Paris Kyne in 2003 / 2004
“Miss Paris” was launched in early 2003. This year she was exclusively sold to the Myer/Grace Bros department store chain. The business had been looking to expand for some time. “Miss Paris” is clearly a part of this expansion. Tasmania was chosen as another future direction for a number of reasons - the two main being the major racing carnival is in February (a very quiet time in Victoria) and there is not a professional milliner servicing the market down there. A partnership was formed with Polly Shoes, which is part of the Faull’s Shoes empire, which sees a large amount of stock appear in the Polly Shoes stores in both Hobart and Launceston in the lead-up to both Cups. This has been a fantastic partnership and a load of fun is had by all involved. Polly stores are very white and minimalistic with just the shoes and bags adding colour and life. Now, for a period before each Racing Carnival, the stores are lifted with multi-coloured hats and headpieces and I am on site to attend to alterations and answer fashionable questions.
The highlight of the year must go to the Nicky and Paris Hilton visit to Melbourne for the Spring Racing Carnival. The day before the Derby, they were escorted to the salon, as the hats they had seen everywhere else were “whatever”, so we and team worked through the night to make the white peek-a-boo sinamay that Paris Hilton wore to the Derby the next day. The black toy topper that Nicky Hilton wore was already in stock. This non-paid job resulted in numerous front pages around the world (unfortunately, in most cases, I was not credited).
Later that year, Gertie and I took off to New York to check out the department stores (internal and external) and window decorations for Christmas. Also, on the programme was a visit to Disneyland, which was under full Christmas decorations. “This trip was to look at merchandising, product mix and see how one could successfully take an idea before it looked like overkill. Needless to say we saw a lot of overkill”.
2004 started by gaining front page of The Hobart Mercury on 5 February for the Hobart Cup. The story under my photo was concerning a brothel, so that if you were not very careful you saw a stunning colour photograph of me over the huge headline “Brothel Bother” - a good laugh was had by all.
“Miss Paris” was again bought exclusively by Myer - and the fabulous Paris Hilton’s white sinamay peek-a-boo Derby Day hat was acquired by “Champions”, which was formerly known as the Australian Racing Museum, and was then located at Federation Square.
Whilst on the topic of acquisitions, I had stored in my attic for many years, the archival collection of Master Milliner William Beale. It contained photographs, newspaper cuttings, style range catalogues, etc. This collection was given over to the Frances Burke Textile Resource Centre at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). To find out more about this incredible facility, please go to the “link” page.
“A Fiery Romance” was the name of the 2004 spring launch staged in a fire museum, red was the colour theme with the clothing supplied by Cinema Haute Couture and Condotti Collezioni with hair by Mal Bradley Hair and Beauty. Seven stunning models, four vintage fire engines all in a one hundred and eleven year old building. The launch was designed to set your heart on fire.
