NOBODY LEAVES EMPTY HANDED – THE BIG DESIGN MARKET
There’s a very specific type of confidence people have before entering The Big Design Market.
It usually sounds something like:
“I’m not buying anything this year.”
And every single year, Melbourne proves them wrong.
Because this isn’t really a market in the traditional sense. Nobody’s aggressively selling phone cases or yelling about discounts. The Big Design Market feels more like walking into the collective Pinterest board of Melbourne as a city.
Beautiful ceramics you suddenly feel emotionally connected to. Minimalist jewellery sitting under perfect lighting. Art prints that somehow convince you your apartment has been missing personality this entire time. Handmade leather goods that make you briefly consider becoming the kind of person who journals near windows.
Returning this May for its Almost Winter edition, The Big Design Market takes over the historic Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton from 22 to 24 May, bringing together more than 250 designers, makers, artists, and food producers from across Australia.
Which sounds large on paper.
In reality, it feels endless.
You tell yourself you’ll do “one quick lap,” then somehow lose four hours moving between fashion stalls, ceramics, homewares, books, stationery, skincare, tech accessories, and gourmet food stands offering samples strong enough to derail your entire day.
People here care deeply about where things come from. They like discovering artists before everyone else does. They want objects with stories attached to them. Buying something handcrafted from an independent maker feels less like shopping and more like cultural participation.
You’ll see entire friend groups standing around debating which ceramic glaze feels “more Brunswick.” Couples pretending they’re shopping for gifts while clearly buying things for themselves. Someone carrying a giant art print onto a tram like it’s completely normal behaviour.
And somehow, it is normal behaviour in Melbourne.
That’s the charm of this city. Everyone’s quietly curating their lives a little bit.
The market itself leans heavily into that atmosphere. Guest artists including Emma Morgan, Irina Nazarova, Claire Mosley and more bring their work into the space alongside independent labels and emerging designers, turning the whole weekend into a giant celebration of Australian creativity without making it feel overly serious or intimidating.
Which matters.
People come here to wander. To eat. To discover things accidentally. To spend way too long touching linen shirts they fancy.
And because it’s entirely indoors, the Almost Winter timing feels perfect. Outside, Melbourne will be doing its usual grey-sky routine while everyone hides under coats pretending they’re not cold. Inside the Royal Exhibition Building, it’s warm lighting, good food, coffee, conversation, and thousands of people making deeply unnecessary but deeply satisfying purchases.
Which is also why where you stay becomes part of the experience.
Melbourne is a city that notices design. People here care about aesthetics in almost everything: cafés, bookstores, hotel lobbies, wine bars, even the packaging on takeaway coffee. A space with no personality sticks out immediately.
Which is also why where you stay becomes part of the experience.
Melbourne is a city that notices design. People here care about aesthetics in almost everything: cafés, bookstores, hotel lobbies, wine bars, even the packaging on takeaway coffee. A space with no personality sticks out immediately.
That’s exactly why Ovolo Melbourne feels like it belongs in this version of the city.
Sitting right in the middle of South Yarra’s fashion, food, and nightlife scene, the hotel leans fully into retro glamour and playful design. Velvet, chrome, bold artwork, disco-era inspiration, and rooms that feel more like creative apartments than standard hotel stays. Even the Rockstar Suites are named after iconic musical couples like Sonny & Cher and John & Yoko.
And unlike hotels that try too hard to feel “luxury,” Ovolo understands that Melbourne style works best when it feels effortless. Complimentary Apero Hour drinks, designer interiors, hidden cocktail energy, late-night South Yarra restaurants downstairs, and Chapel Street sitting right outside your door.
Or if your version of Melbourne is less South Yarra glamour and more hidden laneways, espresso bars, tiny wine bars and midnight walks through the CBD, then Laneways by Ovolo feels exactly right.
Tucked inside Melbourne’s famous laneway culture, the hotel feels connected to the same creative energy that makes The Big Design Market work so well. Bold interiors, playful details, art-led spaces, and a location surrounded by hidden cocktail bars, late-night eateries, independent boutiques, and coffee spots locals pretend they discovered first.
And after a full day of walking the market, carrying shopping bags, and convincing yourself another handmade ceramic cup is a necessary purchase, that atmosphere matters.
One cocktail becomes dinner. Dinner becomes another bar hidden somewhere down a graffiti-covered laneway. Suddenly it’s midnight and the city still feels awake.
That’s the version of Melbourne visitors remember.
The Big Design Market runs:
- Friday 22 May | 11AM – 7PM
- Saturday 23 May | 10AM – 6PM
- Sunday 24 May | 10AM – 5PM
Adult admission is $8, kids under 12 enter free, and yes, you’ll probably leave carrying more bags than you planned for.
That’s part of the experience.