ART AND DESIGN

Recalling the Glamour: The Johnston Collection

Review by Alexia Brehas

In a modest Victorian house in East Melbourne on a Wednesday morning, filmmaker and writer Lesley Sharon Rosenthal is preparing to take her audience back in time to the golden age of Collins Street. After being greeted with complimentary tea and shortbread, guests are led into an intimate room adorned with oil paintings where Lesley will be speaking.

Much like the house, Lesley radiates classic glamour, with a Bettie Page fringe, cat-eye glasses and a bold floral headpiece. After publishing a novel investigating Flinders Lane and its connection to Melbourne’s ragtrader history, Lesley found her love for historical fashion by default. This passion is evident from the moment she begins speaking, taking her audience on a journey through the vibrant and fashionable history of Collins Street.

Accompanied by black and white images and historical drawings, Lesley’s speech spans across a variety of eras. From its origins in Elizabethan trends, the style of Collins Street soon expanded as it was influenced by Parisian haute couture in the 20s and 30s, the swinging 60s London boutiques, American discount basements, and the contemporary introduction of young designers and affordable retailers. Lesley ruminates on the everyday glamour of both boutiques and shoppers alike with a fond nostalgia. She believes that 1940s Melbournians made an effort in their presentation in order to show the world that despite their global isolation, they were not “devoid of chic”.

However, Lesley maintains that the frocks were not the only contributor to the glamour of Collins Street. Accessible precincts, innovative couturiers, and fashion-conscious shoppers all worked cohesively in order for Collins Street to become a glamorous thoroughfare. Handsome streetscapes, clubs, theatres and balls also complimented the luxury of the imported, handcrafted outfits. Collins Street became a showpiece for Melbourne, soon to be known as the ‘Paris end’ due to its imitation of European customs.

Humorous recollections include historical skin treatment boutiques that offered services to “treat double chins and superfluous hair”, as well as My Lady’s Rest Lounge – a lounge, hosiery repair station, and manicure bar for women to rest after a tiring day of shopping.

With each new slide, and each memory of what Collins Street used to be, the distinguished crowd eagerly murmurs in unison. The majority of the audience has lived through the very eras Lesley is discussing, with many guests commenting on their association with a notable designer of the time, or their haute couture purchases from decades ago. It is a room full of people with affection for the past, for a time period where an emphasis on glamour and fashion was not only customary, but also boldly displayed.

“I have a deep passion for history and fashion,” Lesley commented, “and the glamour  that was Collins Street. It shows the time when creative people worked with commercial and business people – and it was a successful cooperation that is rarely seen today. A collaboration to build a community.”

Though Recalling The Glamour is a one-night event during the Melbourne Fashion Festival, Lesley plans to offer tours of extinct department stores in the coming months. Various other events hosted by The Johnston Collection can also be found here. Leaving the vibrancy and nostalgia of the house, walking down Collins Street today brings forth ghostly images of fashion parades, ornate parlours, ladies promenading, milliners and couturiers, and the thrumming heart of Melbourne’s most historically fashionable district.