Step into any run-of-the-mill gym and you’ll likely find a couple of punching bags hung up somewhere just begging to be hit. Sure, they’re there to help you improve your strength and technique, but if you want to make the transition from complete amateur to a boxer with genuine potential, then only a dedicated boxing gym will suffice.

Of course, you needn’t attend a boxing gym with the sole intention of becoming the next Anthony Joshua or Floyd Mayweather, as boxing as a fitness discipline has plenty to offer. It can help you burn fat, improve your strength tenfold and, as we’re sure any keen boxer is willing to admit, can be amazing at helping you relieve any pent up stress or anger in a legal manner.

Boxing gyms will also be run by professionals who genuinely know what they’re talking about, so will be able to teach you the techniques and rectify any mistakes you’re making, turning you into the brawler you’ve always wanted to become.

That’s especially true for Melburnians, as the Victoria city is home to its fair share of boxing gyms, all waiting to welcome you with open punching pads and a ring for you to lay down your best moves. Several of them aren’t restricted to just traditional boxing, either, as they also offer training for various forms of ring-based fighting, such as Muay Thai boxing and kickboxing.

Here are the best boxing gyms in Melbourne, some in and around Melbourne CBD and others in the surrounding suburbs.

Powerplay Boxing

Powerplay Boxing describes itself as a combat sports fitness centre, due to the fact it offers teaching and training not just in traditional boxing, but kickboxing and Muay Thai, with all ability levels catered for. Training is undertaken in classes, split into skill level, so you’re not going to be paired with a boxing veteran on your first day, but if you want a more one-on-one approach, personal training is available too. If you’re completely new to boxing and just want to find out if it’s for you, then Powerplay Boxing also offers a free trial.

Address: 66 Holmes Street, Brunswick, 3056

Phone: 03 8383 9151

The Fighter’s Factory

The Fighters Factory offers a versatile approach to boxing. You can either train on a pay-as-you-go basis, dropping to have a go on the punching bags whenever time (or motivation) allows or you can sign up to the boxing circuit training, which will put you through a similar training regime to a professional boxer, but without the need to fight it out in the ring.

Fighters Factory also offers one-on-one training so you can really hone your skills and finally, the gym holds weekly Fight Nights that you can both compete in and spectate at.

Address: 3-5 Blackburn Road, Blackburn, 3130

Phone: 03 9877 7344

Prestige Gym

Catering for inner-city CBD workers, Prestige Gym is centrally located, meaning you can finish work and head straight to the punching bags in no time at all. Don’t go thinking your boxing experience will be treated with a light-hearted approach: this is another serious fighter’s gym that will push you to become a beast in the ring. If it’s the boxing route you go down (Prestige also offers training in kickboxing and Muay Thai) then you’ll start by being shown the basics, before being allowed to spar with other similarly-skilled members and eventually progressing into amateur ring fighting.

Address: Level 2, 181 King Street, Melbourne, 3000

Phone: 0416 522 744

Richmond Boxing Club

Also known as Leo Berry’s Boxing, Richmond Boxing Club gets its alias from legendary trainer Leo Berry and is one of the most important community institutions within Richmond. Run largely on the back of donations and volunteer work, Richmond Boxing is about as close to a Rocky story as it’s possible to find in Australia, helping countless disadvantaged youths, school groups and community youth organisations alike. It’s still a serious boxing gym though, combining group circuit classes with specialised training for those wanting to get competitive with their fighting.

Address: 7 Gleadell Street, Richmond, 3121

Phone: 0412 742 645

FightFit

Much more of a fitness-based boxing centre, FightFit is perfect for anyone looking to develop their boxing skills in a less pressurised, group-based setting. Of course, if you want to take your fighting a bit more seriously, you can do so with personal training, and all trainers have extensive fighting experience across both boxing and kickboxing. They also have two locations with one in South Melbourne and the other in Collingwood.

Address: 29 White Street, South Melbourne, 3205

Phone: 1300 FIGHTFIT

North Melbourne Boxing & Fitness

Just a 10-minute drive from Melbourne CBD will bring you to North Melbourne Boxing & Fitness. A huge space, with 400sqm of training floor, 26 punching bags and two boxing rings, alongside other training equipment and weights, you can be sure you’ll drop the pounds and pile on the muscle.

Training is delivered via classes which cater to boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, while HIIT classes that employ the use of boxing training techniques will see your cardio fitness skyrocket.

Address: 64 Sutton Street, North Melbourne, 3051

Phone: 03 9328 8815

Fitness Ring

Fitness Ring is a boutique boxing studio that was founded in 2008 and is run by a husband and wife team. Husband Nick is a former professional boxer with an 11-year career, who has now turned his hand to teaching the next wave of professional fighters. Training comes in the form of various classes that include boxing, bootcamp, HIIT and a combination of boxing and yoga to name a few, but should you want a more intimate training program, you can take out personal training sessions too.

Address: 488 Victoria Street, Richmond, 3121

Phone: 0407 961 874

The Gym

This cleverly-named gym in Yarraville understands people don’t always have the time to dedicate to keeping fit and so structures its classes to deliver the best possible results in the least amount of time. The Gym hosts boxing classes throughout each week, alongside strength and conditioning classes to help further improve strength levels, while also improving cardiovascular fitness.

We love that membership options are incredibly simple, you join for either six or twelve months for a low-cost weekly amount, which gives you access to unlimited classes and the full gym facilities in return.

Address: 246 Hyde Street, Yarraville, 3013

Phone: 03 9689 7700

Fighters Xpress

What started out as an intense fighter’s gym has since grown into a fitness centre that’s welcoming of all abilities and fitness or fighting goals. Not only does Fighters Xpress offer first-class boxing training, delivered by former fighters, but the gym also offers Muay Thai and MMA training, so you’ll easily be able to find a style of fighting that suits you best. That process is made even easier by the fact Fighters Xpress offers all potential new members a seven-day free trial.

Address: 6/111-115 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, 3175

Phone: 03 8752 3790

Dohertys Gym City

Dohertys Gym offers a couple of features that may well persuade you to sign up. Or not, as it were, as the gym has an incredibly affordable pay-as-you-visit fee, and you can visit any hour of any day, and have a member of staff on hand to help you should you need it. It’s also found underground beneath some train tracks.

While it’s not necessarily a dedicated boxing gym, since it has traditional gym equipment and facilities such as treadmills, Dohertys does have a boxing room complete with its own ring, so you can put your punching skills to the test.

If the City location isn’t convenient for you, then Dohertys has other venues around Melbourne, in Brunswick, Dandenong and Campbellfield.

Address: 367 Flinders Street, Banana Alley Vaults, Melbourne, 3000

Phone: 03 9621 1022

HIIT Factory Northcote

This iconic gym’s mantra is that group workouts create a fun workout environment and a safe place for you to improve fitness. No matter if you’re looking to transform your body drastically or in need of some toning up, HIIT Factory Northcote offer a wide range of classes, catering to every kind of skill level. Aside from providing boxing classes, HIIT Factory Northcote also offers heaps for different workout sessions that specialise in High-Intensity Interval Training.

The owner of HIIT Factory Northcote owner Colette McShane has built a fitness empire as she’s s incredibly passionate about helping her customers reach their fullest potential while instilling a healthy lifestyle.

If you’re new to this gym, get started with an introductory offer that’s a 7-day trial pass valued at $29. What better is way there to kick start your training?

Address: 50 Gadd St, Northcote VIC 3070

Phone: 0418 594 286

Mischa’s Boxing Central

This gym was founded by former Australian national boxing champion Mischa Merz, now a world-class boxing coach known for pioneering women’s boxing. This iconic gym based in Footscray is where old school boxing techniques meet the new brave world, with a gritty gym atmosphere where customers can expect they’ll reach their personal best.

However, if you want to try before you buy, Mischa’s Boxing Central offer a free first place; you can have a little taste before committing to a membership.

Address: 23 Youell St, Footscray VIC 3011

Phone: 0408 012 299

 

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The post The Best Melbourne Boxing Gyms That Will Unleash Your Inner-Ali appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

After weeks of speculation, Qantas has given Australians some solid dates as to when international flights are scheduled to resume.Qantas has scheduled international flights to begin from December the 18th, pending borders opening (a decision that rests with the government).Flights to London, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Singapore are scheduled to start from the 18th of December, a Qantas spokesperson told Yahoo Finance.The spokesperson also said that Australians will be able to travel to Tokyo and Fiji with Qantas from the 19th of December (again – pending borders opening).Yahoo Finance claimed “this is Qantas’ most concrete confirmation of overseas travel dates after Qantas chief Alan Joyce revealed late last month he expects flights to certain cities would resume from ‘mid-December.'”They wrote: “Qantas confirms 2021 travel dates to US, UK, Singapore, Japan, Fiji.”Essentially, it’s not set in stone, because it’s still conditional on borders opening (which should happen if all goes to plan, but is not guaranteed). But the following dates are what Qantas is planning for (and says it will be ready for):

18 December 2021

• Sydney-London
• Melbourne-London
• Sydney-Los Angeles
• Sydney-Vancouver
• Sydney-Singapore
• Melbourne-Singapore

19 December 2021

• Melbourne-Los Angeles
• Brisbane-Los Angeles
• Sydney-Honolulu
• Brisbane-Singapore
• Sydney-Tokyo
• Sydney-Fiji

For the time being, Perth remains notably absent.In his August strategy note, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce highlighted: “We can adjust our plans if the circumstances change, which we’ve already had to do several times during this pandemic.”“Some people might say we’re being too optimistic, but based on the pace of the vaccine rollout, this is within reach and we want to make sure we’re ready.”

5 Things To Do In Los Angeles, by TikToker @ingzthinks

Traveller reports that during a business conference last week Mr Joyce criticised Australian states that were planning to keep their borders closed even after vaccination targets were reached, saying: “Unfortunately I think there’s one or two states that are taking a more conservative view on that, and departing from the national plan.”

“We might get into a situation where from Sydney you can visit your relatives in London, maybe Dublin, but you can’t visit your relatives in Perth, or maybe Cairns.”

Three reasons to visit England, courtesy of  TikTok travel creator @jordentually

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The post Qantas Confirms The 2021 International Travel Schedule Australia Has Been Waiting For appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s been an exciting few weeks for the fashion faithful. In between the Venice International Film Festival, the Met Gala and New York Fashion Week, there’s been a huge amount of eye-catching celebrity outfits for people to gorge their eyeballs on.Some standout moments have included rapper Frank Ocean carrying around a robotic green baby, US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s controversial “tax the rich” gown and actor Timothée Chalamet looking like the world’s sparkliest Mafia don – but something else that’s stood out is how many very masculine men have been stepping out in rather feminine dresses and skirts.It seems to be a real break-out trend, with everyone from musicians like Kid Cudi and Lil Nas X, comedians like Pete Davidson and Dan Levy as well as athletes like Russell Westbrook and Lewis Hamilton all getting in on the action.Of course, this is all occurring within a broader context of men’s haute couture increasingly embracing conventionally feminine modes of dress, with names like Chanel, Gucci, Moncler and Saint Laurent being some of the most noticeable proponents of the trend. Another designer in that conversation is Thom Browne, who seems to have been responsible for most of the male dresses we’ve seen over the last few events.So what gives – why are all these men wearing dresses all of a sudden?

DMARGE spoke to Byron Bay-based men’s stylist and fashion expert Jeff Lack to help make sense of the trend. His take? While it’s surprising that so many male celebrities have worn dresses and skirts recently, he feels that it’s a bit of a gimmick.“None of these guys have done any better than what David Beckham did over twenty years ago,” referencing the (in)famous sarong the football player wore back in 1998. “It’s interesting, but I don’t think any of them have done themselves any favours.”RELATED: David Beckham Reminds Modern Footballers Who Is King Of Bleached Blond HairLack was quick to emphasise that while celebrities might be able to get away with wearing frocks to red carpet ‘dos, it’s something society, for better or for worse, probably isn’t quite ready for yet.

“I was giving a young [Australian] designer some advice a few years ago who was keen to create a line of men’s tailored skirts. The problem is that there’s just not that much of a market for it. Men aren’t ready yet.”

Indeed, if you look at some of the social media posts about some of these outfits, you’ll find not only a lot of criticism but also, unfortunately, a lot of homophobia. It’s been so bad that it’s encouraged Kid Cudi (who’s often experimented with traditionally feminine style flourishes like painting his nails or wearing gowns) to turn off comments on his social media accounts.

We’ve talked to Lack previously about gender-fluid fashion, and his biggest sticking point has been that some feminine modes of dress often don’t suit the male body particularly well.

“From a marketing perspective, it’s a cool talking point and creates a point of difference, as well as a political statement. I’m all for equality and being inclusive [but] gender-neutral clothing won’t [create] the most flattering looks you’ve ever seen… [but] if your body type is straight up and down – [that is] to say fairly athletic, you could get away with it.”

He does admit that there’s a bit of a double-standard, however: “some of the female celebrities this year who’ve worn men’s suits and trousers have looked absolutely fantastic.”RELATED: Cryptic Harry Styles Statement Sparks Massive Masculinity Debate On TwitterAt the end of the day, it’s the point of events like the Met Gala or fashion weeks to push the boundaries around things like fashion and gender expression. Without lionising them too much either, it’s also the role or privilege of celebrities to take risks that the average man can’t; to use their star power to spark change and conversation.We don’t see celebrities wearing skirts suddenly making suits passé, nor do we think it’s some sort of coordinated attack on masculinity or some nonsense… Men, women and everyone in between should be allowed to wear whatever they want, whether that’s blouses or blazers.

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The post Men Wearing Skirts Is 2022’s Biggest Fashion Trend appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Rump steak is one of the most underrated cuts of beef around.But the internet’s sexiest butcher (and social media sensation), Salt Bae, is not one to hold a grudge. This morning he took to Instagram to share a video of this often-overlooked cut of meat showing you how to cook it with flair, to the tune of 2,515,833 views and counting.Simply captioned, “rump steak,” the video shows Salt Bae (real name Nusret Gökçe) lifting a charred rump steak as long as his arm off the grill, before showing it to the camera, giving it a wiggle, laying it flat and slicing it.The final touch? A sprinkle of salt.

Watch Salt Bae show off his rump steak slicing skills in the video below

Commenters weighed in with remarks like: “no words, only emotions” and “you are so handsome.”Such is Instagram.Others discussed his cooking technique. One argued it was too raw, and another said he was the “King of steak.”Speaking of how you cook a steak… we’ll leave you with some parting words, courtesy of that late travel food show host Anthony Bourdain, who once said: “We are, after all, citizens of the world – a world filled with bacteria, some friendly, some not so friendly.”

“Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock cafes and McDonalds?”

“Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria’s mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.”Though he was referring to some wilder stuff than a simple rump steak cooked in a steakhouse, it’s certainly not a bad place to start, if you are still prejudiced against it, assuming it will always be an inferior piece of meat.Salt Bae isn’t alone in cooking ‘unloved’ pieces of meat, with various chefs telling Thrillist that tenderloin and filet mignon are often overrated and encouraging consumers and aspiring chefs to try more obscure cuts, as well as sharing how to cook less popular cuts in a way that makes them delicious.Food for thought indeed.

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The post Salt Bae Makes The Most Underrated Cut Of Beef A Succulent Affair appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest football players of all time and also one of the highest paid athletes ever, has one of the most lavish watch collections on the planet.Cartier, Hublot, Rolex, Franck Muller, Jacob & Co.,… The man has a taste for excess, with a majority of the watches in his collection boasting high complications, precious metals and diamonds. Acres of diamonds. He even buys iced-out pieces for his son, the madman.So when he fronted the cameras last week to put pen to paper on his new Manchester United contract, we were rather surprised to see that he wore a relatively humble watch for the momentous occasion. CR7, resplendent in a black Manchester United training top, was spotted with a TAG Heuer Connected Summer Edition smartwatch on his wrist, personalised with a red rubber strap – a highly appropriate move when you’re signing with the Red Devils.At around AU$2,600, the TAG Heuer Connected isn’t a cheap piece of kit per se, but when you consider most of Ronaldo’s watches carry a six or seven-figure price tag, it’s a real outlier.

TAG Heuer was one of the first luxury watchmakers to get in on the smartwatch game, and the Connected remains one of the most popular high-end smartwatches on the market.Capable of recording one’s speed, pace, heart rate, distance and route – as well as the usual smartphone connectivity you’d expect of a modern smartwatch – it’s actually the perfect timepiece for an athlete like Ronaldo. His Connected is a stainless steel model with a black ceramic bezel (the Connected is also available in a titanium case, or with a steel case + steel bracelet). It also features sapphire crystal glass and 50m of water resistance.Part of TAG’s genius with the Connected is its ease of personalisation. Not only does it feature a quick-change strap system as well as a wide variety of strap options, but the watch face can be customised to feature a wide variety of designs, from those that resemble the classic Heuer Carrera to others that mimic skeletonised dials or LED stopwatches. There’s even a Super Mario-inspired dial option for those who need a 1-UP.RELATED: TAG Heuer’s Silliest Watch Release May Actually Be Their SmartestRonaldo has quickly settled in at Manchester United after being transferred from Juventus for the surprisingly small fee of €15 million (~AU$24.2 million / US$17.7 million). A lot of money, sure, but compared to the €100 million transfer fee Juventus copped to get him from Real Madrid, it’s pocket change. For the record, the most expensive football transfer of all time was the deal that saw Neymar Jr. go from Barcelona to PSG: €222 million (~AU$358 million / US$262 million).

Check out some of Ronaldo’s more lavish watches below

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The post Cristiano Ronaldo Returns To Manchester United While Wearing Surprisingly Humble Watch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Have you ever wanted to travel the world for free? And we’re not talking about sipping Mojitos, booking Airbnbs and trundling around via BlaBlaCar – we’re talking whizzing around at 40,000ft.On that note: you might have heard points hackers explain how, if you strike at the right time, and have enough miles built up, you can score first class tickets for the price of economy.But, for the average citizen, that’s pretty convoluted.What’s more intriguing is the premise that you could travel the world for free with one simple credit card trick, when paying for a common expense almost all of us have at some point in our lives.We were alerted to this booking hack by flight attendant Kat Kamalani, who posted a video explaining it on TikTok on Monday (watch the video below).

How to travel the world for free, according to a flight attendant

“Here is how you are going to travel the world for free or, better yet, get paid for it,” she said.

“I was a flight attendant for 6 years and trust me this works.”

“If you have any big expenses – home renovations, medical bills, birthday parties, a wedding, anything like that where you’re going to need to be spending a lot of money – what you’re going to want to do is open up a credit card that offers miles.”She claims she and her husband did this for their wedding and got free tickets to NYC, TN, FL and UT.“Put everything on that” she says, “then immediately pay it off – then you have thousands of miles you can use and can travel the world without paying a dime.”“If you want to get paid to travel and you don’t want to be a flight attendant there are so many other jobs you can do like throwing bags, customer service, gate agent or even better yet if you’re in the comfort of your own home you can do customer service through a computer.”In the comments next to her video one TikTok user wrote: “My husband and I have American Express Platinum and what she says is true – we are travelling for free.”Another warned: “You have to be committed to pay it off otherwise you will be in debt.”

“Good tip.”

“My dream job is to become a pilot,” shared another user.Liked that travel hack? There are plenty more like it, from this trick to wearing a mask in a way that saves your ears from hurting on a long haul flight to this business class loophole that could score you plenty of free trips. Just head on over to our Travel vertical to find more.

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The post Flight Attendant Reveals Booking Hack To Travel The World For Free appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There is a reason why Melbourne is often regarded as the fashion capital of Australia. In addition to an eccentric food and lifestyle scene, the city which boasts four seasons in one day also houses some of the biggest Australian and International brands in menswear.

Whether you’re a local or a tourist, experiencing Melbourne’s vibrant fashion scene is an absolute must. Where does one even begin? Simple. Check out our top picks for the best menswear shops Melbourne right here.

Cos

If your wardrobe preference is Swedish minimalism then Cos is your second home. The name of the game at this H&M owned label is premium fabrics at accessible prices. And given their Scandinavian design, Cos pieces will often look pricier than what they actually are. On the racks you’ll find tees, button-up shirts, tailored coats, knitwear, trousers and much more.

Address: 230 Elizabeth Street, The Strand – $$

Phone: 03 9194 8670

Godspeed

Consider yourself a Japanophile? Then this is the denim store for you. The store stocks some of the most popular Japanese denim labels that you can only find in Japan so it’s a sure bet you’ll be ahead of the trend. Think brands like Radiall, Iron Heart and Buaisou as just the start. They also stock denim jackets and shirts alongside Redwing boots for good measure. Godspeed also have a pretty intensive repairs and alterations service which utilises yarn from Buaisou – a label which grows its own indigo plants to be used for dyeing their yarn. Godspeed have yarn specifically dyed for them so that the new cotton pairs perfectly with the existing denim. The result is a reinvigorated pair of jeans that will age like it’s supposed to.

Address: 9/24 Crossley St – $$$

Harrolds

For all of the distinguished gentlemen out there with a love for high fashion, Harrolds is your secret little helper. The retail space showcases the finest in international sartorial fare from Tom Ford, Givenchy and Valentino. Its extravagant quality from start to finish, and I guarantee that whatever you buy in this store will forever remain a staple in your wardrobe. Many of their items are quite pricey, so expect your bank account to take a significant hit as you walk out looking like a million bucks.

Brands: Acne Studios Man, Alexander Mcqueen Man, Balenciaga Man, Balmain Man, Brioni, Caruso, Comme Des Garcons Homme Plus, Dries Van Noten Man, Givenchy, Gran Sasso, Harrolds, Lanvin Man, Lardini, Maison Margiela Man, Moncler, Moncler Saint Laurent Paris Man, Stefano Ricci, Strateas.Carlucci, Thom Browne Man, Tom Ford Man, Valentino

Address: 101 Collins Street – $$$$

Phone: 03 8660 7888

Masons

Delivering an amalgam of the very best and most current menswear collections with an elevated level of service and know-how that has never been experienced in Melbourne. Renowned for their individuality and stylistically curated layout, the store stocks collections from the likes of Maison Kitsuné, to more obscure designers. Here you’ll have a variety of garments at your disposal – think streetwear, leather jackets, denim and accessories. Some of their items do exceed the $1,000 mark however so be mindful of that if you’re on a budget.

Address: 167 Flinders Lane – $$$$

Phone: 03 9380 7188

P. Johnson

If you’re going to have one piece of tailored clothing, I recommend getting it done at P. Johnson tailors. Run by Patrick Johnson and his head tailor Tom Riley, this power duo really know their stuff when it comes to tailoring. On top of the great service customers will also have a huge selection of European fabrics to choose from. And because it’s tailored, you know the outfit will fit you like a glove in all the right places.

Address: 1 Crossley Street – $$$

Phone: 0409 091 485

Henry Bucks

Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, Henry Bucks is the prime destination for brands like Boglioli, Canali and Richard James. This place has everything you could ever want in a store – formal and casual shirts, suits, jackets, coats, knitwear, and even tailored trousers. You name it and Henry Bucks probably have it. Keep in mind they are expensive, but we suppose you can’t put a price on leaving the house looking like a million bucks.

Address: 320 Collins Street – $$$

Phone: 03 8102 4700

Marais

Marais is aptly named, as it stocks a good chuck of labels found in that little corner of Paris and its surrounds. It’s kind of a designer Narnia: hard to find at first, but once you’re there it can be very hard to leave.

Brands: Kenzo, Balmain, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Y-3, Lanvin

Address: 79/87-91 Bourke Street – $$$

Phone: 03 9639 0314

Nana Judy

Another purveyor of premium streetwear is the oddly named but well sorted Nana Judy. Born from the streets of Melbourne, the faithful designs are made to reflect the carefree attitude of the young and free. The brand’s evolution is also continuing with more pieces being made from exclusive fabrics and manufacturing methods. As such. customers can expect limited-run denim, bombers, longline tees and beautifully crafted tops.

Address: 405 Chapel St, South Yarra – $$

Incu

Established in 2002 by twin brothers Brian and Vincent Wu, Incu is the perfect destination if you’re looking to strike a balance in your wardrobe between local and international designers. Housing brands including Adidas, Acne Studios and Paul Smith, the store even has its own in-house brand called Weathered. They are also open late on Friday nights, meaning that the store will be a saving grace for those last minute wardrobe updates before a night out on the town.

Brands: A.P.C, Acne Studios, Adidas, Apartamento Magazine, Baxier of California, Bellroy, Braun, Clarks, COMME des GARCONS, Common Projects, Equipment, Filippa K, Garrett Leight, Henry Wilson, In Bed, Jason Markk, Kenzo, Kinfolk, Libertine Libertine, Maison Balzac, Maison Kitsune.

Address: Shop/12 Albert Coates Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000- $$

Phone: 03 9654 4725

Somewhere

For those after something of the more Nordic persuasion, Somewhere has the threads you need. The heavily curated space has cemented itself as a pioneering retailer of both local and international labels since 2005. Those with a keen eye for emerging designers will also find Somewhere the place to be.

Brands: Cheap Monday, ATP, Dr Denim, Moscot

Address: Lvl 2, Royal Arcade 314 Little Collins Street – $$

Phone: 03 9663 3003

Up There Store

If fashion-forward streetwear and first dibs on exclusive sneaker drops is your thing then pop in and see Mitchell and Brendan at Up There Store. The contemporary menswear store stocks a serious amount of garments from denim to jackets to knitwear better than your nonna’s.

Brands: Converse, New Balance, 3Sixteen, Noir

Address: Level 1, 15 McKillop Street – $$

Phone: 03 9670 6225

Autonomy

Autonomy is a minimalist fiend’s best friend in the fashion world. Featuring their own brand of contemporary fashion ranging from T-shirts to outerwear, denim, chinos, joggers and accessories, the brand continues to thrive today with a loyal following of men.

Address: Lower Ground 26A, 287 Lonsdale Street – $

Phone: 03 9654 5378

NEUW Denim

When it comes to denim few Australian brands compare to Neuw. They’ve consistently improved their product and now can be found in some of the world’s best boutiques. Head in for their killer range for ripped and skinny denim for men and women.

Brands: Autonomy

Address: Shop 15, The Strand, Driver Lane, Melbourne  – $$

Phone: 03 9242 0434

Moncler

One of our favourite winter brands is Moncler. Born in the depths of France, the brand is now a global luxury powerhouse worn by all the celebrities. Their outerwear is some of  the very best. Expect to pay above $2,000 for a jacket but also expect to be the man about town in it.

Address: Shop G36 / Chadstone Shopping Centre 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone – $$$$

Phone: 03 9564 7581

Assembly Label

Assembly Label continues to grow its footprint across Melbourne with their latest store landing in the city’s inner-north of artsy Fitzroy. Inside you’ll find a collection of the finest fabrics and timeless designs for men who need a restock of their basics – think premium tees, knits, sweats, hoodies, shorts and trousers. Most importantly though a lot of their pieces are affordable and won’t break your bank.

Address: 243 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy – $$

Phone: 03 9419 5215

Informale

Located in the Nicholas Building is the iconic Melbourne brand Informale, launched by genius fashion designer Steve Calder. Their line made entirely in Melbourne is sourced from quality fabrics and materials, promising their clothes will last a lifetime. Informale is the modern-day man’s answer to stylish yet accessible clothing, which doesn’t harm the bank account either. Make sure you stop by their Swanston street showroom, as informale is the ideal brand for your building casual wear wardrobe.

Address: 305/37 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000 -$$

Paul Smith

Paul Smith has remained Britain’s foremost designer since the mid-forties, thanks to its creative aesthetic seamlessly blending tradition and modernity. Each Paul Smith design is underpinned by a dry British sense of humour: quirky but not frivolous, eccentric but not overstated. Their Melbourne store has secured a spacious heritage listing venue along Collin Street, making it incredibly easy to locate. Its gothic windows and archway glass entrance door make it hard to miss!

Address: 120 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000 – $$

Phone: 03 9639 3110

Rag & Bone

Since the brand’s launch in 2012, Rag & Bone has quickly established itself as the golden standard for menswear. Set up in Standard Arcarde, this Melbourne store is synonymous with a classic yet edgy style that continues to push the boundaries in contemporary men’s fashion. As this brand often partners up with legendary retail factories to produce its line, you can expect this range to be of the highest quality while emphasising impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Address: The Strand, Shop T21/230 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000 – $$

Phone: 03 9639 2232

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The post Menswear Shops Melbourne: Where To Buy Men’s Clothes In Melboune appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australians tend to be early adopters of emergent technologies. Polymer banknotes, e-Visas, contactless payments, carbon-fibre surfboards… But one tech revolution we’re sadly a bit behind the times on is electric vehicles.

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While some countries like Norway and China have embraced the so-called ‘EV revolution’, Australia remains somewhat behind the ball – although sales of electric cars are picking up gradually.

Passenger vehicles, however, are but one part of the revolution, so to speak. What we really need is for commercial vehicles to go electric: boats, planes, tractors, pickup trucks… These vehicles all use a lot of fuel, and we need them to all go electric in order to make a significant impact on global emissions and so on.

One business that’s been leading the way in this regard has been Australia Post. The legendary ‘postie bike’ that underpins the postal service has always been a fuel-efficient little wonder, but in recent years, Australia Post has become the operator of one of Australia’s largest electric vehicle fleets, with more than 3,700 EVs on the road. They’ve just announced they’re growing their EV fleet even further, too, with an experiment that may have huge implications for Australian motorists going forward.

Australia Post will lease 20 fully electric Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter trucks for six years from October 2021, responding not only to the need for more big delivery trucks thanks to the spike in parcel deliveries COVID has kicked off, but also to the need for Australian businesses to more meaningfully transition their commercial vehicle fleets over to electric.

The Fuso eCanter, the world’s first small electric truck to go into production, features an all-electric drivetrain with an 82.8kWh battery pack and a single motor capable of 135kW and around 100km of range. That doesn’t sound like a lot – a base model Nissan Leaf, for example, has a range of around 270km from a 40kWh battery – but the weight of the Fuso eCanter and its 3,000kg payload make a big difference.

RELATED: Audi Slams The Door On Electric Vehicle Haters With ‘Continent-Spanning’ Experiment

“While Australia Post says it has approximately 3000 ‘electric vehicles’, most of those are forklifts and other warehouse vehicles not designed for the road,” Drive reports. They also relate that “Australia Post has experimented with electric delivery vans previously. In May 2014, the mail service provider tested two Renault Kangoo ZE Maxi vans in Melbourne, before adding two more vehicles for a trial based out of Sydney.”

The other big investment Australia Post has made in EVs has been rolling out thousands of Swiss-made electric Kyburz DXP trikes around the country. Despite some initial teething issues with their front axle design, these e-trikes are an increasingly common sight on Australian streets and represent yet another positive direction as far as EVs are concerned.

But why should the average Aussie car if the postal service is using EVs?

Well, aside from the noise reduction aspect (postie bikes are cool but those buzzy little two-stroke motors are a bit obnoxious early in the morning), a big business like Australia Post championing EVs could do much to help grow Australia’s charging network, as well as make it easier for other businesses to adopt EVs in their fleets.

RELATED: Rude Electric Vehicle Problem Australians May Soon Face

Currently, with electric vehicles, we have a bit of a Catch-22 situation going on with Australian consumers. Aussies don’t want to buy EVs until there’s a better charging network and more support, but that won’t happen until more Aussies show more interest in EVs. Both vehicle manufacturers and the buying public are playing chicken, which is why it’s so important for both government and businesses to show some leadership and back EVs in order to move things along.

In that sense, Australia Post is giving Australia the kick up the arse it needs – if the postal service can go electric, why can’t we?

Obviously, it’s early days yet – this is only 20 vehicles, mind you. But every little helps when it comes to electrification. Eventually, EV adoption reach a critical mass and things will happen on their own. But in the meantime, it’s a good thing that Australia Post is making more of an effort to back EVs. The next step: getting tradies buying electric utes…

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The post Australia Post’s Electric Truck Experiment Could Revolutionise Our Roads appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

While Bali is to Australia what Cancún is to America, Fiji is to Australia what Hawaii is to America.Marketed as the happiest place in the world, Fiji is not where digital nomads, CrossFit crazies and Schoolies go to party, but is more known as a chilled out, blissful getaway where paperbacks, families, honeymooners and swim up cocktail bars abound.It’s also a place many of us have forgotten about in recent years, as we’ve had a big old travel ban plastered across our minds, resulting in such ludicrous events as Bendalong being compared to the Maldives and frigid Ocean Road beaches being compared to Poligano a Mare.It looks like there is some light at the end of this rather long tunnel, however, with Fiji planning to open to international tourists in November and with the Australian government suggesting we might be able to go there by December.

Savasi Island Resort, where lush green meets the big blue.

We’re planning to reopen at the end of the year so start planning your stay in Savusavu here: https://t.co/p3s13Mzu2Z @ alvindutt Savasi Island Resort, Fiji.#Fiji #OurBulaSpiritAwaitsYou pic.twitter.com/byutaBBOQ0— TourismFiji (@TourismFiji) September 9, 2021

This opportunity, like many in this current environment, hinges on you being fully vaccinated, and the government living up to its vague promises.Australian authorities expect us to hit our target of having at least 80 per cent of our eligible population vaccinated in November.Fiji, for its part, has been recording “less than 200 daily [covid] cases on average for the past week and has been rapidly rolling out its vaccination program,” 9News reports.“According to Fijian Government statistics, 97.1 per cent of the country’s target population have received at least one dose and 58.2 per cent are fully vaccinated,” (9News).

It’s also interesting to note, as the ABC reports, “Tourism Fiji has said only tourists from countries that allow quarantine-free travel will be allowed to visit.”As for getting there, Qantas has said international flights to countries with high vaccination rates and relatively low COVID-19 risks like Singapore, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Fiji, New Zealand and Canada could resume from the middle of December, provided we hit our 80% vaccinated goal.This still depends on the Federal Government opening our borders.Flights to riskier destinations with lower levels of vaccination (think: Bali, Phuket, Bangkok, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City and Johannesburg) are reported to be planned to resume in April.Qantas chief executive officer Alan Joyce has reportedly said: “The prospect of flying overseas might feel a long way off, especially with New South Wales and Victoria in lockdown, but the current pace of the vaccine rollout means we should have a lot more freedom in a few months’ time.”

“It’s obviously up to government exactly how and when our international borders re-open, but with Australia on track to meet the 80 per cent trigger agreed by national cabinet by the end of the year, we need to plan ahead for what is a complex restart process.”

As far as first international trips post border ban go, we can’t think of too many better places than Fiji.Interest piqued? Watch the below video, by TikTok traveller @travelwithjaro, to see four reasons why you should visit.

Four Reasons You Should Visit Fiji

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The post International Island Getaway Australians Could Enjoy As Soon As December appeared first on DMARGE Australia.