Melbourne’s bustling Little Collins St is a fitting place for Informale’s retail location. Amongst the rush of the bustling CBD street their space is a calm oasis, encouraging you to slow down and take a breath.

In this space and their online presence, Informale takes an approach they refer to as “the antithesis to fast fashion”. Designed and produced locally, their menswear pieces are intentional in fit, durable in form and timeless in design.

Helping compliment their retail space are designs from our RJ Living range, perfectly melding with the Informale DNA thanks to considered materials, careful craftsmanship and an appreciation for buying once and buying well.

We spoke to Steve Calder, Informale’s Co Founder & Designer about the brand, aesthetic inspiration and the intersection of furniture & fashion.

How does the presentation of furniture within your store contribute to the overall ambience and atmosphere for customers?

We care deeply about the customer experience in our shop, which means each component must work harmoniously with the other: our staff, the service, styling and storytelling, the garments of course, and the fitout and furniture.

If one part is missing, the entire experience isn’t right. The furniture of the shop contributes to the first impression of the customer which of course is extremely important. I’m happy to say the current setup couldn’t get much better!

How do our pieces compliment the clothing aesthetic of Informale?

RJ Living’s craft and design-driven aesthetic reflects exactly what we do at Informale. From the marble plinth, to the beautiful marble vases and the print that captures our palette so perfectly.

Everything is so well thought out and there’s a softness and depth to the furniture that work really well with our clothing.

Where do you draw inspiration from and what trends have you been enjoying this season?

I’m not really a trend guy, and Menswear trends move at a glacial pace (don’t believe anyone who says otherwise). I mostly draw inspiration from the racks of vintage stores, as well as old movies and some of my very stylish friends.

I love collecting vintage garments and referencing certain details in our own collections.

One thing I’ve had in the back of my mind is a pair of Australian Army Ghurka trousers from the 50’s that I bought off a guy in Adelaide. The cut is really horrible but the details are begging to be reworked into something new. It’ll take me probably a year or two to fully develop them, but the journey of design is what I live for!

How do you believe our furnishings help with building a welcoming environment? As I mentioned, first impressions are everything. If the customer doesn’t feel welcome when they look into the shop, they won’t walk in. There’s also a need to reflect the brand in the furniture, which to Informale means craftsmanship, texture, and softness (either soft edges or soft colours). Our RJ Living furniture offers all three which is exactly why we’ve decided to work with you in our space. We couldn’t be happier!