The British have always liked exporting things to Australia, so it was a well-sailed course that led Sam Rush and Henry Allum to Sydney where they founded clothing brand Handsom (not modest, but better than calling it Ugly). Fast-forward a couple of years, and the pair are opening a branch in Melbourne.
Their recently opened flagship store on Gertrude Street has something of the old-school about it, and we mean that literally – the tiling, retro bench seating and pommel horse are all distinctly grammar school gymnasium – while the little nook in the corner, with its potted plants and flaking painted archway, is every small inch the hidden corner of a Victorian garden.
However, this shop is not a slavish throwback, displaying plenty of modernity. The mottled, polished concrete is lovely, although it does look like there was a small but bloody massacre just before opening that’s yet to be mopped up. The changing rooms have also been given careful consideration – quality wood cut at an interesting angle lifts it above the average. As is the fashion these days, the place isn’t exactly bursting at the seams with stock, but we certainly found something that fit our tastes here.
