Last Friday, I went to the launch of Pocket Guide a window display presented by Milly Sleeping and Hua at Mr Tulk for the State of Design Festival.

The window display is presented by Milly Sleeping a Melbourne boutique on Elgin Street in Carlton. Co-owner of Milly Sleeping, Lee Muddle’s obsession with the pocket has manifest itself in this interesting mini exhibition.

Collaborating together with Melbourne designer Tam Hua, the designer of HUA, Lee looked into the modest pocket and its varying form and potential evolution. “To me, pockets are symbolic of ‘freedom from baggage’. I feel strangely liberated when I can leave the house without having to drag around a bag full of stuff.’ She told The Age . After having some beautiful coats in 2008 she noticed a clear preference for pockets by customers. With this new knowledge her Winter 2009 coats have almost sold out.

The exhibition includes two pieces specifically created for the display by Tam Hua, the ‘Artful Dodger’ jacket and the ‘Bits by the Body’ dress. The ‘Artful Dodger’ jacket above is a jacket with eight pockets. The ‘Bits by the Body’ dress has six pockets (see below), both amazing pieces of clothing and eminently practical as well. In HUA’s drapy sculptural pieces you can see how the pockets are not conventional pockets as we know them, but still act as a carrier and simultaneously give the garment its shape and silhouette.

 Also part of the display is a series of other ‘pockets’, including leather pouches, wool and fabric pockets of various shapes and sizes (see below).

 

Check out the display over breakfast, lunch, dinner or during drinks at Mr Tulk.

Pocket Guide, July 15- August 15, open Monday to Thursday 7am-8.30pm, Friday 7am-9pm, Saturday 9am-4pm,  Mr Tulk cafe at the State Libary of Victoria, 328, Swanston Street, Melbourne.

Milly Sleeping, 157 Elgin Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053 Australia +61 3 9347 1333

Below are some shots from HUA’s Summer/Spring collection Three Left Turns. Her stockists include Milly Sleeping of course! For other stockists you can see HUA’s site.