Melbourne-born, London-based twins Laura and Deanna Fanning are the forces behind Kiko Kostadinov’s womenswear line, an offshoot of the Bulgarian designer’s eponymous label that launched in 2018. Following the menswear line’s offbeat pattern-cutting, intriguing use of colour and futuristic sheen, the pair have honed a powerful and subversive vision of the Kiko Kostadinov woman built on their own fixations, which span the sci-fi movies of the 1960s, golden-age glamour and the matriarchs of their own family.
This season, showing at historic Brasserie Mollard earlier this week at Paris Fashion Week A/W 2025, they looked towards Vali Myers, an Australian dancer who lived amongst Paris’ bohemian community in the 1950s, and the rebellious Teddy Girls of the same decade for a mashed-up, era traversing collection that was entirely their own. ‘We are thinking of women taking up their bodies, being sexual and monumental, strong-minded and soft,’ they said following the show. ‘Finding a path for oneself in the in-between of opposites, the way only a woman can.’
Here, as seen in the March 2025 Style Issue of Wallpaper*, Laura and Deanna Fanning give us a tour of their hometown – from galleries, bookstores and bars, to a contemporary jeweller to know.
A guide to Melbourne from Kiko Kostadinov’s Laura and Deanna Fanning
A look from Kiko Kostadinov’s A/W 2025 womenswear show, designed by Laura and Deanna Fanning, which was shown in Paris earlier this week
Curtin House
From serving as the HQ of the Communist party in the late 1930s to becoming a haven for an artistic intelligentsia in the following decades, this commercial palazzo-style building now houses an array of restaurants, bars and design studios, as well as a rooftop cinema and retail stores such as PAM and Dot Comme.
252 Swanston St. Melbourne, Vic 3000
Siglo
Sitting at the top of the theatre district, Siglo is the perfect spot for a drink. Its buzzy, open-air rooftop bar, located above the Melbourne Supper Club, boasts broad views of Spring Street, Parliament House and St Patrick’s Cathedral.
2/161 Spring Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Seb Brown
Contemporary jeweller Seb Brown’s striking handcrafted pieces can be explored at the brand’s city centre studio and showroom, designed by architect Sean Godsell.
Room 1006, Level 10. The Century Building 125 Swanston St Melbourne VIC 3000
Seb Brown jewellery studio, designed by Sean Godsell
Carnation Canteen
Co-founded by architect and chef Audrey Shaw and her partner, Zander Di Stefano, this Fitzroy restaurant features a Mediterranean menu that changes weekly and includes a delightful wine list. The neighbourhood also has some cool little stores that are worth visiting and, if you’re here in the summer months, go for a dip at Fitzroy’s outdoor pool.
165 Gore St, Fitzroy, Melbourne VIC 3065
Neon Parc
At this contemporary art gallery in Brunswick, you will find a diverse range of exhibitions, featuring work by both emerging and established Australian artists, as well as international names. There is also a second gallery in South Yarra.
15 Tinning Street, Brunswick, Melbourne VIC 3056
Perimeter Books
Head to Thornbury for this exquisite art and design publisher, distributor and
book store.
734 High St, Thornbury Melbourne VIC 3071
Perimeter Books, a bookstore and publisher in the Thornbury neighbourhood
Heide Museum of Modern Art
A public art institution and sculpture park on a stretch of the Yarra River, Heide is named after the Heidelberg School, an Australian art movement of the late 19th century.
7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen Melbourne VIC 3105
We acknowledge the Bunurong and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin, the traditional custodians of the land and waters on which we celebrate these landmarks. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
A version of this article appeared n the March 2025 issue of Wallpaper*, available on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.
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