“Camp and playful”: Inside the launch party for Erik Yvon’s new brick and mortar store

“This space is about levelling the playing field.”

Purple drapes and a fluffy, faux fur counter (pink, of course) might be the first sign you’re in a retail to space to remember, but it won’t be the last. Lining the shelves of Erik Yvon’s debut flagship store is a collection of works from queer or POC designers like Pigsuit, Rowland Vision, Nofunović and Spitsubishi, each of whom has brought an original creative vision to Melbourne’s fashion landscape, much like Erik’s own.

Founding his eponymous label in 2017, Melbourne-based designer Erik Yvon has systematically brightened the city’s wardrobes with camp and joyful designs that offer an antidote to the city’s love of black. While he’s always played with fashion, he calls this first retail space “a testing ground to experiment with new ideas”.

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Not that Erik needs any. His work has always felt like a palette cleanser, offering something different to the increasing same-sameness of the fashion industry, while still feeling feeling relevant. This space marks an opportunity for Melburnians to engage with his designs in an entirely new way.

“It was really interesting to see the response for different garments in person versus online,” he notes. “Our beaded jumper from our Laffy Daffy collection had only ever sold one or two online but it almost sold out at the [launch] event.”

Joining a spate of debut store openings from other designers across Australia from Jungles Jungles to Christopher Esber, it’s a sure sign that retail is far from dead, provided you offer something more. For Erik, this comes in the form of vibrant, modular interiors, highly tactile pieces and a curation of independent designers you might not know of yet. You might step inside for Erik’s work (his iconic flower artwork plastered across the front is a siren call to his fans) but leave with another piece entirely.

Fashion Journal: Congratulations on opening your first brick-and-mortar store! What was behind your decision to open a shopfront, rather than keeping it online?

Erik: Creating community, allowing people to experience the garments as people often want to try them on, acting as a testing ground to experiment with new ideas and to see how people respond, providing a curated space and privacy for stylists and dressings.

After doing a pop-up last year at Collingwood Yards, we realised that our followers wanted to get to know more about the label and have more of a connection with the brand. It was really interesting to see the response for different garments in person versus online. Our beaded jumper from our Laffy Daffy collection had only ever sold one or two online but it almost sold out at the event. So it made us recognise how people engage with our pieces and respond completely differently.

How did you find the space – what were you looking for in a building?

We stumbled upon it by accident on the way to the Brunswick baths for a swim! When I saw it something about the space just felt right. This is the brand’s very first retail studio space and honestly, we were completely blind as to what we would need. This is a starting point for the next few years and we hope to learn and grow from here.

The location also just felt right. I like that it’s slightly off the main Sydney road strip and there’s a lot of foot traffic from the baths, the library and neighbouring cafes and bars.

Tell me about the interior. Did you collaborate with anyone?

I collaborated with my partner who’s a lighting designer to bring the vision to life. He has a lot of experience working in architecture and design, and so was able to help me create something affordable and simple to build DIY. We wanted to create a space that spoke to the Erik Yvon brand while also being able to work with the other labels we carry.

Did you have any roadblocks in getting the space ready, or was it a relatively smooth process?

Surprisingly, it was a very easy process because we tried to keep things as simple as possible. The design of the shelving and rails is completely modular and adaptable. So this allows us to develop the space and change or fix things as we need. I think we’ll discover our biggest roadblock once we have opened the space and realised what we’ve forgotten.

How would you describe the aesthetic and feel of the store?

It feels super camp and playful. We’ve worked with hard and soft elements, using concrete floors and ceilings and metal piping for the rails and shelving, while softening and brightening the space with soft pink fur, bright purple drapes and the camp Erik Yvon flower artwork on the shop front.

Most importantly we want it to feel inclusive and inviting, and welcome anyone and everyone into the store. We want to avoid it feeling exclusive.

Do you have a favourite part of the store?

It would definitely be our purple drapes and the fluffy pink faux fur counter! They bring a lot of joy to me.

What is the most important part about having this physical space?

The most important and central idea behind creating this space is that truly supports and celebrates designers and brands led by queer and/or people of colour. The store is rooted in the principles of fostering visibility, increasing representation and making people feel empowered.

The goal is to provide a retail space where these designers and brands can thrive without having to conform to mainstream expectations, tell their stories and engage with an audience that values diversity, authenticity and inclusivity. This space is about levelling the playing field, amplifying diverse narratives and ensuring that these creators are given the support and recognition they deserve.

What do you love about Brunswick and the Melbourne creative scene in general?

Brunswick is a creative hub and there’s a lot of support for the creative community given by the council. The new cultural and community hub being built on Saxon Street is going to bring a lot of talent to the neighbourhood, and I’m big on collaboration. More generally I love the Melbourne creative scene for its diversity and the strong community support for local artists and designers.

What can people expect to find in-store?

We’re stocking an array of independent local Melbourne and Australian-based designers. We’re trying to focus on stocking designers and brands that are queer and/or owned by people of colour. We’re stocking a range of garments and aiming to provide a full range of sizing from XS to 3XL.

You can expect to see labels such as Bobby Corica, Goldstank, Nofunović, Pigsuit, Pour Homme, Rowland Vision, Safa El Samad, Sam Seary, Sedated Knits, Spitsubishi and Smile and Wave.

When does the store officially open and what are the hours?

We will be launching on December 19 and remaining open for a few days till Christmas. Then we’re closing for the holidays and reopening on December 28.

It’ll be open a few days a week and we’ll expand that as the space evolves. For now, you can come visit Saturday (11am – 5pm), Sunday (11am – 5pm) and Wednesday (12pm – 5pm).

For more, follow Erik Yvon here.