The Good Gift-shop Guide

The Sunday Age

Sunday December 7, 2008

Compiled by Rachel Wells, Miranda Tay, Melissa Kent and Michelle Griffin

Don't waste time trudging around town in search of the perfect gift. We've done the hard work for you and identified Melbourne's best pressie purveyors. Compiled by Rachel Wells, Miranda Tay, Melissa Kent and Michelle Griffin.

CITY

DOUGLAS & HOPE

Shop 14, The Block Arcade, city, 9650 0585; 181 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, 9417 0662, douglasandhope.blogspot.com. City Mon-Thu 10am-5.30pm, Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Fitzroy hours different.

The original treasure trove made its name on quilts and fabrics but it's since developed a good eye for homespun delights you didn't realise you wanted until you saw them: Thomas & Paul purses and totes (we're crazy about the babushkas purses, $40), heart-shaped measuring spoons ($25), Bali-based Melburnian Andrew Wellman's artworks of everyday icons ($59 on average), and the Japanese-designed owl teapot and mug ($50). -- MT

CORKY SAINT CLAIR

Shop 3, Campbell Arcade, Degraves Street Subway, city, 0401 860 758, corkysaintclair.com. Mon-Fri 11am-6.30pm, Sat 11am-5pm.

Corky Saint Clair really is akin to Santa's little workshop. Everything is handmade by either owner Chris Bril, or a handful of local designers including Elk and Victoria Mason. There are Bril's signature "Corky characters" - monsters (Donnie, left, $48), ghosts, sperm whales and squirrels - in coloured perspex and stainless steel pendants and brooches. Then there are his glazed and painted porcelain necklaces and brooches. Other highlights include Victoria Mason's silver earrings and necklaces featuring pencil shavings and bread ties. And best of all, they're affordable. Prices range from $25 for Bril's brooches and from $48 for necklaces. RW

WILKINS & KENT

372 Little Bourke Street, city (also Brunswick Street, Fitzroy), 9670 5624, wilkinsandkent.com. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm (Fri until 8pm), Sun noon-5pm.

The new city outlet for these Fitzrovian cabinet makers focuses on the firm's thriving giftware lines. Pressies are arranged by theme: a kitchenalia table with Riess enamelware ($22-$130) or Hasa plywood salad-tossing hands ($35), a garden table dominated by enamelled tools from the Victoria and Albert Museum ($29.50-$47), a children's area featuring Sparrowkids craft kits (we love the elegant suede and bead necklace kits for $17.95) and Little Lark's groovy organic robot onesies ($36.50). Love the Andie Melbourne vintage print scarves (right, $40). MG

RAP PRODUCTS

424 Bourke Street, city, 9670 8895, and 345 Little Collins Street, city, 9642 8852, rapproducts.com.au. Mon-Thu 9am-6pm, Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm.

It's easy to fall into the tawdry tat trap if you're sourcing from up to 400 suppliers over the year. Not so for Deborah George, who has been cherry-picking what she calls "accessible art" for 17 years. Rap is about mainstream, funky items offering value for money, mainly under $100: jewellery by Riley Burnett, Glasshouse fragrances and candles, and laser-cut acrylic brooches (right, $45). A beauty in the children's section is My Mummy Bag ($29.95), which folds out into picture cutouts of modern mum accessories. MT

SOUTHBANK

AERO PLUS

Shop 5, upper level, Southgate, Southbank, 9696 1170, aeroplus.com.au. Mon-Wed 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-8pm, Fri-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-8pm. Also at Richmond and Camberwell.

Functional design, with clean and simple lines, is the name of the game here. There's also a chunk of fun in the witty range of home accessories and giftwares. To be a hit with the younger generation, opt for the crazy lamps such as the Moppel alien head (above, $45), or the cool can't-miss-it-on-the-conveyor-belt luggage tags ($8). MT

NORTH

KLEIN'S PERFUMERY

313 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, 9416 1221. Mon-Sat 9am-6.30pm (Fri until 9pm),

Sun 10am-6pm.

Exotic fragrances draw you into this scented shrine, which stocks more than 60 perfume, skin care and cosmetics brands among its narrow confines. Try Jackie O's favourite fragrance, Fiori di Capri by Carthusia (from $90 for 50ml), or Ian Fleming's scent of choice, Floris No.89 ($158 for 100ml). Towards the back you'll find delicious creams, lotions and potions by Aesop, Jurlique, Apivita, Dr Hauschka, Crabtree & Evelyn and L'Occitane. Earn brownie points with beautifully packaged Les Cakes de Betrand soaps ($19.95) and gorgeous cosmetics bags (above, $59). MK

WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER

302 Rathdowne St, Carlton, 9349 3734. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm (Thu until 7pm).

A shop for the curious and curiouser filled with intriguing toys: sweet wooden cars ($18); doll-faced stackers (right, $68.50) for babies; Playmobile's complete pirate range for toddlers; plus all manner of dress-ups, musical instruments, dollhouses and science kits. Fond nannas can splurge on the timber Honeybake baking kit - featuring food mixer, cake stand and velcro swiss roll - for $110. Stocking stuffers include Haba wrist-strap compasses ($9.95). We love the Djeco art kits, including art nouveau and cubist colouring books for older kids ($48).MG

COTTAGE INDUSTRY

67 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, 9419 2430, misspenpen.blogspot.com. Tue-Sun 11am-6pm.

Behind gingerbread windows at the quiet end of Gertrude Street, craft queen Penelope Durston has filled a store with her handmade homages to Australiana: shopping bags stitched from souvenir tea towels ($39), cushions fashioned from flower-power fabrics ($60), knitted face washers ($24), bracelets made from kimono scraps ($22), tea cups turned into ladylike soy candles ($48). Do Christmas with a twist with the wire-and-button garlands that can be turned into wreaths ($32). MG

MUSEUM OF ART SOUVENIRS

94 George Street, Fitzroy, 9534 4088, thirddrawerdown.com. Tue-Sat 11am-5pm.

We've been fans of Third Drawer Down's art print teatowels for a few Christmases, so this cool-factor collective's new store is baited with gallery-quality temptations, displayed in museum-standard calm. The artworks printed on handkerchiefs, aprons and teatowels ($30-$70) are practically art theft. We love, love, love the Hi Art! series, which tells the story of modern art in six sew-on patches ($7 each) and the Decalart stencils ($12) including a fashion doll by Melbourne illustrator Kat Macleod. Shop-only goodies include a deck of cards, each individually illustrated by Edwina White ($30). MG

MELODY NELSON

Shop 15, 459-475 Sydney Road, Brunswick, 9388 1844, melodynelson.com.au. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm.

This bijou shop sells pretty and unusual things such as French Laguiole cheese knives ($19) and Garnier-Thiebault table linens, teatowels ($28), Italian jewel-coloured leather gloves ($105-$135), and L'Erbolario beauty products, as well as Australian products such as Daisy Dark oriental-trimmed pyjamas ($120). We love the Italian Vice Versa squirrel nutcracker ($55). MG

EAST AND SOUTH

EX LIBRIS PRINTS

1060 High Street, Armadale, 9509 0900. Open Mon-Thu 10am-5pm, Fri-Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 11am-5pm.

Walking into Ex Libris Prints is like wandering into your great aunt's living room - your mother would have told you to look but not touch. Thankfully, the friendly staff are happy for you to smell, touch and feel the stationery, soaps, homewares, crockery and soft furnishings that cover the shelves and tables. You can understand why they have put a "do not touch" sign on the delicate porcelain votive candles. Things you can touch include the weighty coffee table books, illustrated diaries, cotton tablecloths, French glassware, MOR body bar soap and body butter (bottom left), and the fashion and botanical prints. Top buys include the votive lights ($199), weave baskets ($55), and botanical soaps, $32. RW

RG MADDEN

597 Church Street, Richmond, 9421 5560, rgmadden.com.au. Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun11am 4pm. Other stores in Carlton, South Melbourne and the city.

There's a reason why Ross Madden has been a leader for 20 years: it's called "knowing what you're doing". Other stores might have Alessi, but how many would team it with a fold-up Guggenheim lamp ($119), a Slam fruit tray by MAP's Chris Connell ($239), or a Design House Stockholm Spin mug and saucer ($30-$35)? Start with a $19 Q-man luggage tag and work up to this ingenious red Dosh wallet (above, $109), with slots for cards, a clip for notes and a casing that can be kept as a coin box. MT

MINIMAX

585 Malvern Road, Toorak, 9826 0022, minimax.com.au. Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm (Fri until 7pm), Sun 10am-5pm. Other stores in Camberwell and Brighton.

The secret to Minimax's broad appeal is the range. It's hard to beat in terms of scope of good-quality kitchen, dining and lifestyle wares. Bonus: creative visual merchandising ensures it's all easy to navigate. Pick from traditional (Villeroy & Boch Boston red wine goblet, $28), botanica (Jason coasters featuring Himalayan-plant prints, $18.75 set of six), striped colour (Rhubarb Newport apron $28), or modern classics (Alessi Cico egg cup $37.50). The store does al fresco entertaining particularly well (24-piece Urban Outdoors cutlery set, $36.95). As for the service, it doesn't matter if all you buy are $28 Nicole Cerini placemats (left, set of six), they'll still wrap it beautifully. MT

MARKET IMPORT

19 Morey Street, Armadale, 9500 0764. Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10-4pm.

Others have tried but few have succeeded in copying the village vibe of this shop in Armadale's fabulous little enclave. Part craft, part artistry, all exploding colour, Market Import says "don't worry, be happy". Colourful platters, bowls and pitchers are stacked on shelves and trolleys, wicker baskets and stools spill onto the pavement, bold-printed Marimekko fabrics are draped on ladder rungs, and tin trees and wall decorations are strewn all around. We love the Mexican lolly wrapper bags (from $75), coconut masks ($49.50), handmade Toscano ceramic pitchers from Italy (above, $59.50), and the Billy Goat soap ($9.50). MT

MY POPPET

717 Glenhuntly Road, Caulfield South, 9528 5465 mypoppet.com.au

Tue-Fri 10am-5.30pm, Sat 10am-2pm

Grown-ups get so nostalgic at this sweet kids' store that invests in the handmade for the pint-sized, such as knitted jungle animal finger puppets ($19.95), butch bulldog cushions ($66), and button-studded wristbands ($20). Much of the stock is Melbourne-made, keeping your toy miles down: orange leather booties (above, $25.95), Aunt Cookie fabric appliques ($19.95 pack of four), and vibrant Chalk n Cheese sunfrocks for the under seven set, ($59.95). Great stocking stuffers include Lark's bookplates ($14), and Dick and Dora's sheriff badge ($19.95). MG

HUDSON

229 Carlisle Street, Balaclava, 9525 8066. Mon-Sun 11am-5.30pm.

Former travel writer Nikki Hall is an aficionado of the beautiful and the bizarre. The racks and shelves in her store groan under the weight of an eclectic mishmash of desirables, from gorgeous English party frocks and designer men's tees to old-fashioned children's toys and Japanese oddities. Earn yourself the title of quirkiest gift giver with a DIY doughnut keyring kit ($39) or an icy-pole bath ball, ($13) for the sweet-toothed sud-lover. MK

SAFARI LIVING

579 High Street, Malvern, 9510 4500, safariliving.com. Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm.

Felicity Rulikowski, the owner of this high-end gift store and luxury fabric supplier, has scoured the globe in search of lovely objects. There are lambswool blankets from Scotland, embroidered quilts from India, plush beach towels from Portugal ($79), quirky ceramics from Italy (from $22) and Ortigia fragrances from Sicily ($36-$139). Safari Living is also the Australian agent for fabric (left) from the Italian house Missoni and carries a large range of luxurious linen, cushions, beach towels and lampshades. MK

BOY AND GIRL

495 High Street, Prahran, 9525 0300. Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm.

This well-equipped store offers a range of good-quality toys that will withstand even the toughest toddler love. Fuel your child's imagination and promote good, old-fashioned playtime with chunky wooden building block sets ($98), organic cotton dolls ($19), pull-along critters, ($34.25), or Felt Creations dioramas ($8.50). For a really special gift, plump for Radio Flyer's retro red trike, complete with chrome mud guards, a bell, handle-bar ribbons and an optional parent handle (below, $159-$179), or a luxurious wooden dollhouse ($189), made in Thailand from Fair Trade rubber plantation timber. MK

M

NGV SHOP

NGV Australia, Federation Square, Flinders Street, city, 8662 1542, ngv.vic.gov.au/shop. Mon-Sun 10am-5pm (Thu until 9pm).

Art gallery/museum shops tend to fall into one of two categories: stodgy and earnest or innovative and fun. The NGV Shop is the latter. It has more than 5000 art, architecture and design books, poster collections and catalogues, DVDs and CD-ROMs. It also has Mozi Christmas tea towels ($19.95), graphic dog and cat biscuit tins ($34.95), J-me videotape tape dispensers ($19.95) and Pantone mugs (below, $19.95). Exclusive to the store: the Teapot Brooch, inspired by the oldest brooch in the NGV Decorative Arts collection ($39.95). MT

KLEEN DESIGN

296 Brunswick Street, 9415 9490, kleendesign.com.au. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm (Fri until 7pm), Sun 11am-6pm.

The shiny giftware in this well-organised corner emporium is smart, fun and often surprisingly useful. And there are so many items - from perforated JFOLD wallets ($99), to Goodluck Cats ($22), to silicone oven mitts ($29.95), to Clocky the runaway alarm clock ($79.95). Object of desire? The Crosley AutoRama portable radio and turntable in fire-engine red ($325).MG

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