{"id":574789,"date":"2026-03-30T19:42:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T19:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/574789\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T19:42:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T19:42:10","slug":"internet-fashion-label-mutimers-collingwood-store-opens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/574789\/","title":{"rendered":"Internet Fashion Label Mutimer\u2019s Collingwood Store Opens"},"content":{"rendered":"

After five pop-ups and six years of direct-to-consumer (DTC) retail, Mutimer has opened its first permanent store. It felt fitting for owner Jasper Mutimer to open in Melbourne, his home town, where his hugely popular unisex eponymous fashion label began.<\/p>\n

Launched during a global pandemic as a creative project while its founder studied finance, Mutimer found its audience through a screen. Now, the ready-to-wear contemporary fashion label has a combined following of 412,000 across Instagram and Tiktok.\n<\/p>\n

Despite its far-reaching internet success, the label still wants to prove itself. \u201cI\u2019m under no illusions that we\u2019re currently seen as an Instagram brand, because it\u2019s basically what we are,\u201d Mutimer says. In the age of dropshipping and \u201cghost\u201d stores<\/a>, a physical store can quickly cut through the noise and cultivate trust between a brand and a potential customer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe store is a very expensive sign of intention; we want to be around for a while, and we\u2019re also serious about the products that we\u2019re willing to show people and let them try it on before they buy.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is in opposition to the stereotype of clothes made by \u201cInstagram brands\u201d \u2013 a garment that \u201clooks good visually and is presented well, but the\u2026 fabric\u2019s poor, it fits weird, or the customer service sucks,\u201d says Mutimer.<\/p>\n

Despite the label being around for half a decade, the \u201cgeneral perception\u201d of being a DTC business still has sticking points, with commenters occasionally questioning the validity of the business and the quality of the garments. Having a physical presence helps dispel some of these insecurities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sitting in the wine bar Glou<\/a>, Mutimer noticed the empty shopfront that would become the label\u2019s flagship store. After bugging the landlord for two months, he took over the space in December.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a gamble for any small business to enter the bricks-and-mortar space, but particularly now, when conversations about the difficulties of retail are peaking. While that may be true for \u201cbig box\u2026 mainstream retailers\u201d, Mutimer believes in independent retail and its ability to provide something better than transactional online shopping experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In fact, while the average online Mutimer order has 1.2 items, at the pop-ups, that increases to close to two items. At its London pop-up, it was 2.2 items per transaction. (Of course, the fact that pop-ups are temporary may also drive up the number of pieces purchased.)<\/p>\n

Mutimer\u2019s vision for the store was to create a third place, a relaxed environment that felt like your cool friend\u2019s apartment. He wants shoppers to feel comfortable enough to enjoy the space for two hours without the pressure of purchasing something. It\u2019s \u201cvery warm and inviting,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Inspired by the Eames case study house (there\u2019s an Eames lounge chair in the shop), the One68-built, mid-century style space seeks to expand the world of Mutimer. There are props from previous shoots in the store, as well as some of Mutimer\u2019s favourite coffee table books. There\u2019s a stocked drinks fridge, a comfy bench for shopping companions to chill on and quirky touches, like a wall-mounted CD player. As a friend said to him last week, it\u2019s exactly how she imagined a Mutimer store would look.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The founder hopes that passers-by who might not look like his regular customers are drawn into the store. \u201cThe nicest thing I\u2019ve had with the pop-ups is just having people who might not typically be our demographic walk by and they end up buying something, and they\u2019ve never even heard of the brand before.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mutimer wants the label to be here for decades and for it to flourish offline. The jump from Instagram brand to legitimate brand is a tough one, but Mutimer\u2019s permanent Smith Street store is proof he\u2019s devoted to the journey ahead.<\/p>\n

Mutimer
308 Smith St, Collingwood<\/p>\n

mutimer.co<\/a>
@mutimer.co<\/a><\/p>\n