Objects of Desire - 30 September 2007

• Department of the Exterior
• Shop 1 Ground Floor Manuka Court
• 11 - 17 Bougainville Street
• Manuka ACT 2603
• Canberra Australia
• t: +64 2 6239 4225

• Opening hours
• Monday to Wednesday 9.30am - 6.00pm
• Thursday to Friday 9.30am - 7.00pm
• Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm

Described by astute shoppers as a little piece of Melbourne in the heart of Manuka, womenswear boutique Department of the Exterior's owner, Susan Taylor, believes the description captures her shop's commitment to cutting-edge Australian design which expresses the sophisticated, structured style of the southern capital.

The beautiful and wearable designs available at Exterior include clothes from Melbourne labels Munk, Obüs,Since Grey and Skin and Threads, with the same qualities also seen in labels from Perth - United Contructions, passion seed, Jo Pickup, Brisbane - Dogstar, Newcastle - High Tea With Mrs Woo and Sydney - Rittenhouse. New Zealand's amazing knitwear is strongly represented by Denedin label Mild Red.

These are clothes that can be worn by women of any age who are interested in innovative design, not trends.

Accessories are selected for their similarly distinctive characteristics and include hand-made shoes by Preston Zly, bags by Nancybird and jewellery by Moya Delany. What won't be found in any Melbourne boutique is the outstanding work by local Canberra designers, including bags by Bocket, jewellery by Love Your Work and Loaf, and scarves by Felt by Hand, plus clothes from CIT fashion design course graduates. As many Canberrans have been thrilled to discover, there is no other boutique shopping experience comparable to a visit to Department of the Exterior.

High Tea With Mrs Woo
Paperback cowl top

High Tea With Mrs Woo
East of Eden jacket
Super Club waistcoat
Read between the lines pleat skirt

High Tea With Mrs Woo
Stranger than Fiction wrap top
Appendix skirt