Hobart, TAS
Described as one of the great small cities of the world and one of the most beautiful and liveable cities in Australia - Hobart, nestled between Mt Wellington and the Derwent River, seems to have it all.
The compact Tasmanian centre manages to combine colonial maritime charm with the characteristics of a cosmopolitan state capital, making it - as Hobart City Council puts it: "Hobart - the way life should be".
But does quality of life equal shopping opportunities in abundance? "Hobart easily parallels big cities like Sydney. We have got everything here, of course everything in relation to population", says a spokesperson for local menswear specialist Routleys.
With only a little over 200,000 inhabitants, the second oldest city in Australia in fact boasts only a fraction of the potential customers frequenting cities like Sydney and Melbourne. However, these customers are as diverse in their demands as those in any metropolis, which is why Routleys claims to cover all bases.
"We don't have just that bestseller. We offer all prime brands from Ecco Shoes to Gant, Ganton, Herringbone, Hugo Boss, Nautica and Paul & Shark to Polo Ralph Lauren, Rembrandt, Lonsdale, Ben Sherman, Industrie and Ted Baker, but Routleys itself really is the brand for our customers. Men of all ages know that they get everything from contemporary to classic at our store."
And with the arcade and centre shopping of the CBD, the niche boutiques nestled around Salamanca Square, the small owner-managed fashion stores in North Hobart and Sandy Bay and the variety of modern fashion outlets in New Town, female customers have equally little trouble finding exactly what they want.
Leading the pack regarding unique, locally designed clothing and accessories are boutiques such as Love and Clutter on Murray Street, which stocks brands like Leonie Struthers, Bird and Dick & Dora. However, shoppers in Hobart will be able to find a wide variety of both local and international brands on their doorstep. Asked if there is anything Hobart needs more of or less of in terms of fashion and retail, the owner of one local store put it succinctly: "Nothing I can think of."
LOWDOWN
Location: on the south-east coast of the island, 610 km south of Melbourne
Population: around 200,000(census 2006)
Brands: Ecco Shoes, Gant, Ganton, Herringbone, Hugo Boss, Nautica, Paul & Shark, Polo Ralph Lauren, Rembrandt, Lonsdale, Ben Sherman, Industrie, Ted Baker, Leonie Struthers, Bird, Dick & Dora