Adelaide Arcade is having a real moment this month, with the opening of two independent retailers led by the highly anticipated arrival of Ást Atelier, a space that signals fresh energy, local collaboration and a reason for shoppers to finally look up.
The momentum is being felt on the ground floor too, with new creative retail space Paper Scissors Wool also opening at the start of this month.
The boutique, created by Danish-born designer Julie Thornberg-Thorsøe and local creative Kaurna Cronin, blends slow fashion, art and craftsmanship into a working creative hub designed to bring new life to the historic arcade’s upper level.
Positioned upstairs at Shop 146, Ást Atelier will house Julie’s slow fashion label JUTHO alongside a curated collection of ceramics, glass, apparel, literature and art objects. Tailoring services, repairs and creative renewals will form a key part of the space, in line with the slow-fashion, sustainable philosophies behind JUTHO.
The opening is exciting in itself, but it’s also about activating a space many people still don’t realise exists.
“Being upstairs in Adelaide Arcade is a bit of a pity sometimes because there isn’t that much traffic up here. It’s absolutely beautiful, and it’s so great seeing more shops open and hopefully it’ll bring more people up here,” she says.
We hope this could be the start of some new upstairs energy for the arcade, and Julie agrees.
“There are already amazing people up here. I just feel like there’s a lack of awareness.”
Julie’s path to opening Ást Atelier in Adelaide began in Denmark, where she trained and worked in fashion before moving to Australia after meeting her partner, Adelaide musician Kaurna Cronin. Now based in the city for more than seven years, she says the shift has given her space to rethink how she wants to work and create. While Europe’s fashion industry can feel fast-paced and highly competitive, Adelaide offered the breathing room to rebuild her practice, develop her label and experiment with a slower, more community-focused approach to design.
She sees the city as an interesting place for fashion precisely because it’s smaller. “It is a small world here,” she says, “but it gave me the opportunity to grow myself and figure out what I actually want to do.”
With a background in tailoring, design training in Copenhagen and years of freelance work across labels and studios, Julie says Ást Atelier represents a culmination of that journey.
Beyond retail, the boutique will host workshops in sewing, visible mending, fashion design and maker skills, alongside Friday ‘maker meets’ and repair socials designed to connect artists directly with the community.
Julie says the vision grew from a desire to create a home not just for her own brand, but for other makers who need a platform.
“I wanted to create a space that supports other artists and makers like myself, so they can have a place in the world if they don’t have one already,” she says.
“It’s about creating a curated collection of good craft and objects made with purpose and intention — and valuing the story and the person behind the craft.”
She hopes the boutique will play a role in drawing more people upstairs and reshaping how visitors experience the Arcade.
“We forget to look up. The ceiling is beautiful, the upstairs is beautiful, and you have that overview of the Arcade and this beautiful old building,” she says.
“It would be nice if there were more activity up here because the upstairs really deserves it.”
Joining Ást Atelier in the Arcade this month (although not on the top floor) is Paper Scissors Wool, a ground-floor retail space for stationery, giftware and craft supplies that will also host workshops for crafters, journalers and knitters. It echoes the elegant stationary and craft offerings of stores like Milligram, but very much supports local creativity at its heart.
Both stores are supported by Renew Adelaide’s rent-free initiative, designed to help emerging businesses test concepts and build momentum in the CBD.
For Julie, the opening marks a major personal milestone, and a chance to help shape Adelaide’s creative future.
“I hope this is something we can continue and grow. It will be a challenge, but a good one, letting people know we’re here and finding the people who share the same values,” she says.
With its mix of slow fashion, workshops and maker collaboration, Ást Atelier is a signal that Adelaide Arcade’s upstairs level could be on the cusp of a creative revival.
And for anyone walking through the historic passage this month, Julie has a simple suggestion: look up.
Ást Atelier
Where: Shop 146, Adelaide Arcade
For more info, click here.
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Paper Scissors Wool
Where: Shop 7, Adelaide Arcade
For more info, click here.
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