It looks like a cross between Play School and Pucci. Assia Benmedjdoub offers a snapshot of The Fleet Store, Queensland.
The Fleet Store had more captains than coins when it launched late last month. A collaborative venture between nine fashion/business double degree students in Queensland, the 26-square-metre site is filled with second-hand fittings and furnishings sourced from local stores.
“Limited budget” is how the students, all hailing from the Queensland University of Technology, describe the pop-up store, which will trade at Brisbane’s Wintergarden shopping centre until October. Stocking fresh designs from current and former fashion students, it is supported by several industry and commercial groups including Creative Enterprise Australia.
“Given the limited budget allocated to the student-run venture, we needed to source the majority of materials from second-hand stores throughout Brisbane,” Natashya Manfield, who headed up the visual merchandising, says.
This means old, raw-wood drawers have been recycled as shelving units along the walls; a makeshift chrome maxi-slot wall system used for stock display racks; and a second-hand corrugated iron counter sourced (or should that be salvaged?) from a hairdressing salon.
Manfield even grabbed an old wooden table from “a friend’s house” to display accessories at the centre of the store.
“[It has] a homely hunter collector vibe,” she says.
Mesh suspended from the ceiling, along with several vintage dressmaking mannequins, add to this feel. There are also balls of yarn, paint brushes, origami in primary colours, jars of thread and baubles scattered throughout the store.