If you are looking for footwear, clothing and accessories that are very exclusive, very limited and very Y2K then you need to check out Hayz Store, one of Melbourne’s best niche shops for vintage and secondhand.
Established in 2023 by Asiah Marumaru and Matt Hayes — partners in business and life — after the pair had been casually selling pieces from their overflowing wardrobes, Hayz Store specialises in cult Y2K graphic streetwear brands.
“My personal clothing collection was starting to get a bit too big for my wardrobe so I began selling casually at markets every now and then and started to thrift more often for the purpose of stocking my racks,” Matt explains. “After a short while of doing this, I fell in love with finding unique items and decided to start Hayz Store.”
“I started selling at the markets with Matt when we first started dating,” says Asiah. “I noticed how all the other stalls seemed to have branding and a proper business set up, I saw how much more could be done than just selling every now and then at markets like styling images on social media, hosting pop-up shops, starting a website, etc so I pushed us to start Hayz Store.”
The name came from Matt’s nickname according to Asiah: “Hazy is Matt’s nickname. His sister, Emma, made a mockup logo prior to the store’s launch using his nickname. We pondered a business name for a long time before settling on Hayz Store. However, it is not a forever name and we plan on rebranding in the future!”
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN …
“Like most people, I like fashion as it’s a way of expressing yourself without saying anything,” says Matt.
“As for secondhand fashion and vintage, we both enjoy the hunt of finding things. It’s rewarding to dig through masses of clothes and find gems that we get to share with others and bring older pieces back to life. It is a great feeling.
“As for my background in fashion, I studied fashion and textile merchandising at RMIT, after completing the course, it was clear to me I wanted to work in fashion,” explains Matt.
“I studied fashion merchandising at Collarts straight out of high school, I always knew fashion was an interest but never considered it as a career path until studying it, now working in fashion is a no brainer,” says Asiah.
“After completing the degree I have had the pleasure of volunteering with Revival Runway, narrowing my experience and expertise on local Australian brands.”
Matt says he is inspired by other people and what they choose to wear rather than by particular brands: “Although if I had to choose, Ralph Lauren and Oakley are big favourites of mine and local brand Posture Studios is another brand I enjoy.
“Rather than specific brands, I am inspired by individual pieces that feel almost nostalgic. Seeing a fresh piece on social media just makes me want to hunt to find it!”
It seems that Asiah thinks the same way: “I am also more inspired by individual items, my Pinterest boards are full of random amazing one-off pieces that are a one time find.
“I find myself being interested more by subcultures and the lives associated with those cultures, people’s stories and personalities shine through their clothing and that to me is more inspiring and motivating than anything else.
“In saying that, I also really love vintage burlesque costumes and wedding dresses lol.”
TRUE TO Y2K
Hayz Store is all about the Y2K aesthetic, the loud graphics and bold pieces are more interesting and unique for Asiah and Matt. “It’s all about the vibe and feeling of the item rather than the brand name or what’s trending,” they say.
“Y2K will likely not be our main focus forever as our personal styles are ever changing. Therefore, the store will change with us. We are open to new things which is why fashion is so cool because it’s never stagnant, it is always moving.
“Our customers are often looking for one-off, special pieces. Individuals who know what they want and like, when they come into the store, they usually see something and cannot leave without it. It is the same feeling we get when we are sourcing our items too.”
ALL ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY
When it comes to sustainable fashion, Matt and Asiah point out that everything about Hayz Store is sustainable.
“This is the beauty of secondhand stores,” they explain. “We both care deeply about ethics and sustainability. Nearly every item is used, every item has been donated or thrown away or passed on from its original owner.
“We revive these garments and save them from landfill. Our garments are of high quality and can last our customers a lifetime (or two).
“Our suppliers deal from within their communities and every stage of the garment goes through various small businesses, it benefits not only us but our suppliers, our suppliers’ suppliers and so on.
“We often visit countries and immerse ourselves in the process and supply chain as much as we can too.”
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
As for where Matt and Asiah see Hayz Store going, they already have expansion plans.
“I’d love to open up a shopfront and stock one of Melbourne’s best curated stores. I’d also love to add some archive grail designer items for example Nike Mobius, runway pieces, etc,” Matt says.
Asiah has the same ambition: “I too would love to curate influential, archival designer items in the future. Another goal I am moving towards is upcycling garments and using discarded clothing to make my own designs. I will also be stocking vintage magazines, books, physical media and artwork in the future.”
If you are obsessed with Y2K as Asiah and Matt are, you can snap up their unique pieces at Rose Street Market on the weekends or DM them via their Instagram account at @hayz.store_ and if you mention this interview or the website article you will get a 15% discount on any item!
PHOTOGRAPHER @throughcharlottescamera
MODELS @parysisnotdead @sam.lipkin @yuma_djc
HAIR @jetsagehair
MAKEUP @iamfrankiestarrson
CREATIVE DIRECTOR @asiahmarumaru
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