GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION > MELBOURNE VINTAGE MAP

Illustrated Map for Aquarium Vintage

Client: Aquarium Vintage
Project: Illustrated Map of Vintage Stores in Melbourne’s Inner North

The Aquarium Vintage was a vintage clothing store in Northcote, Melbourne. Now located inside Retropolis, Preston, in Melbourne.

Project brief:
To create a fun and functional illustrated map celebrating Melbourne’s vibrant vintage clothing scene. The map highlights a curated selection of vintage stores across the city and was designed as part of The Aquarium Vintage’s digital marketing strategy.

Objective:
The goal was to drive traffic to The Aquarium Vintage’s website by offering a valuable resource for vintage fashion lovers, while also improving the site’s SEO through relevant, location-based content.

    • Playful

    • Vintage

    • Hipster

    • Leah (owner)

    • Trumpet (pet)

    • 86 Tram

    • Exhibition building

    • Edinburgh gardens

    • Vintage clothing

    • Printable PDF

    • Web friendly files

    • Separate transparent PNGs for individual illustrations

Design approach:
At the heart of the map is a playful illustrated portrait of The Aquarium Vintage’s owner, Leah, alongside the beloved shop mascot, Trumpet. Surrounding them is a clean-line, functional map of Melbourne, brought to life with hand-drawn illustrations of iconic local landmarks such as the 86 tram and the Royal Exhibition Building.

A standout feature is the whimsical mermaid illustration beside a treasure chest, a nod to The Aquarium Vintage’s branding and the thrill of “treasure hunting” in vintage fashion.

The colour palette was deliberately chosen to reflect a vintage aesthetic: slightly washed-out tones paired with a rich denim navy to evoke the texture and charm of well-loved clothing.

Let’s work together

Natalie Ex brings 23 years of experience in illustration, graphic design, and marketing. While she specialises in clean-line Japanese inspired styles, her adaptable approach ensures visuals are tailored to your unique needs.