Olivia’s create salon image in larger shop

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 15

Olivia’s create salon image in larger shop

It is a bright and busy scene at Olivia’s new shop at 182 Papanui Road, in Merivale Village. Swopping premises with Garden City Antiques has meant that Beth Fox and her staff are now' receiving their customers in a spacious colourful shop a few doors along from their original smaller site. Several antique items contribute to the gracious salon atmosphere in the shop. There is a hanging china lamp over the counter, and an attractive scotch chest beside it, with scarves spilling from the drawers. Impressionist paintings, pot plants and scattered seating heighten the effect. The large, showroom has been carpeted in moss green, and the fittings especially designed and made by Gerald Carter of Christchurch in artnouveau style. White cast-

iron wall brackets support white rods with brass finials. and the frames on the large full-length mirror and doorways are in curving fretwork) The art nouveau figure on the display window is similar to that on the shop’s Hullabaloo labels. A record-player provides mood music. An original touch in the showroom is the canework 1 screen that serves to create a sports corner. It was copied from a screen in a Renoir painting. The ambience of the new Olivia’s is relaxed and welcoming. Already customers are remarking that it is more like a friend’s drawing-room than a shop. Olivia’s want to create a setting for leisured buying, where customers can

see and handle quality clothing, relating it to their own life-style and tastes. Olivia’s has been a fashion barometer in- Merivale Village since it was established a year ago, and they aim to retain this role for a long time to come. Busy complex Olivia’s use the ground floor of their two-storey building and have let the upper floor for offices. Tony Lissame will have his- photocopying business there, with Warwick Todd, real estate agent, increasing the feeling of activity in the complex. A pleasant back garden will be used as part of Olivia’s at a later stage, and access is to be provided via Merivale Mews between the

shop and Ritz Hair Fash ions next door. Beth Fox has a gout team of fashion experts to assist her. headed by Beverley Lissame and Anne Studholme, who have been with Olivia's since it began. All the women share the attitude that clothes should be an extension of the individual’s personality and a joy to wear. They feel that, they are helping Christchurch women to express themselves through their clothes, and to gain enjoyment from doing so. The eight top New Zealand labels already found at Olivia’s will be expanded. “Now, we will be able to create the total look of each label.” sysBeth Fox. and each will have its own separate area in the shop.” Hullabaloo and Aurore are big sellers, together with Flookies. ■Jag, Fidgits, Jennifer Dean. Dames and Dandies, Elie, and Thornton Hall. Exclusive Olivia’s have chosen labels that complement each other, and are not stocked by a lot of other clothing shops. The Aurore label is exclusive to Olivia’s in the South Island, and Hullabaloo, one of New Zealand’s top labels, is stocked by only a few other lucky retailers. This blend of high fashion has created a selling image for Olivia’s that is the essence of European style. All the staff at Olivia’s are models for the shop’s exciting clothes. When “The Press” visited them, Beth Fox was wearing a strapless sundress and matching jacket by Flookies, in a splashy strawberry and blue floral. Anne Studholme was in an Aurore silk shirt and Anne Meredith scarf and kick-pleat Aurore skirt. Beverley Lissame was wearing a Hullabaloo floral skirt with deep pockets and a blouson top of deep peach, with a scarf at the waist. Hullabaloo An award-winning label that sells itself. Hullabaloo of Auckland has made its name as one of New Zealand’s top design in-

no'.ators, with good fashion and original styling. “Anyone who knows anything about fashion, knows Hullabaloo,” said Beth Fox. Isobel Harris. Hullabaloo's head designer, is in constant touch with Europe and uses imported fabrics from Germany. France, Italy and Britain. In common with most fashion houses. Hullabaloo put out two or three new ranges each season, and Olivia’s is expecting their second summer range this week. Brian Hall is Hullabaloo’s managing director. Two summer suits by Hullabaloo, already stocked by Olivia’s are eyecatching. One is in a silkylook. heavy stone-blue polyester. A setni-circular skirl is matched by a deeply-gathered dolmansleeved top with an elasticised waist. The other, in wheat-yellow juslin, has billowing lines with tiny baby-buttons the length of the skirt and top. Aurore Aurore of Parnell Village, Auckland, is the brain-child of Dawn. Suzanne and Brian Turley. Their clothes have the stamp of crisp elegance and the racks of Aurore clothes in Olivias are in crepe de Chine, silks, tussores and pongee silk, in sweet-pea pastels and tunings of taupe, grey and beige. One of the loveliest things in the shop is a full-sleeved blouse in ivory-

coloured Fuji silk. 11 has a widely revered collar and five small buttons down a long pointed yoke. Clothes by Aurore are to be found in Bond Street, London. Another Aurore creation is a slub tussore dress in a banana toning. The shirt-waister bodice has full-length sleeves with stitched cuffs and collar. It is a go-anywhere gown, just right for a luncheon date or the races. Olivia’s large range of silk scarves are designed by Anne Meredith, who works with Aurore each season. There are fifteen styles from squares, triangles, rectangles md ties to cobweb-soft fishnets. When customers try on a garment at Olivia’s, the staff often select a matching scarf for effect. Flookies Roger Kent and Mau-

reen Heath are directors of Flookies. they work with imported fabrics for the budget-conscious teenage market. Young and trendy, and so reasonably priced that a school-leaver can afford two or three a season. Flookies clothes are often bought by both mothers and daughters. They have that special flavour that says, “wear me and have fun.” Sportswear Clothes from Jag, Jennifer Dean, tile ant Foghs are to be found mainly in Olivia’s sportswear area. Something that would loot smart over one of Jennifer Dean’s voile seethrough bikinis is an icepink muslin bikini wraparound by Jennifer Dean. It can be worn with sandals for a barbecue or bel-ted-up outside jeans. Olivia’s are one of the

mam retail outlet* for the verv popular sportswear made by Jag of Rotorua. The epitome of lop American sportswear. Ja ■ clothes are all made from fabric imported from the United States. Olivias’s intend to build up their stocks of silk underwear and nightwear from Dames and Dandie* of Parnell Village, and should have a selection of their new night-gowns in time for Christmas. The future looks bright for Olivia's, and the staff anticipate with pleasure continuing their association with Christchurch's' fashion-conscious women in their new fashion salon

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