Top milliner Paris Kyne has melded fashion and fantasy to create an eclectic new store in Melbourne’S CBD. Daniela Aroche discovers his store concept.
After 11 years in Toorak Village and nine years previously in Glenferrie Road Malvern, star milliner Paris Kyne decided to relaunch his hat store via a new location within the winding streets of Melbourne’s CBD.
Tucked into a laneway spot on 205-343 Little Collins Street, the revamped Paris Kyne Master Milliner outlet is surrounded by an array of funky fashion boutiques, cafes and the occasional cocktail bar, but despite the retail cluster, Kyne’s store stands out – much like its owner.
“If a gay skydiver designed a bordello, this is what it would look like,” Kyne says.
“I wanted to include a sea monster theme into this mix, but a gay skydiver designing a bordello while thinking about sea monsters was just too silly.”
Instead, the ex-apprentice of late celebrity milliner William Beale has settled for a store which combines a short-list of flamboyant fantasies into a vibrant store concept in which to showcase his creations.
The outlet, designed by Kyne “with love”, comprises of 45.5m2 – which includes the front as the salon and the back as the workroom where all the hats are made – decked out with vintage fittings and mannequins, fully restored by Mannequin Revolution in Richmond, and an eclectic mix of large, ruched pink parachutes and gilded furniture draped with multi-coloured crystals.
The salon and workroom are also divided by four huge deco leadlight doors, so that the clients can see what is currently in production, and racks strung with plumed headpieces, stands scattered with elaborate millinery concoctions and excessive beading on several strategically placed mirrors add the finishing touches to Kyne’s retail flagship.
“I love excess. As all is very over the top, we had to be careful that the headwear also stood out; this was achieved by having a very plain floor and ceiling,” he says.
“I wanted parachutes, and found two dating from the 1940’s in the States, so shipped then in, and draped them on most of the walls. The final wall is taken up with the four huge lead light doors. All the fittings from the hats also draws to the mannequin heads, which are vintage, as I have been collecting them for years.”
While the showroom is a key focus to attract clients to the store, Kyne has also been careful to think ahead and has left space in the shop for a millinery school, which is due to open later this year. Kyne plans to use the school to boost his business and share his 20-plus years of experience with aspiring designers, offering courses on the lost millinery techniques and subjects that “all the institutes do not offer”, such as blocking veiling, covered wirework and moulding fur.
Kyne says his move to the Melbourne CBD was also fairly strategic, and is sure to attract new business and cater to his target client market of, “females ranging from 16 to 87-years old who are comfortable within themselves and attend race meetings or formal events”.
“We only carry our own label ‘Paris Kyne Master Milliner’, with a price point starting at $360 and going up to $950 for made to measure. I believe in doing less and doing it well,” he says.
“I have always wanted to be in town, but 20 years ago and even 11 years ago, the city was dead. It is now alive, and has an incredibly vibrant street arts scene, and if you have lots of buskers, the people will come.”
Looking forward, Kyne is keen to promote his fledging outlet, but true to his unconventional style, he says he’ll spruik the store with a bang.
“Unfortunately, at the time of opening we did not have the time to stage a big ‘whiz bang’ debut. But instead our spring launch is this month at Madam Brussels, and we are staging two stand alone events for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, and also working on a few group shows,” he says.
