'There is so much more to Melbourne than the obvious things most visitors see. People who experience this city rather than just see it are the ones who enjoy it most.'

Melbourne has more layers than a wedding cake and more treasures than a pirate’s chest. While it is widely renowned as a shopping capital, many of its most exquisite retail outlets are never found by visitors.

Unless, that is, they meet Fiona Sweetman. When it comes to the lessobvious aspects of Melbourne shopping, Fiona is on a mission to make the unknown known. Her Hidden Secrets Tours reveal reclusive retailers.

A typical tour involves six to eight participants with whom 50 shops are identified and discussed, and about a dozen visited. ‘The tours exist in Melbourne because they can’t exist anywhere else,’ Fiona says. ‘Where else can you see 50 extraordinary but little-known shops in a two kilometre walk? As long as you’re inspired at the end of my tour, that’s what I’m really excited about.

‘Fashion can be absolutely anything in this city. The diversity is remarkable. I have a passion for design and the underdog. I’ve travelled a lot, and the best experiences I had were walking around cities with no idea where I was and suddenly stumbling across something fantastic. That’s the excitement that I try to capture on the tours.’