MELBOURNESTYLE | About Us | DESIGN PROFILE

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Welcome to Melbournestyle, a gallery, store and design studio that specialises in Beautiful Things Melburnian. We design and manufacture Beautiful, Original, Meaningful Melburniana. We have created a unique range of gifts designed in Melbourne, inspired by Melbourne, and made in Melbourne. We are passionate about the city of style, and aim to preserve and celebrate Melbourne's individual dignity, cultural distinction and local eccentricity.This is our credo. In a world that is increasingly global, homogeneous and predictable, we strive to offer a unique alternative. At Melbournestyle you'll find books, cards, scarves, homewares, soaps, jewellery, artworks, wrapping, tee shirts and lots more goodies in store. Next time you need a gift for a client or colleague, for a guest or a visitor from out of town, think melbournestyle, because you can take it with you.

WHO WE ARE
Melbournestyle is a celebration of Melbourne, founded in 1994 by Maree Coote and Lex Ridgeway, with the launch of their first collection: The Melbourne Cups & Saucers. In 2003 the duo added an independent publishing company Gingerbread Books and imprint Melbournestyle Books. In 2006 the Melbournestyle gallery and retail concept store was opened in South Melbourne, to provide a design base and showcase for other Melbourne designers and artists. Here, Coote and Ridgeway have an opportunity to collect together the work of other like-minded local historians, artists and artisans.

MAREE COOTE is a Melbourne artist, writer and photographer who has long held a passion for her home city. Maree and been photographing Melbourne, designing Melbourne-inspired collectibles, and writing on Melbourne's history for over 10 years. Her first book, The Melbourne Book - A History of Now - is a funky and fabulously comprehensive history of the city,
crammed with over 700 photographs, stories and anecdotes,- a truly personal celebration of the best of Melbourne. First published in 2003, it is still going strong, and won Commendation - Best Print - 2004 Victorian State Government History Awards.
Her recent creative exploits include a series of over 50 artworks reinventing Australia's sexiest bushranger Ned Kelly, and a book of the collection called 50 Neds: Ned Kelly, Icon of Australian Art. Maree has also illustrated and written 3 children's picture books, all with Australian themes and a celebration of local icons and natural history.
Artwork from her children's books is now part of the permanent collection of the Dromkeen Children's Literature Collection.
Coote's Melbourne Cup and Saucer design was recently awarded as a finalist in the 2006 Memento Australia Awards. Her interest in homewares and accessories has blossomed into a new collection, called GardenState gifts, inspired by her love of Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens, and of Australian flora in particular.
INTERVIEW

LEX RIDGEWAY is a surfer first, carpenter second. Collaborating with Coote on larger pieces and furniture, Lex's many skills and confident craftsman's hands bring to life designs for screens, mirrors, tables, benches and more. And when the swell is not so good, Lex is kept busy as gallery manager and production manager on the many and varied locally manufactured objects designed and made by Melbournestyle.

OTHER ARTISTS - Melbournestyle has also become a home for other local designers and artists: See our gallery
We hope you like what you see at Melbournestyle

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