Vege Threads, Sans Arc, Tristan Kerr and Love Concrete show Melbourne how it's done.

Adelaide expat, Amy Roberts, moved herself and her ethical fashion business, Vege Threads, to Melbourne a couple of years back.

She spent the time since then trialling pop ups around Northcote – a hub of eco-conscious local stores, and an area that Amy hoped to one day become home to a Vege Threads shopfront.

An opportunity came up on the end of High Street and she pounced.

Now, the door is open.

Amy in Adelaide. This image: Michelle Gan.

And what a beautiful door it is.

“The shop opportunity came about when I was living in a little wood cabin just outside Melbourne,” says Amy.

“Myself and the boys from Sans-Arc spent our summer there, and all love exposed timber and the warmth it can bring to a home and space.”

In kind, inspired by their time at the cabin, Amy created a mood board based on mid-century design and connection to nature.

It was a natural merging of South Australian talent that went into the space. When friends decide to make things together, the product is often great.

“Sans-Arc studio is a business I have admired for some time and I am fortunate enough to call these guys my close friends. We have a shared appreciation for nature and timeless design and found our businesses aligned well,” says Amy.

And, with both Sans-Arc and Vege Threads being new to Melbourne, it seemed the perfect introductory project.

Feature table made from raw materials supplied by Adelaide locals, Love Concrete.

“Amy is a good friend of ours and we wanted her to get the best value for money and a good launching pad for a brand we believe in, in a world of expensive, over the top retail fit-outs. So we took this project on as an ‘extra-curricular’ activity and got on the tools ourselves, saving significant labour costs,” says Matiya Marovich, who also designed and built the space with business partner, Sam Cooper.

“One particular approach we wanted to bring was a sort of ‘grass-roots’ type of Architecture. Where a small crew of people do everything from start to finish. It has been Sam and I working on this for the last three weeks, with a sparky to adjust the lighting and Tristan Kerr coming in late to do some signage.

“The idea here is that there is a handmade feel to the space, where we step out from behind the computer for a lot of the design process, where the human experience and phenomenology are better considered because they are done in person, in real life and real time.”

Vege Threads is a brand built on the philosophy of treading lightly, keeping things simple, local and as ethical as possible, all of which Matiya drew upon for the design.

“We aimed to create a space that mirrors her business ethos and plays off the aesthetic of the brand as well, showing that sustainable can be simple and elegant,” says Matiya.

“The fit-out uses natural materials, laid out in a considerate, sculptural manner that creates a home for the brand and a space to exhibit and share her clothing and ethos. We’ve approached the design with restraint, with the intent that the clothing stands out and is the focal point of the space.”

This approach ultimately led to a more sustainable outcome.

Type by the creators of CityMag, Masthead Studio. Lovingly applied by Tristan Kerr.