Flinders Lane / City Lanes

This central city artery pumps straight to the heart of Mellie’s über style scene, with ace art (see Art), eats and retail. Start with a brek boost at hip hub #45 Cumulus Inc. (see Lunch), then exit right to Craft at #31 / 9650 7775 / Mon-Sat / craft.org.au, a shoppable showcase of artisan jewellery, textiles, glass, cerams and woodwork. About face and head the other way up Flinders for a block and a half, crossing Russell St., and passing Chin Chin and Coda (see Rest./Relaxed for both), plus urban street art canvas Hosier Lane on the left. On the corner, descend to E.g.etal at #167 / B/F / 9639 5111 / egetal.com.au / for arty region-inspired baubles, and directional m/w fash from NZ label Zambesi above at 1/F / 9654 4299 / zambesi.co.nz. Back on the street and carry on along Flinders for girly treasure chest #181 Christine (see Standout Stores), then strike a pause for wow baos at Supernormal at #180 (see Rest./Relaxed). Once you’re superfull, sashay on for bouquet babe Pollon Flowers at #199 / 9663 8232, and local hero Alpha60 at #201 / 9663 3002 / alpha60.com.au / with mod, sober m/w wear, before darting over and right into the cobbled laneway by the Westin for shoelicious Miss Louise at 205 Collins St. / (see Stand. Stores). Back on Flinders, surge on and cross Swanston St. for the Nicholas Bldg on the cnr (enter via Cathedral Arcade for lifts). On the 2/F, keep peepers out for contempo gallery Edmund Pearce / 9023 5775 / Wed-Sat; Japan-in-Oz textile stop Kimono House / Rm 7 / 9639 0565 / Wed-Sat or by appt.; and vintage haberdashery at L’uccello / Rm 5 / 9639 0088 / 10am-5.30pm Mon-Sat. Up on 3/F, Mattt / Rm 5 / 9650 7336 / Wed-Fri or by appt. / has handmade patterned bags; Dot.Comme / Rm 4 / Thu-Sat / stocks archival Comme des Garçons, Walter Van Beirendonck and co.; and shoe-perstar Brendan Dwyer (see Adv. Shopping) works his magic. Exit back onto Flinders Ln. and head left. First up, you’ll find Scott Alley on the left, where Lady Petrova / Shop 3 / 9650 6285 / beckons with sugary-sweet, sorbet-hued femmewear; then peruse crisp local galtogs on the cnr at LIFEwithBIRD / 241A Flinders Lane / 9663 2099. Retrace and dogleg across Flinders to Manchester Ln. for cult skinny jeans, leather and layers of black (m/w) at #19 Claude Maus / 9654 9844 / claudemaus. com.au, plus monthly-rotating Oz indie fash and funky fripperies at Design A Space at #20 / 9663 8991 / designa space.com.au. Back on Flinders, on you go to playful m/w shirt makers Cubec at #241 / 9663 9717, then zip left into Degraves for fine Victorian food and gifts at Clementine’s at #7 / 9639 2681, and lim-ed prints at #7A Signed & Numbered / 9939 9974. Retrace to Flinders and twirl left for glam frockster #268 Green with Envy / 1800 674 047, urbane men’s casuals by Norse Projects et al. at Incu #274 / 9663 9933, and natural skincare by Aesop at #268 / 9663 0862. Opp. at #289 Carlow House, explore Leonard St.’ s / Shop 6 / 9663 1529 / pretty printed togs (w); then pop up to Lord Coconut / Suite 3 / 4/F / 0450 015 263 / Tue-Sat or by appt. / for quirksome cufflinks n’ jewellery for the mod man. Double back past Degraves and zip left into Centre Place where Fokus at #18 / 9650 8454 / stocks bold jewellery, bags and hats, then finish back out on Flinders at #253 Journal / 9650 4399, where a bookish java jolt awaits ahead of the CBD itin, two right turns around Elizabeth and Collins. Supershopper!