Given CANVAS’ support for grassroots designers, we felt it necessary to mention a new concept store taking temporary space in one of Brisbane’s most established arcades. The Fleet Store is a collaborative initiative between Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Fashion/Business students, with the support of Creative Enterprise Australia (CEA) and Wintergarden arcade.
The pop-up trend has been circling for some years, and The Fleet Store plans to capitalise on the retail concept of exclusivity and surprise. Fashion enthusiasts can expect an ever-changing product range of designer garments from Brisbane’s next crop of fashion talent. Similar in concept to pioneer emerging designer boutique The Tribune, The Fleet Store will also act as a hub for the local creative community through collaborative exhibitions and design events.
The development of QUT’s Fashion program, under the guise of Suzi Vaughan, and the emergence of fashion stores focused on young designers, has really helped to change Brisbane’s fashion landscape. Through education and participation, it’s encouraged a greater deal of risk in sartorial self expression. QUT graduates Robyn Taggart and Kate Stein, who can both be found at The Fleet Store, are a great example of the pursuit of a new fashion independence. There’s a strong sense of individual identity that is starting to emerge, one that rejects the stereotypes of a subtropical lifestyle. It’s the kind of forward-thinking, spirited sophistication that we can really take pride in.
