Established in 2008 as “a space to house cloth and curiosities that existed outside of popular trends”, as its founder Nat Denning describes it, Brisbane retail store Fallow is a porthole to innovative emerging designers from around the world. We speak with Ms Denning about the store’s evolution - and that of Queensland’s sartorial awakening - with the arrival of several new designers this season.

Fallow is one of the most innovative menswear stores in Australia - what’s your approach to the market?
We strive to present a curation of unique artisan product - slow, carefully constructed garments with attention to detail. We find most men are quite forward thinking in their desire to express their individuality and very appreciative of great quality. Our buying choices are made with longevity in mind and we steer clear of trend driven pieces. Our clients are building a collection of beautiful acquisitions to enhance their personal style as it changes and develops. We exist to assist.

You’re continually on the hunt for new designers - who has recently caught your eye?
Our focus is to be progressive therefore we must be continually open to offering our clients new work. We are presently welcoming Tokyo based brand NUDE:MM by designer Masahiko Maruyama (pictured) to Fallow. His collection consists mainly of black and like minded Masahiko prefers to work with our much loved natural fabrications. Construction is faultless and we enjoy presenting quality garments that exhibit beauty inside as well as out.

In the past we might not have regarded the regular Brisbane male with being stylish - how has that changed in recent years, and why?
A number of Brisbane men are realizing that stylish doesn’t necessarily mean embracing the heritage look or sporting a tailor made suit. We believe there is a growing appreciation from men of all ages for something more unique within men’s fashion and a new confidence in style is emerging. Our city is growing and there’s definitely more varied establishments to visit, bringing the opportunity to ‘dress’ accordingly which may also be a contributing factor to changing certain perceptions of Brisbane men.

How is your approach to buying different to a store in, say, Melbourne? Does the climate and lifestyle of Queensland affect what you order?
Our approach has always been to present natural fabrications - cotton, silk, linen and wool. While these fabrications work well for our climate here in Queensland they are not featured solely with our immediate location in mind as we have clients all over the world. We tend to buy what we feel passionate about regardless of seasons.

What are the designers that do really well for you and why?
Fallow clients tend to prefer understated style. The designers who create timeless pieces combined with a unique point of difference, whether it be a small hand finished detail or a luxury fabrication, are always well received.

You stock some Australian designers, too - how do they compare to the international brands, and how would you like to see Australian menswear evolve?
We find our Australian brands are finally gaining the recognition they deserve here. Most are successful overseas but somehow overlooked at times in Australia.We hope moving forward Australian men will choose to avidly support the industry here with their buying decisions which will ultimately give our Australian designers and stand alone boutiques the financial foundations to enable them all to continue to flourish.