Fashion: Something about this snake.
There’s something quite charming about a little corner store. I’m not sure what it is exactly that makes these types of shops that little bit more enchanting than your run of the mill shopfront along a busy people infested street, but they do it for me.
Located in the heart of Fitzroy, a drop punt away from the buzzing Brunswick St, Bronzesnake has carved a niche for itself in the Melbourne fashion market. The product of local designers and owners Dave and Anth, Bronzesnake has developed its store around the label If Toby Could Talk.
Established in 2005, Bronzesnake specialises in both menswear and women’s attire and base their collections around basic designs with a point of difference. When they first established themselves on the scene, If Toby Could Talk and Mr Nashville were their two creations that provided the staples in their collections. Gradually they blended Mr Nashville into If Toby Could Talk and also incorporated several other external labels into their stores collection including Vanguard, Artsu, and Loop amongst others.
Fitroyalty: Bronzesnake has added to Fitzroy's high quality boutiques.
The difference between Bronzesnake and most other labels on the Melbourne and Australia landscape is the attention to detail. Each individual piece of clothing has a unique feel to it. Whether it is in the stitching or wash, individuality is the key to their success. Their unique styles paired with their exclusiveness, given that each range is limited, provide you with an edge.
Over the years the store’s notoriety has blossomed, as has its wide fan base with a large percentage of their customers being tourists. In 2011 the crew at Bronzesnake took the bold move to expand to a second store. That’s how the Chapel St store came about. A little less inviting than the flagship store, and with a higher focus on womenswear, the second store may be a more accessible option for some Melbournians but I would still recommend making the journey to Johnston St.
Originally sourcing local manufactures, Anth and Dave have now predominantly outsourced their production to Indonesia. Regular updates on Twitter and Facebook keep fans in touch with the exciting production side of things.
The brains behind the operation: Dave,Paris and Anth have built Bronzesnake into one of Melbourne's best labels.
One thing the crew have done extremely well over the course of their existence is their VIP Nights. They make a huge effort to give back to their regular supporters a couple of times a year and with great success judging by the masses who flock to these celebrations.
In fact, everyday Bronzesnake provide their VIP’s with 20% off all stock which further entices their fans to spend their hard earned.
The success of Bronzesnake has seen their gear stocked in most states of Australia and has also seen the introduction of an online store to cater for those who don’t have stockists in their vicinity. In the middle of 2011 the team also infiltrated the city with the introduction of a pop-up store in Melbourne Central for three months.
For some of their loyal followers their success has been slightly disappointing, because unlike a football team or quality cafe, when it comes to fashion you don’t want the secret to get out. For years their greatness was kept within the ‘Fitzroyalty’ bubble; however their venture into Chapel St has seen a new wave of supporters jump on the bandwagon.
Plain and simple: If Toby Could Talk has made its name from its basics.
If Toby Could Talk has been the cornerstone of their existence and has mainly focused on basics designs in T-shirts, Shirts, Jackets, Coats, Blazers, Casual wear and more recently denim and footwear. Now they haven’t always ticked all the boxes in each range, but that is the nature of the beast in this game. One’s trash is another's treasure so to speak.
Their popularity has stemmed from their quirky t-shirt designs with some of our favourites taking on the appearance that we ourselves had pulled out a needle and thread to stitch on pockets ourselves. Even their tailored shirts have rough edges which bring out their level of uniqueness, whilst at the same time bring an element of class to the look without treading on Ralph Lauren’s shoes. Our favourite point of difference from their designs is their use of moth holes. Very different, but very good.
More recently the boys have developed a new line of Basic tees under the newly created label Fearless Vampire Killers. Following in the footsteps of their signature label If Toby Could Talk, this venture has the earmarks of more success for the Bronzesnake crew.
Whilst the secret has well and truly gotten out about one of Melbourne’s gems, the continued focus on limited production lines and a focus on finesse and high quality products will continue to ensure that they remain one of Melbourne’s finest fashion labels and boutiques.
83 Johnston Street, Fitzroy
