Jewellery label Aletheia & Phos’ new store brings Venice to the heart of Fitzroy

“When you walk in, I want you to feel warm and fuzzy… like you’re not in Melbourne anymore.”

After almost 10 years of running her independent jewellery label Aletheia & Phos, Melbourne designer Lissy Millan launched the label’s first brick-and-mortar store in May. When envisioning the interior of the new space, Lissy wanted it to “feel warm with rich tones”, reflecting the jewellery label’s handcrafted, nostalgic designs. After making the decision in January of this year, Lissy (with the help of her partner and dad), officially opened the doors to the Aletheia & Phos store in May.

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But despite the five-month turnaround time, bringing the Venetian-style Fitzroy space to life was no easy feat. “There were so many challenges while we were renovating, it felt comical,” Lissy says. Thankfully, the exposed brick arches, vintage-style centrepiece counter and art deco chandeliers make it all worth it. Below, Lissy shares the inspiration behind the new store.

Tell me a bit about how the vision for the Aletheia & Phos boutique came about.

Okay, so it all started the first week of January. I’m not one for new year’s resolutions, I think they’re BS (it’s just brands selling the ‘new year, new you’ fantasy…). For me, that’s not a peaceful or joyful way to start a new year. I did have some serious goals though. I wanted to start the year feeling mentally organised and steady. I had personal, business and relationship goals I wanted to lay a solid foundation for in 2023.

I ran the idea past my partner and we went away for two nights (into the CBD, lol) with some A3 paper and highlighters, and created vision boards for ourselves. At lunch on day two, we shared our personal goals and business goals with each other ([the] relationship was collaborative) and decided to have a monthly catch-up to support each other and keep each other accountable for the things we wanted to achieve.

One of the things I wrote down was that I wanted to open a store by September… in time for Christmas. I wanted to give our customers an experience. Four days later, I jumped online and found the perfect location. It had these beautiful, exposed brick arches all through the store, I had this insane vision of it being a little store in Venice and saw a gondola gliding past the arches down the canal.

I emailed, texted and called my partner all within about three minutes… he thought I was moving a bit fast. But I like making shit happen. I called the agent to ask a few questions, and before I knew it I’d made an application the next day. I signed the lease on my birthday on the third of February. It was a ‘right place, right time’ thing.

How would you describe the store’s aesthetic?

I don’t know how to answer this because it’s a mishmash of my insides. I just wanted to express myself. I know what I like, I know what makes me feel good, and I live for interiors. If I had to give you words, I’d say ‘Italian modernist’. I wanted it to feel warm, with rich tones, and really focus on having a few bold statements (like the POS counter and chandeliers) with intricate details that made people curious enough to start a conversation.

It’s an extension of the jewellery, it brings the Aletheia & Phos story to life. There were so many textures and colours to consider, I felt so much overwhelmed at times because I wanted to bring it all together in a way that felt good. Like, when you walk in, I want you to feel warm and fuzzy… like you’re not in Melbourne anymore.

What was the process like putting the store together, and were there any challenges or roadblocks along the way?

In hindsight, the process was quite reactive, but only because it had to be. I’d imagine people opening a store would have a plan of what they want before they start looking. I found the location and then started planning. But as soon as I saw it, I knew it had the right bones for the experience I wanted to create.

I wanted a counter that I could build the store around, a centrepiece, but it also had to be a functional piece of art. One we could sit at comfortably, too. It had to get better with age – so it was made with brass, I love the way it will patina over time. Finding the balance between vintage and modern was a challenge.

I really didn’t want anything brand new in the store and if it was brand new, it had to be special enough to not have an expiry date like a lot of interior trends. In the back of my mind, there was always a question, ‘How can I be more intentional, responsible, and sustainable with the new things we’re making from scratch?’

We made all of the jewellery displays from the offcuts of brass and walnut left over from the counter. There was about two per cent wastage overall. All the lighting is vintage, the display cabinet was originally in an old church in country Victoria and is over 120 years old. The pieces I’ve used for styling in-store are things I’ve been collecting over the years. It makes it so much more special. I love old things that have a story.

There were so many challenges while we were renovating, it felt comical. Everything took longer than planned… about eight weeks into renovations, the shop flooded after a huge storm. The electrical switchboard, which we were told was compliant, wasn’t – that had to be replaced.

We had to wait about 10 days for the floor to dry out. There were random holes in the walls and rotten wiring throughout the premises. Can’t say it wasn’t fun… crying is fun! And a good stress release.

Who did you collaborate with when bringing the store to life?

My dad and my partner. My dad is a carpenter and joiner and my partner is a fabricator. Watching them work, and work together, was incredible and something I’ll cherish forever. I loved coming to them with my ideas to see if they were possible.

We’d grab dinner at the pub a few times afterwards and figure out how to make things work and if they didn’t, what the next best thing could be. I’m really grateful for the experience, even though there were multiple times I got roasted for asking ridiculous questions. My dad and partner had plenty of laughs at my expense.

What’s your favourite feature/area of the store?

There are three things I’m obsessed with: the brass counter, the incredible Murano flower chandeliers and the aged mirrors. They make me feel like I’m in another world.

What do you like about the area/the Melbourne creative scene in general?

I love that everyone knows everyone, and it’s becoming really collaborative and supportive. There are so many artists, designers and creators I’ve been following for years that all recently exhibited together at Melbourne Design Week. It’s nice to see people being recognised. There are a lot of disgustingly talented creatives here.

Browse the Aletheia & Phos collection here.