Northbridge is a shopper’s heaven. In recent times it has experienced a revival of sorts with a rush of designer boutiques opening its doors along William Street and in arcades everywhere. What started off in 2004 as just Keith & Lottie and Red Stripe Clothing (two opposite ends of the fashion spectrum if ever there was one) has now exploded into the William Street Collective, a hub of shops run by bright young business minds with approximately 12 retail outlets cuddling under the On William umbrella. From fashion to flowers to home goods to horror, Northbridge has an assortment of hotter than hot shopping spots sure to sate any and all retail wants, needs and desires.

Best place to start? At the train station end of William Street where, just around the corner on Roe Street, you’ll find Red Stripe Clothing. This boutique started off as a killer little market stall at Subiaco’s now defunct Station Street Markets. It’s has grown in presence since opening in 2001, with its move to Northbridge taking place approximately 4 years ago. It stocks the most amazing ’50s burlesque gothic shoes and a plethora of goth rocker emo fetish fashion, including toxic acid green leopard print bed sheets that have to be seen to be believed. Throw in an online store, and you’re covered – literally.

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Further up William is Marchesi Menswear. These guys are older than old school. They’ve been around since 1939 but that in no way implies that they’re out of touch or out of date. Quite the opposite really. Marchesi Menswear stocks Diesel, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Firetrap and the occasional bit of Versace. They also pride themselves on the select range of Italian produced goods they exclusively stock, items which are know for their durablility and inherent sense of style. Throw in a love of garden gnomes (from the window display to the glomes on the roof above) and Marchesi rocks it old school like no other in Ye Olde Northbridge Towne.

Just past Francis Street is Harry Highpants. A must for any discerning young shopper, Harry Highpants is a chic boutique run by two savvy young girls, their cutting edge business sensibility as cutting edge as the clothes they stock. At current they have the whimsical, romantic garbs of St Martin’s graduate Vanessa da Silvia whose prints are bold and adorable. And yes, da Silva does do singlets for men, although the womenswear is to die for. Highlights this season include Mjolk (see Fashionable Shorts) and the long awaited return of Australia’s new fashion guard, Romance Was Born. Yes, RWB return for a scintillating tribal summer of love. Start drooling….

Slightly further up is Fi & Co. This place is a surprise. Did you know it now not only has an upstairs section but a backroom too? No? Well, a revisit to Fi & Co should be on the cards. With adorable vintage upstairs and menswear out the back – plus a whole heap of womenswear on the main floor – this shop is a true delight. It’s real charm lies in its many facets. After all, a good store is one you should be able to explore at length – and Fi & Co has that in spades.

Brave New World just before Newcastle Street are a new mens boutique whose look is dubbed ‘retro futuristic’. They house a very limited stock of some of the world’s most exciting men’s labels, the fact that they are the exclusive Australian stockist to some making a stop here all the more desirable. The likes of Resterods, Rare, Rock & Republic, Chiodo and Genae (among others) are well worth the look.

Toward the end of William Street is Lala Orange. This store is a veritable hub of fashion, accessories and homegoods with Les Corbeaux, Dapple-Grey, Another Boy, Kornerd and Meet Tyrone all stocked. Add the extensive Lala Orange online store plus their regular email newsletters and this shop (cutely named after the orange Rainbow Brite character who ruled Orange Meadows) claims a place as one of the crucial new kids on the William Street block.

At the end of William is the ghastly and ghoulish Chainsaw Horror. This store is a riot. It stocks everything horror related but, most importantly, supports local music. And every Saturday they have a live band play – yes, I didn’t notice the larger than life stage in the corner either. Add all they horror movies you could ever want to watch and Chainsaw Horror is a massacre of fun.

Now, if you turn on your heel and walk all the way back (they better be darn good heels – try Via Veneto Shoe Boutique opposite Universal on William Street), stores well worth a look include William Topp for all things cute and retro and fun, Vinnies Retro Boutique for a slice of old world fashion, the likes of which you are never going to find again, plus Whitegoods, just above Keith & Lottie, home to all manners of blank apparel, perfect equipment to fuel the beginning of your own store. Golden Gate is a cute Asian gift store where you’ll find the dearest parasols all under $25 each. And if you seek flowers, Wilder Bunch is more than happy to oblige.

Elsewhere Turnstyle offers up collectables from a whole selection of eras and catering to a whole host of disposable incomes. In fact, Turnstyle is an institution, the perfect place for old school jewellery, homewares and even knicks and knacks and bric and brac and things. Want something a bit more upscale and upmarket? Then hit Intoo Collectables which offers an array of homewares and paintings which are completely one-off, totally unique and rather quite impressive. Yet, if you’re looking for something to cuddle up with… say, a good book… then hit the State Library Shop at the library. Not only will you find a treasure trove of old library books, but this shop has the most comprehensive collection of titles by West Australian authors this side of Fremantle Press.

All things tech are available from Cybershop. Bits and bytes and hard drives and such all click and whir away here. Get ga-ga over giga as the helpful Cybershop crew assist you in a comprehensive, incredibly friendly manner. With a broad(band) range of desktop and notebook style computers to choose from, this is your one stop electronic shop.

The hidden retail gem of Northbridge, however, goes to beauty palace Skatt. Like a TARDIS, this place is huge on the inside… so big in fact it has it’s own catwalk, which is perfect for all of those who want to parade their new haircuts and such. Skatt caters to an array of hipper than hip pockets with solarium, spray tanning, beauty and hair removal all available. They even sell Sebastian hair products, which adds to their overall appeal and gives Northbridge that final, heavenly touch.

William Street Collective
www.onwilliam.com.au

Red Stripe Clothing
8-10 Roe Street
www.redstripeclothing.com

Turnstyle
173 William Street
www.turnstylecollectables.com.au

Wilder Bunch
Shop 5, 189 Williams Arcade
www.wilderbunch.com.au

Via Veneto Shoe Boutique
218 William Street

Marchesi Menswear
238-242 William Street

Harry Highpants
259 William Street
www.harrystore.com.au

Vinnies Retro Boutique
267B William Street

Whitegoods
Level 1, 276 William Street
www.whitegoods.net.au

Fi & Co
289 William Street
www.myspace.com/fiandco

Brave New World
315 William Street
www.bravenewworldclothing.com

Golden Gate
405 William Street

Lala Orange
411 William Street
www.lalaorgange.com.au

William Topp
452 William Street
www.williamtopp.com

Chainsaw Horror
456 William Street
www.chainsawhorror.com.au

Intoo Collectables
263 Newcastle Street

State Library Shop
Ground Floor, Alexander Library, Perth Cultural Centre

Cybershop
C3 / 134 Aberdeen Street
www.cybershop.com.au

Skatt
38 Roe Street
www.skatt.com.au

Scott-Patrick Mitchell