Meet Saloon, the Melbourne-based store blending serious design with playful whimsy

“We are passionate about celebrating the creativity and craftsmanship within our own community.”

In the age of online shopping, it’s becoming increasingly rare to revel in the buying experience. Melbourne-based creatives Georgah Crane and Kirra Scotland launched their store, Saloon, to capture exactly that – the personalised feel of browsing a curated storefront of “precious items”. With backgrounds that span fashion and beauty, the pair created Saloon on a journey to bring together their shared passions.

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Saloon is yet to be permanently brick-and-mortar, but its online space is a delight in itself. Your cursor transforms into a trail of tiny hairbrushes, horses, martini glasses and four-leaf clovers, leading you to a collection of objects from local talent and international designers.

Saloon is comprised of pieces that “strike a balance” between Georgah’s minimalistic aesthetic and Kirra’s eclectic style – like the perfect black herringbone mini, sequin-laden soft cotton tanks and a hand-painted cannelloni candle. Below, the pair share the story of Saloon so far.

Tell us about you both. How did you meet, and what’s your fashion background?

Photography by Georgia Smedley

We met at Shifting Worlds, a high-end concept store showcasing exclusive brands like Pleats Please, Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Paloma Wool. By managing the store’s online and physical presence, we discovered our close friendship and complementary skills.

Now as a duo, we bring our experience to Saloon. Georgah’s expertise in system organisation and online operations comes from her background working with both large companies and start-ups in the fashion industry. Kirra, with a background in fine art, created her own business, Nail Saloon. [She] started with door-to-door manicure services, later securing a Friday residency at Human Salon.

Photography by Georgia Smedley

Kirra believes that nail painting is a form of creative expression and self-care. Collaboration with brands like Fluff Casual Cosmetics, Bella Clark Jewellery and No Order Market resulted in fun events and partnerships. The name Saloon is inspired by the previous business name.

How did Saloon Store get started? 

After realising that we both craved creative freedom, we embarked on a journey to discover our shared passions. Although we initially considered developing a product, we soon became enamoured with the idea of running our own store. We both believed that Melbourne was ripe for a one-of-a-kind store that seamlessly melded serious design with playful whimsy and humour.

Photography by Georgah Crane

We take great pleasure in presenting carefully selected brands and sharing their stories. Our ultimate goal is to create a physical storefront that places the customer experience front and centre and also provides space for collaborations and special events.

How did you curate the selection of designers/artists?

We set out with the intention of curating a thoughtful selection of products across various categories, including homewares, art, fashion and beauty. Our vision was to appeal to customers with a broad range of interests, recognising that our audience was not solely focused on fashion.

Photography by Georgah Crane

Our product selection is a reflection of our personal tastes, which we have blended with the work of designers we admire, as well as items we use and cherish in our own daily lives. We prioritise showcasing local talent, while also sourcing products internationally. We are passionate about celebrating the creativity and craftsmanship within our own community and hope to extend our support and uplift local designers and artists.

How would you describe Saloon Store aesthetically?

It’s fascinating how Saloon has managed to strike a balance between our own distinctive styles. Georgah’s classic and minimalist approach, typically adorned in black and white, is reflected in her chic and tidy apartment. Meanwhile, Kirra’s eclectic style features an abundance of colour and embellishments, which also extends to her home decor, featuring various decorative objects and artworks.

Photography by Claire Summers

The resulting balance feels natural and authentic, seamlessly blending our individual personalities and tastes. We didn’t want Saloon to be confined to a single aesthetic, and we enjoy the freedom to constantly evolve.

Who or what inspires you?

One of the things that brought us closer was our shared love of watching vlogs. There’s something incredibly soothing about experiencing someone else’s POV, even when it can be more mundane than reality TV. Our favourite person on YouTube is Rachel Nguyen, who started as a fashion blogger and has been a successful influencer for a decade.

Photography by Claire Summers

We’ve enjoyed watching her videos on makeup, fashion and travel, but what we appreciate even more is how she’s taken a slower approach. In recent videos, Rachel reflects on what it was like to have grown up on the internet and shares insights on how to balance social media use for both work and life. Rachel discusses this in her videos ‘I Want To Own My Content’ and ‘Point Of View’.

As an online store, our main channels of communication are also digital. We find it challenging but exciting to cultivate an authentic and engaging presence online. Since viewers usually only see the finished product, we hope to share some behind-the-scenes moments of our business. We would love to take Rachel’s Video Creator Course someday. Stay tuned for our upcoming YouTube channel.

Saloon is described as “a store of precious items”. Can you name a few of the precious items in your personal wardrobes?

Photography by Claire Summers

Our friend Chiara Crosserio moved back to Bali a few years ago and uncovered a treasure trove of deadstock tank tops from her dad’s brand, dating back to the early 2000s. Chiara launched her own label, Riu, and is now releasing the tanks in small, exclusive capsules that showcase their craftsmanship and special legacy. As one of the lucky few to have these precious and rare pieces in our wardrobe, we are thrilled to stock them at Saloon.

Who do you think is most exciting in AU/NZ fashion right now? 

We feel fortunate to work with All Is a Gentle Spring, a Melbourne-based label founded by designer Isabelle Hellyer. All of her collections are thoughtfully and exclusively made in Australia, ensuring that each piece is crafted with care and will stand the test of time.

Isabelle’s talent and creativity are evident in every garment, each of which is infused with reference to history, art and culture. Her extensive research inspires us and demonstrates her passion for storytelling through fashion.

Photography by Claire Summers

Despite their traditional approach, their designs are anything but outdated. They are incredibly sexy and fresh, and meticulously crafted. At their debut [Afterpay Australian] Fashion Week show, models were doused with Last Word by Perdrisat, infusing the air with fresh green notes. This attention to detail and commitment to the sensory experience is truly admirable.

What’s next for Saloon?

We’re eagerly anticipating the arrival of our fall/winter 2023 collections, featuring new and exclusive brands not yet available in Melbourne! Our next pop-up will showcase and debut these brands.

Photography by Claire Summers

For the time being, we’ll continue operating exclusively online and hosting pop-up events, which offer an exciting opportunity to experiment with new concepts and narratives. However, our ultimate goal remains to establish a permanent store.

You can visit Saloon here.