By Haley Cohen Photos Included
You might expect to find more fishing lines than fashion lines in Bermagui, a working maritime town 380 km south of Sydney. But situated smack in the middle of Bermagui’s main shopping stretch, the very flash Soulique boutique discredits that assumption.
$300 studded leather bags are stuffed into cubbies next to $200 designer jeans and leather belts hang from ornate wrought-iron hooks over a counter covered in gladiator sandals. Abstract paintings by local artists adorn the walls, graphic throws drape across streamlined coffee tables, and colorful jars of organic teas sit serenely on a wooden bureau. The space housing these fashionable wares is large, sunny and uncluttered.
“I wanted the store to have a clean, sophisticated look,” says Simone Ellis, a soft-spoken brunette who owns and runs Soulique, in addition to designing and manufacturing clothing for her own clothing label Ruby Vivant.
After finishing her design degree at TAFE in Sydney two years ago, 27 year-old Ellis returned to Bermagui where she was born and raised - unable to resist the lure of its pristine beaches, ocean-water swimming pools, and lush green forests.
While most Bermagui locals dress casually, often in work boots and jeans, Ellis’ outfit is eclectic. She dons black skinny pants, brown over-the-knee boots, a black turtleneck and a pink down vest reminiscent of a get-up Jane Jetson might wear. But Ellis insists fashion is less about looks and more about life.
“I believe I can use fashion as a way to educate people so it isn’t merely superficial. I can take it deeper,” she says, her soulful brown eyes sparkling.
She carefully removes a very rock-and-roll black velvet vest from its hanger and points to a message scrawled on its price tag that reads “Love is always in my pocket.”
“See here,” she prompts as she reaches into the vest’s breast pocket fishes out a chain with a heart charm attached to the end.
“I like to put little pieces of life philosophy in my clothes,” Ellis explained as she stared pensively through her shop’s glass doors towards the ocean. “If I’m in a clear energy state when creating a garment, that energy is transferred into the garment and wraps around the body of whoever buys it. I hope the clothes that I make will heal their wearers.”
Ellis approaches the atmosphere and outfitting of Soulique with a similar mantra. She streams soothing massage music over the store’s speakers and carefully considers the energy of each garment, pillow, and piece of art before displaying it. She sheepishly admits that recently she even asked one of the artists she was exhibiting to take down their painting because it had “bad energy”.
“I felt really awful because that’s just about the worst thing you can do to an artist – agree to display their art and make them take it down. But the painting was infecting me, and everyone else who came into the store.”
Ellis’ doctrine may be a bit New-Agey for some, but even cynics can appreciate Soulique’s sleek design and interesting stock. Though it will probably be a while before fishermen start to march around in Ruby Vivant talking about “energy transfers”, Soulique’s mere existence in the utilitarian town proves that in Bermagui, expectations are often blown out of the water.
| Fact Box |
| Contact Information:Soulique, formerly known as Ruby Vivant Boutique and Gallery, is located at 14 Lamont Street in Bermagui, NSW. The store’s phone number is 0405 451 184. |
| Labels Stocked:Lee Jeans, American Apparel, Children of the Sun, Religion, All about Eve, T-Lux, Mox, Wrangler, Lucky 13, and Ruby Vivant. |
About Bermagui:380 Km South of Sydney on the South East Coast of New South Wales, Bermagui boasts a scenic wharf, unspoiled beaches and a stunning ocean water swimming pool. It is also in close proximity to several heritage villages including Central Tilba and Cobargo. |
| Where to Stay:The Bellbird Cottage offers privacy and comfort in a rustic environment. Book ahead as there are only two rooms. Tariffs per room including breakfast, afternoon tea, port and chocolates range from: Single - $145 - $165 per night Double - $155 - $175 per night. 88 Nutleys Creek Road, Bermagui NSW Australia Tel: #61 (0)2 6493 5274 Mobile: 0466 443 980 |
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