Thirteen years after being founded by James Barrett, Brendan Mitchell and Jason Paparoulas, cult sneaker and streetwear emporium Up There has relocated to its biggest premises to date in downtown Melbourne. Situated on Flinders Lane, the new store occupies a 345 sqm. (3,714 sq.ft.) unit on the premises of the Herald and Weekly Times Building and features a collaborative interior design of the entrepreneurial trio with acclaimed local architecture and design practice Kennedy Nolan. The retail space has not only raised the bar to offer a better context for its forward collections, but also to elevate the shopping experience for its loyal clientele. As such, the chosen design, which is understated and grand with a playful touch, puts the tightly curated merchandise front and centre, using an abundance of galvanised steel, in both perforated and flat form, large mirrors, plexiglass, and last but not least, flooring clad in a bright green fabric.

Mind you, green is a key colour for Up There and can also be found on the ceilings, albeit in an inky dark green version. The merchandise is presented in different sections, including a concession which reflects key characteristics of the brand, and curating and displaying stock in themes, providing scope for collaborations, events and exclusive releases. As fashion has become firmly anchored in the lifestyle of Millennials and Gen Z, Up There anticipates with the presence of a coffee bar which will entice shoppers to sit back in between shopping sprees or stay longer when all new trophies have been purchased. The new Up There store continues to supply the savvy sneakerhead community with exclusive releases from Nike, adidas, New Balance, Asics and Salomon, and additionally stocks to a unisex collection of various brands. The current brand list includes coveted names such as Kapital, Engineered Garments, Norse Projects, Junya Wantanabe, 4SDesigns and Beams+.