I had always loved fashion and dressing in classic luxury pieces. Prior to purchasing the boutique in 2017, I’d worked in a stressful job as a corporate lawyer and decided to do something completely different. I saw a sales assistant job advertised at the boutique where I had been a long-time customer. Within six months of working there, I owned My style has always been contemporary classic. I dress in a range of different looks to show how to wear the collections. It was set up 30 years ago by Elizabeth Jones in Mosman, before moving to Woollahra. I changed the name to reposition the boutique’s image. The name means Always Quality Understated Elegant Luxury. The AQUEL woman wants a discreet, understated look. She does not need to wear the latest ‘it’ label to feel confident. We have a stable of Italian luxury labels that we have stocked for several years on an exclusive basis in Sydney, including Etro, Fabiana Filippi, Golden Goose, Herno, Nº21 and Peserico. Recently we added New York label Altuzarra, from French designer Joseph Altuzarra, and Silvia Tcherassi. For SS22 we’re introducing Emporio Sirenuse, S Max Mara and Akris, plus more shoes from our designers’ collections. We’ll see lots of colour from some of our designers and new styles as many have felt less constrained than in past seasons, and wanted to show new joy in fashion. Etro, the ultimate bohemian luxury label, is focused on building a following of younger customers while keeping its long-standing customers engaged, which means we will have new looks from them. Similarly, Altuzarra presented their best collection in years at New York Fashion Week. We love the Altuzarra ‘Watermill’ bag (pictured) and we have large a RTW collection coming from the label for summer. If you love classic Italian elegance and style then you’ll want to include Peserico and Fabiana Filippi in your wardrobe. Peserico has the best fitting trousers, while Fabiana Filippi is well known for its luxury knitwear. Both labels have large seasonal collections of classic Italian luxury styles. Tulle skirts have been on trend for a few seasons now, and this one (pictured) from Fabiana Filippi has been given a more casual twist with its tie-dye effect making it versatile for dressing up or wearing more casually. Colombian designer Silvia Tcherassi works with European fabrics combining classic and avant-garde elements with a sophistication and high level of detail, often using embroidery, as in this outfit (pictured). Her styles are perfect for the Sydney climate and lifestyle. I worked with Michelle Macarounas of Infinite Design to create the timeless interiors, which were exquisitely executed by Nicom Interiors. I love the elegance of the space; it is even better than I imagined. Many people say that it’s like stepping into a ‘little slice of Europe’. I long for a week on Capri staying in one of the gorgeous hotels and enjoying an aperitif under the summer sky. I miss travelling to Milan, which I was doing several times a year, but hopefully I’ll get there in 2022. I’m focused on growing awareness of AQUEL as one of Australia’s most beautiful luxury boutiques.
