Wellington Street has become one of the city’s hottest shopping spots. At the forefront of this retail rendezvous is Dilettante Pour Homme Et Femme – from the large glass frontage to the ivy covered back wall, this is a store that is saturated in style. The lavish dressing room upstairs smacks of it, while the entire first floor is painted silver a la Andy Warhol’s The Factory. The mash of art and style continues throughout, with old world mystery intermingling with an eclectic mix of fine art at every turn.
‘The space doesn’t follow the traditional clothing store formula,’ explained shop owner Diana ‘Didi’ Paolucci. ‘Everything is very modular, giving us freedom to create new spaces every month or so. I like to create small installations that tell you a little of the story behind a particular collection. I think it is important to pass that information on from the designer to the customer.’
Dilettante are sure to delight with the wide range of gorgeous labels they stock, which include A.F.Vandevorst, A.N.D., Anne Valerie Hash, Black, Jens Laugesen, Jimmy D, Luellam Lutz, One Fell Swoop, Preen, Tsumori Chisato, The Viridi-Anne, T.V., Undercover, Damn Romance, Shadows & Dust plus shoes by Costume National, Givenchy and Hussein Chalayan. Jewel in the Dilettante crown? Besides exclusively stocking new Australian darlings Romance Was Born? The fact that they also exclusively stock Vivienne Westwood, which includes Anglomania, Man and Vivienne Westwood Gold. That’s a whole lotta Viv!
Right next door the mood is decidedly darker as you set foot into uber-goth fashion den Mame Clothing, Purveyors Of The Dark. Yes, that’s the shop’s entire title. Narrow, darkly lit and somewhat spooky, Mame is a den of devious designs. Run by Simone Springer, this haunted hallow (yes, haunted – truly) stocks LipService, Heavy Red, Covet Couture, Tripp NYC, Shine Clothing and Deadly Girlz. Weirdest items? Besides the customised leather pieces, harnesses or PVC butcher’s aprons? Blood vials! Yes, blood vials.
‘People buy them as gifts for their partners,’ explains shop keep Springer.
A little further up the road and Springer’s other store also suits the individual developing a completely signature style, but via an entirely different era. Burlesque Baby is a one stop shop for all your glamour girl needs. There are steel boned corsets, hosiery, lingerie, costumes, girdles, wigs and even parasols all from the likes of Pin Up Girl Couture, Lucky 13, Dames & Divas, Steady, and Devil Doll. What’s walking out the door? Lace high heels and ruffled hot pants. Why?
‘Because girls can be girls again,’ replied Springer. ‘For so many years it was all about t-shirts and jeans and looking hot despite the fact that you’re wearing thongs. Now all of a sudden everyone gets to wear ruffles and high heels. You get to wear really feminine stuff again.’
The whole area is set to burst real soon as, just around the corner, Zekka Design For Men and Tiffany & Co. take shopping to a whole other level. But until then, the diverse range available on Wellington Street should be enough to sate even the most avid shopper’s insatiable hunger.
SHOPS
Dilettante Pour Homme Et Femme
- 575 Wellington St
- Perth WA 6000
- (08) 9226 1400
- www.dilettante.net
Mame Clothing
- 575 Wellington St
- Perth WA 6000
- (08) 9321 0542
- www.mame.com.au
Burlesque Baby
- 567 Wellington St
- Perth WA 6000
- 0423 140 374
- www.burlesquebaby.com.au
