Melbourne's The Social Studio is set to open a new bricks-and-mortar retail space, alongside its first eCommerce platform.
The not-for-profit, which empowers young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds, will open its new Collingwood Yards retail space and its eCommerce site today, December 09.
The concept behind both stores is to celebrate up and coming Bla(c)k, Indigenous, people of colour (BIPOC) and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) creatives across a range of products including apparel, accessories, and lifestyle items.
Alongside supporting makers from BIPOC and CALD backgrounds, the team’s retail stores will continue to create opportunities for refugee and new migrant youth through education and employment, as well as funding their not-for-profit fashion school.
The Social Studio CEO Dewi Cooke said that the business is thrilled to offer diverse communities another platform to showcase their work.
"We’re thrilled to be throwing our support behind some of the country’s most exciting, socially-conscious makers.
"Our mission at the Studio is to celebrate and elevate the talents of diverse communities, and we hope that by creating this platform we will help to not only focus the spotlight on the incredible skills and talents of emerging BIPOC and CALD designers but amplify their stories and voices too," she said.
The store will launch with the below labels, alongside its own in-house label, produced from up-cycled materials that have been salvaged from landfill.
- Remuse
- Badaam
- North
- Gammin Threads
- Bananalands
- Aneau
- Companion
- Beit e'Shai
- Elnaz Ceramics
- Ovazania
- Tagentyere Arts Centre
- Numbulwar Numburindi Arts
Remuse designer and director Tamara Leacock added that the new space will help to amplify the creations of BIPOC, refugee and new migrant people.
"I am so excited to be stocked with The Social Studio.
"Not only is it an amazing organisation that provides work experience and amplifies the design and entrepreneurial voices of creatives from BIPOC, refugee, and new migrant backgrounds in a fashion space that still has more work to do for diverse creative strategist inclusion, but it also provides these design minds an amazing space to manufacture, learn trade skills and exhibit products and wears.
"The minute I walked into the sunny courtyard of Collingwood Yards, passed by fellow creatives convening, discussing ideas, enjoying the atmosphere, saw the phenomenal manufacturing space and beautifully designed retail spaces of The Social Studio, I knew that this new concept store opening was going to be a very special one filled with great hope and promise for all," she said.
The Social Studio's retail space is located on Johnston St Collingwood and operates Wed-Sat, 11.30am-5pm.