The Story of Moda Blu
When I started Moda Blu in 1986, I felt there was a gap in the market for beautifully made, well-cut clothing that offered something beyond traditional, conservative dressing.
I wanted to give my clients a wider choice of designers and styles. Fashion was changing, and the late eighties and nineties were such a fun and exciting time. Designers were becoming much more expressive with colour, silhouette and personality, and fashion was beginning to feel bold, individual and full of possibility.
It was an especially exciting period for Italian designers who were launching their own names and creating entirely new fashion identities. Gianni Versace and Moschino were bringing a new energy and sense of exuberance to Italian fashion, while French designers such as Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana and Azzedine Alaïa were redefining glamour and the female silhouette. Christian Louboutin had just launched his shoe collection.
Alongside all this excitement, there was also an extraordinary level of craftsmanship. The intricate and exquisite work coming from houses such as Christian Lacroix, Valentino, Dior and Gianfranco Ferré was something to behold. There was a real sense of artistry in fashion, and every season brought something new to discover.
Bringing Europe to Australia
At the time, people simply weren't travelling as much as they do today. We relied on Australian stores to introduce us to new designers, new collections and new trends.
I wanted our clients to experience that sense of discovery when they walked into Moda Blu. I wanted them to feel that they were being introduced to something they might not otherwise have seen—to discover a designer, a fabric, a colour or a silhouette that was new to them.
The name Moda Blu reflected that idea. Moda represented my love of European fashion, while Blu was inspired by the “true blue” Australian lifestyle. It was about bringing European fashion into the lives of Australian women and combining that European sensibility with the relaxed confidence of life here.
In those early years, the boutique was very much about discovery. It was about having access to a world of fashion that felt exciting, distinctive and perhaps a little unexpected.
How much retail has changed
Looking back, the changes in retail over the past forty years have been enormous.
Today, almost everything is accessible online. You can discover a new designer from anywhere in the world, see an entire collection and have something delivered to your door without ever visiting a store. People also travel much more frequently, so they are exposed to international fashion in a way that simply wasn't possible when I first opened Moda Blu.
Our lifestyles have changed too. The way we dress has become much more relaxed, even for work. Years ago, we sold suits to women for the office, and they would often come into the boutique during their lunch hour to shop. Today, with so many people working from home, the idea of dressing for the office has changed completely.
Fashion has had to change with us.
What has been lost
There is another change that I find much more difficult to accept.
Over the years, I have watched many of the small, usually family-run manufacturers in Europe, particularly in Italy, close their doors or be bought by larger conglomerates. Many simply could not compete with manufacturers in the East on price.
I think we have paid a price for that.
The quality and craftsmanship that once defined so many European products has become harder to find. The exquisite, intricate work that was once commonplace is, sadly, often no longer being made. More and more goods have become mass-produced, and something of the individuality and artistry has been lost along the way.
It is one of the reasons that craftsmanship and quality remain so important to me when I select collections for Moda Blu. I still look for designers who care about how something is made, not simply how it looks.
What keeps inspiring me
Despite all these changes, I am still inspired by the creative talent in fashion and design.
I still look forward to every season, to seeing what designers have created, discovering new ideas and finding those special pieces that make me excited to bring them into the boutique.
And then there are my clients.
Over the years, so many of my clients have become close friends. We have, in many ways, grown up together. I have watched their lives change, their families grow and their styles evolve, and we have shared both our highs and our lows.
That personal connection is something very special to me, and I believe it is one of the things that truly sets Moda Blu apart.
A boutique is not simply about the clothes. It is about the people who walk through the door, the conversations you have, the relationships you build and the trust that develops over time.
The stories behind Moda Blu
There are so many stories from the past forty years that could be told.
One of the highlights I will always remember is having Gianni Versace visit the store. Moments like that were incredibly special, not just because of the designer himself, but because they represented the extraordinary world of European fashion that I had wanted to bring to our clients from the very beginning.
Looking back, Moda Blu has changed enormously since 1986. Fashion has changed. Retail has changed. The way we live and shop has changed.
But the original idea remains.
I still want Moda Blu to be a place of discovery. A place where you can find something beautifully made, something a little different, something that speaks to you.
And after all these years, I am still excited to see what the next season will bring.