, colourful swing dresses, geographical tops and polka dots!
Green With Envy
517 Chapel St, South Yarra
Picked by Anne Fedorowytsch
If you’re serious about fashion then this designer boutique is your go-to destination in the City of Stonnington. Green With Envy stocks leading brands such as Dion Lee, Nicholas, Alexander Wang, Acne Studios, Prozena Schouler and Céline. Any purchases from here are sure to have your friends feeling as the name suggests.
Mimco
Shop 4567 Chapel St, South Yarra and Chadstone Shopping Centre
Picked by Prue Chilcott
No raceday look is complete without the perfect headwear and accessories. Mimco are well known for it’s great range of high quality, on-trend accessories, which are perfect for the spring racing season. They have an amazing range of new seasons clutches and small bags to accompany any race look. For headpieces, think chic berets, glamorous netting, and impactful florals for those looking to make a statement trackside, while the delicate headbands and sweet detailing will perfectly suit those who seek a softer feminine touch. And when it comes to the perfect heels and jewellery – Mimco’s got you covered too.
Mio Tesoro
Shop 6/299 Toorak Road, The Como Centre, South Yarra
Picked by Laura Timberlake
Mio Tesoro is a luxury consignment store that specialises in hand bags and is owned by Elaine Yeow. The store is like heaven on Earth for label lovers, with shelves upon shelves of beautiful bags, and a fabulous selection of shoes, clothing and accessories. Brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel grace the shelves. All stocked goods are of top quality and importantly, affordable.
Manning Cartell
542 Chapel Street, South Yarra
Picked by Alex Osmond
I just can’t walk past a Manning Cartell boutique without going in. Especially when they have just released a bold, and brightly coloured Spring collection that is taking the meaning of “wish list” to a whole new level. Manning Cartell is my go-to brand for the perfect party dress or Spring Racing outfit.
Bared Footwear
1098 High St, Armadale
Picked by Emily Collie
If you haven’t already heard of Bared Footwear, I promise you, you will thank me after reading this post… As a long-time fan of the Melbourne brand, I assure you their range of shoes are super stylish and unbelievably comfy.
Bared’s design ethos is about creating modern, classic footwear styles that are wearable, timeless and transeasonal. Their head designer, Anna Baird (a qualified podiatrist), could never find stylish shoes to recommend to her clients, so she developed a range of unique ‘sensible shoes’ which are sure to keep you going day after day during Spring Carnival.
LIFEwithBIRD
560 Malvern Rd, Prahran
Picked by Yaz Cagrier
LIFEwithBIRD was born in Melbourne 13 years ago, through husband and wife team Bridget McCall (‘Bird’) and Nicholas van Messner. Their Hawksburn store is the latest addition to the LIFEwithBIRD family and has an industrial ‘work in progress’ feel, featuring bare timber frames and an understated aesthetic, allowing for their gorgeous new season collection to be the standout. I’ll be shopping here for Racing Carnival essentials.
Fashion Deli
4 Toorak Road, Toorak Village
Picked by Prue Chilcott
I absolutely love this boutique childrenswear store. With a fab range of Australian and International designer brands, your little one will be the belle (or beau) of the ball! It’s also perfect for that last minute gift, as their range of children’s accessories is second to none.
Ford Millinery
Appointments by request
Picked by Emily Collie
A local Millinery label lead by the lovely Chantelle Ford (of The Block‘s Chantelle & Steve). Select a piece from their unique collection or be quick and discuss with the team a customised creation which will match perfectly with your Spring Carnival dress and shoes.
TOP FOOD + COFFEE SPOTS >
Oscar Cooper
160 Greville Street, Prahran
Picked by Shannon Clarke
Oscar Cooper is my go-to coffee spot, I am going to make a big call here and say that they make one of the best coffees in the City of Stonnington! It’s a quirky little café serving all day breakfast, lunch and coffee. Oscar Cooper is located right in the middle of Greville Street surrounded by some cool little shops, grab a coffee then explore all that Greville Street has to offer.
The Dihnersaw and his Fionsay
Shop B & C, 475 Toorak Road, Toorak Village
Picked by Prue Chilcott
Anywhere that makes kale tastes good gets a tick from me! The coffee counter that backs onto the “Laneway” is perfect for grabbing a fabulous coffee on the go too.
Yo My Goodness
206 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern
Picked by Emily Collie
If Frozen Yogurt is your game, then this is the store for you! Nestled in the heart of Glenferrie Road in Malvern, Yo My Goodness is a self-serve frozen yogurt bar where you can basically go nuts and create your own amazing flavour creations. My top yogurt picks are Salted Caramel and Coconut.
School of Seven Bells
33-35 Chapel St, Windsor
Picked by Laura Timberlake
The School of Seven Bells is delightfully named after a Colombian school that teaches kids how to pick pocket. You won’t see any of that at Bells though! This café is perfectly located (next to Windsor station), and offers a variety of delicious dishes. Best brunch spot ever!
Grapeseed
1084 High St, Armadale
Picked by Emily Collie
High Street in Armadale is a great place to enjoy lunch or dinner with friends at one of it’s many gourmet eateries. Some of my top picks include Phillipa’s and Zia Rina’s Cucina, but my favourite would have to be Grapeseed. The indoor/outdoor options at this chic cafe make it the ideal long-lunch destination with the girls and the seafood pasta is delish.
Sauced Pasta Bar
148 Chapel Street, Windsor
Picked by Alex Osmond
When you are avocado on toast-ed out and you can’t do another gourmet burger, sometimes it’s nice to sit down for a good old fashioned bowl of pasta. Sauced Pasta Bar is the perfect place to whip into mid shopping haul and fuel up. Gluten-free rigatoni carbonara is my calling!
Haigh’s Chocolates
499 Toorak Rd, Toorak
Picked by Anne Fedorowytsch
Get me a bag of Haigh’s chocolate-coated almonds and you’ll make me one happy girl! This iconic Australian chocolatier has been satisfying sweet tooth’s for 100 years. Here, you’ll often find a line-up of people snaking around the store’s counter because who could say no to the free sample upon purchase?
Hanoi Hannah
180 High St, Prahran
Picked by Shannon Clarke
Hanoi Hannah is one of my favourite Vietnamese restaurants; it’s tucked away on High Street in Prahran and is the perfect place to go for dinner and drinks after work or a lazy Sunday sesh. The food and vibe here is really amazing. If you haven’t yet tried the pho at Hanoi Hannah you’re missing out!
Coin Laundry Cafe
61 Armadale Street, Armadale
Picked by Emily Collie
Tucked away behind High Street in Armadale, you’ll find one of my favourite brunch destinations in Melbourne. Coin Laundry supports local producers have a great range of dishes on the menu for breakfast and lunch. Do yourself a favour and try one of their yummy milkshakes or fresh juices if you pop in or grab something from them before jumping on the train across the road at Toorak Station.
GORGEOUS LIFESTYLE DESTINATIONS >
Aesop
143 Greville St, Prahran
Picked by Anne Fedorowytsch
You’d be hard pressed not to enter Aesop as you’re strolling on past. If its eye-catching interior doesn’t stop you then the amazing aromas are sure to see you through the door. Once inside this Melbourne Institution, you’ll be well looked after as a consultant assesses all your skincare needs.
Fenton & Fenton
471 High St, Prahran
Picked by Natasha Harris
I love fenton&fenton’s unique offering of home wares and lifestyle products. They are my go-to store for feature artwork for every room of my home, I have to hold myself back from buying too many pieces! You’ll also discover a great range of vintage furniture, textiles and beautiful, one-off jewellery designs.
The Cupcake Queens
3/974 High St, Armadale
Picked by Emily Collie
Next time you’re in Armadale, be sure to swing past The Cupcake Queen’s gorgeous little store in the King’s Arcade. They are a family owned and operated business and have been consistently voted one of Melbourne’s top destinations for quality cupcakes, for good reason – they are amazing!
T2 Tea
556 Chapel Street, South Yarra
Picked by Alex Osmond
Whether I am in the mood to spoil myself or a friend, I head to T2. Australia’s largest range of loose-leaf tea, herbal tisanes and amazing tea wares ensures there is something for everybody. Plus they have free tea tasting everyday so whenever you walk by, it’s worth a try!
Rationale Skin Clinic
531 Toorak Road, Toorak
Picked by Prue Chilcott
This Australian skincare brand doesn’t just look good, it works. The Rationale skincare cosmeceuticals line is stocked in store, with treatments also available to get your skin in top shape.
Velvet Lily Florist
512 Waverley Road, Malvern East
Picked by Emily Collie
Who doesn’t love fresh blooms? Buy some to inject some style into your home or make a gorgeous statement during Spring Carnival and order a fresh floral arrangement for your hair instead of a traditional fascinator or hat. Also consider pre-booking a buttonhole for your male partner to wear on the day.
UVA Salon
175 Greville St, Prahran
Picked by Shannon Clarke
UVA Salon is the home of award-winning hairstylist Marie Uva. The salon can be found on Greville Street in Prahran and is one of the best in the biz! Every person that I have talked to raves about this place, I booked in for a wash and blow-dry here and I was really impressed with the service and stylists.
Pressed Juices
1230 High Street, Armadale
Picked by Emily Collie
If you’re looking for good nutrition in a juice that is natural and free from pasteurisation, preservatives or sweeteners, then Pressed Juices are for you. With a growing team of over thirteen qualified Nutritionists, Quality and Regulatory specialists, head into their Armadale store to discuss your next energy hit, immune boost or just a delicious juice to brighten your day.
Chapel Off Chapel
12 Little Chapel St, Prahran
Picked by Natasha Harris
A hub for local talent, Chapel Off Chapel is a progressive arts and entertainment venue, tucked behind bustling Chapel St. Be sure to keep an eye on events at Chapel Off Chapel for great entertainment to kick start your next night out!
SOUTH MAGAZINE >
Keep your eyes out for the latest South Magazine featuring some of our top Spring Racing picks in the City of Stonnington.
The mag will be distributed across Melbourne in all the places you can pick up Fashion Journal and Beat magazine. Pick one up at your local cafe, fashion retailer or hair salon.
For further information about distribution or to find our your nearest stockist, email distribution@furstmedia.com.au
Be sure to shout out any of your favourite stores in the comments below.
This post is proudly brought to you by City of Stonnington.
