As the world moves away from fast fashion and trends toward the beauty of timeless pieces, Martin Fella’s collection of luxury designer and vintage clothing, accessories, and handbags is a treasure trove for fashion lovers.

Martin’s eye for fashion was inspired by Melbourne’s club scene of the 80s, filled with fashionable youth and edgy fashion designers.

“The Melbourne-based Fashion Design Council started around then, and it promoted avant-garde fashion and emerging designers,” he reminisces.

“We were a group of people who really loved fashion, and we were all involved in the fashion and music scene in Melbourne’s nightclubs.”

Martin created his business over twenty-five years ago, making and wholesaling costume jewellery to labels such as Alannah Hill, Kookai and Bettina Liano.

When he noticed that a small Queensberry Street shop front was available down the road from his home, he saw the opportunity to open a space to manufacture and sell his pieces. 

After many years in the jewellery business, Martin transitioned the two-room shop to selling current and vintage designer fashion. 

“It got to the stage where I was having to compete with mass-produced jewellery coming out of China. I'd always had an interest and a background in fashion, so it was a natural evolution to start stocking vintage designer labels.”

Now Martin trades predominantly in handbags and clothing and sometimes eclectic finds like lamps, luggage, furnishings and books.

“Ninety percent of my handbags are by high-end designers, and I source them from auction houses, markets and secondhand dealers all over the world,” he explains.

 “I have a lot of experience in the designer bag world, and I know what my customer base is looking for. For example, nylon and bamboo are huge at the moment, and I can spot a fake Fendi in a flash! 

“I also keep a constant eye on what’s new in the stores and what is trending. Sometimes major brands like Gucci or Louis Vuitton will release new lines that are redoes of their vintage styles,” he explains. “So you can go into a Prada shop today, and you'll find a new bag that looks very similar to a vintage bag that I put in my shop.” 

Martin designs his business with the aim to provide high-end products to the customer at an affordable price point. 

“One of my early lessons in vintage fashion is don't become too attached. Because you'll end up with a collection of 500 bags!”

Martin sells his pieces in-store and online via his Instagram account. He also has an outlet at the Daylesford Mill markets and on Brunswick Street at the Lost and Found Market.

While Martin has been operating in North Melbourne for eight years, there are no plans of slowing down anytime soon, with business booming over the last two years.

 “I put photos of my bags on my Instagram account and tell people to message me if they're interested,” he says. “I guess during the lockdown, people were sitting at home and looking at Instagram. Someone would appear with a bag and share where they purchased it, and then word of mouth built up.”

 “I know that if I get one happy customer, they’re going to have five friends that will come into my shop in the future. It has really built it up to a stage now where it's beyond what I thought it might have been.”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna Encio