Talking Shop: Above The Clouds Drop Anchor in Melbourne
After nearly 15 years of flying the flag for premium streetwear in Sydney, have officially touched down in Melbourne. Their second-ever location marks a bold new chapter for the boutique that’s quietly become one of Australia’s most influential curators of global fashion and footwear.
But this isn't a copy-paste job. Designed in collaboration with interior specialists Pattern, the new Melbourne store flips the script with a softened industrial space that still echoes the original’s DNA.
For co-founders Dimitri and John Paul, it’s not about chasing trends – it’s about chasing feeling. Whether that’s the buzz of stumbling onto a hidden gem in Tokyo’s backstreets or the anticipation of an in-store activation, the ATC crew are hellbent on bringing that global magic to Melbourne.
We caught up with Dim and JP to celebrate the launch of the new store.
Congrats on the new ATC store! Why was Melbourne the next move – what pulled you south?
Dim: Thank you! We have always wanted to expand our physical footprint after almost 15 years in Sydney. We were presented with an amazing opportunity to take over this retail location and the timing felt right. We have always had a strong Victorian following online as well as people travelling from Melbourne to Sydney, so it just felt right.
Talk us through the vision behind the space – how did it all come together?
JP: Having inherited an industrial shell which was quite intimidating and difficult to navigate as a consumer, the main thing for us was trying to soften the space and introduce a bit of warmth to it. Working with Pattern again – who were the interior designers of our Sydney store – we basically dumped a load of ideas down and thrashed it out over a few calls, with the primary goal of ensuring the new space felt familiar but had a personality of its own.
How do you plan to connect with Melbourne’s sneaker and streetwear community?
Dim: We want to offer our Melbourne community the same unique offering we present in Sydney, and online. We feel our individual take and curation of product is something that Melbourne’s sneaker and fashion community will adopt in their own way. On top of this we'll continue to host events, activations and collaborations as we do in Sydney – but with the Melbourne art, food, fashion and music scenes.
Tell us about the specific curation of brands and collections for the store.
JP: Just like Sydney, our buying direction is influenced by ‘discovery’. We want to champion small labels which sit next to bigger established labels, and keep people guessing. We don’t want to alienate any age group or demographic within our space.
Dim: We try to evoke the feeling which I first felt when going to Tokyo in the early 2000s, and stumbling upon new stores and brands there. We have a stronger focus on European fashion direction, but always strive to keep a truly unique Above The Clouds lens over our curation of brands.
What’s been the hottest sneaker on the shelves since you opened? Any curveballs or dark horses?
Dim: ASICS in general – because of our long, close relationship – always performs well for us, and that is no exception for Melbourne! and continue to power. However we continually see the growth of dressier, leather footwear alternatives – especially loafers.
Okay, let’s hear it: Melbourne vs. Sydney. Who’s got the better sneaker scene? Feel free to ragebait – we won’t stop you...
Dim: To be honest – and I don’t like to sit on the fence! – I think they are very similar. We run most of our hyped releases via raffles which you can enter from both cities, and the demand is very equal. But of course, I was born in Sydney – so let’s say Sydney.
JP: I’m English, and although I’ve been in Sydney for 15 years, I’ll go with Melbourne – it’s got a bit more grit, and I like the cold so there’s a few more options to work with when it comes to footwear and apparel.
What’s a hill Above The Clouds will always die on when it comes to style, culture or retail?
Dim: Discovery and not taking ourselves too seriously are the main ones. Above The Clouds should evoke excitement and happiness. When we travel, all we want to do is shop retail in any city we visit, whether that be at in Milan, and in , or and in - we want to evoke the same feeling for both our domestic and international customers.
We’re halfway through 2025 – what’s your personal sneaker of the year so far?
JP:
Finally – what’s on the radar for the rest of the year?
Dim: We have another footwear colab coming in July…
JP: Some exciting activations and partnerships for both Sydney and Melbourne!
Keep it locked to Sneaker Freaker for updates on Above The Clouds' upcoming colabs, and check out more features exploring the world's boutique sportswear stores in our