Melbourne jewellery label Millie Savage has a vibrant new home in Fitzroy

“I started as I always do with any design project – with colours.”

Thanks to their organic shape and carefully selected, boldly coloured gemstones, pieces by Melbourne jeweller Millie Savage are instantly recognisable. Founded in 2013, the label has always had a flair for the dramatic; its offerings are a maximalist’s dream. With a particular love for custom-cut opals and vibrant colour palettes, in recent years Millie’s label has become hugely successful, opening its first brick-and-mortar store in Brunswick two years ago.

Now, having outgrown that store, Millie and her rapidly expanding team have moved into a more spacious spot on Fitzroy’s bustling Smith Street. Much like the prior store, this new space is an extension of the Millie Savage vision, with bold patterns, artfully arranged floral bouquets, and pleasing shades of mustard, teal and burnt orange throughout.

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The heritage building’s high ceilings and ample natural light help showcase the label’s designs in all their resplendent glory. The breathtaking centrepiece of the store is the copper-coloured chain wall with pink detailing, a functional design detail that cordons off the jewellers so they can be in their own space but not feel disconnected from what’s happening on the shop floor. Below, Millie shares the inspiration behind the new store, and why it was time for the label to try something new.

Tell us about the new space.

Moving to Fitzroy was an easy choice. I recently moved to an apartment in Fitzroy and I didn’t want to have to drive to Brunswick every day (lazy much). More than that, as much as I loved [the] Brunswick area, the actual studio/store was too small and dingy. Sure, I’d made it pretty and had it painted up, with the most amazing Minna Leunig mural that will be sorely missed, but it was a dark space which isn’t great for staring at tiny things all day.

We had only been at the Brunswick store for two years and had already outgrown it. My team has grown to eight chicks now and the space was getting cramped. Another reason for the move was the foot traffic; Smith Street is heaving and I love the energy. When I walked into the Fitzroy store for the first time I instantly knew this would be the most stunning studio. [It’s an] old heritage [building] with huge ceilings and heaps of natural light! It was a bonus that Shop Ramen and Terror Twilight were across the road for lunch.

What was the process of putting the store together like?

I started as I always do with any design project – with colours. I loved the colours of the Brunny store – pinks, oranges and purples – but it was time to add some contrasting ‘ugly’ colours as I like to call them to make shit pop. Not because they are actually ugly but whose first pick is ever mustard? It does look absolutely divine in velvet next to some teal and orange though. Metallics meets velvets meets silks and all the other shiny textural things in between.

The space is 12×12 metres and I needed to divide the space to have the studio at the back two-thirds and the store at the front third. How I did this in the Brunswick space was a [with a] perspex pink wall. I always liked the idea that customers could see us making jewellery but they couldn’t talk to us too much while we worked. It was time to level up and do something different though so I went for a copper-coloured chained wall with pink accent features. The pink perspex wall we reused and cut in half placing it at the back corner of the shop and turning it into an office. Of course, I kept the spaceship cabinet made by the legends at Proxima.

Then it was just a matter of getting some mustard couches and teal drapes made. I’m stoked about how it all came together; it’s super lux and bougie. All the jewellery benches and tools fitted in perfectly and the only addition to the workshop we needed was a Puk laser welder – [it’s] so cool it allows you to solder without heat meaning I can resize things without the stone getting damaged. It was a spenny treat and everyone is super keen to learn [how] to use it.

What was the inspiration behind the new collection?

We thought that there isn’t really a better time to release a new collection than at the same time as the new store. Fresh beginnings. Plus I’d been so busy with the business and making customs [that] it had been two years since I’d released a collection. Designing always starts the same way for me. First, I see what I’m working with and ask them [the stones] what they want [by] tipping all the stones on the bench and seeing where they sit, which ones complement each other [and] which ones hate being near each other. It’s mostly about colours. When I find a layout of stones that harmoniously sit together I make a frame around them and bam, you have a ring.

Tell us about your favourite piece from the new collection. 

I’m super proud of this new collection, it’s bright and quite technical compared to some of the other things I’ve done. My favourite ring is Just A Critter Ring but my favourite piece would have to be the Crusty Chain Game bracelet, necklace and earrings. I think they are super unique, stunning to wear and quite elevated.

You can explore Millie Savage’s range here, and if you’re in Melbourne pay a visit to the new store at 337 Smith St, Fitzroy.