Coventry St Boutique Closing

After three exciting years, House of Snowball will be closing our Coventry Street Boutique in South Melbourne. 

House of Snowball will be taking a new direction for the brand with a major focus on designing Ready to Wear collections. Utilising our creativity and experience, we will be spending more time concentrating on designing and producing beautiful clothing that is more accessible to you. 

Kristie and Louise Coakley, House of Snowball designers in Coventry St Boutique March, 2010
Top; Designer, Kristie Coakley in the doorway of the newly opened House of Snowball

Through our customized and made to measure designs we have gained a clear understanding of what it is our customers want. Many women have expressed to us how difficult it is to find something special, as well as flattering, that is well made using quality fabrics. We are hoping to find the formula to bring this to you in a more accessible way and continue to use clever design and fabric choices to solve these issues on a season to season basis. 
 



















Those of you who walk past the shop each week to look at the window display and see us work on new creations, don't be sad, you will still be able to be inspired online at anytime of the day. With a virtual shop, designers Kristie and Louise Coakley will be blogging photographs of new creations and design sketches daily. 

Facebook Nov, 12  Winners at The Melbourne Cup

You can also "like" us on facebook to follow day to day activities and interact with other followers, showing us how you wore your House of Snowball pieces. 
Visit;
www.facebook.com/HouseOfSnowball 


As most of you know our Online E-Boutique will continue to feature our latest accessories and dress collections, and we will inform you of new national and international stockists as they arise.

Some of our rare and beautiful pieces will be available in the boutique at reduced prices until closing on Sunday 16th December.



  A TRIBUTE TO THE MAKERS OF HOUSE OF SNOWBALL

The following is a tribute to the people who have made House of Snowball boutique a reality. With some genuine quotes by local customers over the years.

Designers, Louise and Kristie ( centre right ) with models at the Press Launch of House of Snowball Coventry St opening, May 2010.

Top Left; Kristie Coakley sewing a wedding dress, Top right; Ailsa Woodyard sewing 'Betsy' Dress
Above; Heidi Coakley photographing new Abbie Walsh stock

"It's just so exquisite, it's like... it's like Paris!" A Customer, Wed 27th April, 2010

Above Left; Paul Rowe in the shop, 2010. Above Right; A visit from London, Laura Lawrance.
  

"So amazing! You have the best shop in all of Melbourne!" A Customer, Monday, 15th March, 2010

"Oh I just love this shop!" A Customer, Friday 26th March, 2010

On Skype with accessories designer, Abbie Walsh in London when "Lady Luxe" Mario Testino shoot came out, Feb 2012

   

Above Left: Louise Auréjac, A.K.A. "Paris Louise" sewing in the Atelier, 2011, Above Right; Paul Rowe behind the scenes, 2012.

Left; Kristie cutting the hems of Yellow Daisy Dress , Right; Louise working on Siobhan's wedding dress.

"It's so lovely to see clothes with such an amazing finish! You don't see clothes like this these days!"
"That dress has the wow factor!"
"That is the most amazing dress!" A Customer, Saturday, 3rd April, 2010

House of Snowball Designers in action, Kristie (left) working out a calico toile and Louise (right) with tulle wedding dress skirt.

"I think I'll have to wait til I get to heaven before I can do something as beautiful as this!" A Customer, Sunday 26th Sept, 2010

Creative draping and designing after hours at House of Snowball in 2011.

"Oh it's so beautiful! It's like being in Paris!" A Customer, Wed 5th May, 2010

Above; House of Snowball window display after first feature in Vogue UK with cuffs photographed by Mario Testino, September 2011

"Your shop just makes the world a better place." A Customer, Sat 25th June, 2011

Kristie and Paul drinking "Snowballs", Christmas 2011

  Congratulations to Kristie and Paul on their engagement.

House of Snowball Coventry St Boutique hand-painted posters up before opening in 2010.

   

House of Snowball, 277 Coventry St will be closing on Sunday 16th December, 2012.

A little Italian Summer on Coventry St showcasing colour and texture

Well we were blessed with the most beautiful day in South Melbourne yesterday!
It was just like a little Italian summer. One of those days where the sunlight warms you and takes you back to a nostalgic sunny day in another lifetime...
Through the windows inspired by Louise's inspirational shots from Venice, the light was catching the 3 dimensional textured daisies on the new Mirabelle Lace Jacket and Skirt with so much love!
This divine Austrian 100% cotton guipure lace has been sitting locked up since the late sixties and yesterday it was certainly having it's "moment in the sun"...

Mirabelle Lace Jacket (size 10) $770 (10) , Mirabelle Lace & Cotton Pique Skirt (size 11) $440
Can be made to order in other colours and sizes. Limited lace available.

We now have a range of styles in store which utilize this gorgeous vintage textured guipure lace in hand-picked colours from sizes 8 - 16. The Multi-coloured Mirabelle Dress (Size 14) (below left) with it's block colours of pistachio, cornflour and lilac pink is a fresh take for spring whether it be racing spring carnival or a special wedding occasion.

Left on wall - Dusty Lilac Mosaic Guipure Lace Dress (Size 12) $950, Right on mannequin - Multi-coloured Mirabelle Lace Dress (size 14) $1320
Mauve and Tearose Mirabella Dress (Size 8) $990 (As seen in first top photo on right mannequin)
Styles may be made to order in other colours and sizes. Limited lace available.

We all need a little Italian summer break in the heart of Melbourne winter!

Postcards from LuLu - A Designer's Pilgrimage Part 3 - The Colour of Venice

On arrival in Venice, Louise was met with majestic storm clouds and stunning lightening that lit up the city with bold hues of ultraviolet blues complimenting the worn ochre limestone and rustic painted walls.The photos below 'strike' you with rich authentic colour and texture, making Venice the generous source of inspiration that it is.




The morning sunlight brought to light the rustic weathered walls and Venitian traditions...




(Above) Taken through the window of the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery



(Above Left) Galleria Della Academia, (Above Right) The ceiling of the gallery



(Above) Blue Dancer by Gino Severini (1883 - 1966) in the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery



Harmony of texture, tonal colour, line, repetition...







Simple Venetian romance.

With so many inspiring pictures "The Colour of Venice" is;

To be continued....

Repetition and fine detail back at Coventry Street...

Meanwhile... back at the boutique, the other half of the design team, Kristie Coakley, is holding the fort, dressing the Coventry St window with Louise and Kristie's pure and perfect White Silk Organza Peplum Bride. A meeting of clean modern lines, with layers of silk organza and beautiful hand-sewn binding.



A flounced double layer asymetric peplum sits at the waist over a full length A-line shape skirt sweeps into a godet train with double layer organza flounce. Most evident are the architectural design lines of the 1 centimetre wide binding that have been carefully placed on the sheer forms to emphasize correct proportion and subtle definition of the shapes.

The beautiful scoop neck and carefully sculptured double layer cap sleeve are simple perfection for a modern bride. All the bound edges are skillfully sewn by hand, some 8 meters of silk organza bias cut binding for the consummate couture finish. This limited edition piece can be made to measure and may be ordered in other colours.

Other unique bridal accessories available include a Rare Vintage Wax Flower Veil , Unworn Vintage kid leather gloves (both pictured above left), House of Snowball Clarabelle Bridal Cuffs (above right),



Alencon Lace Hand-crafted headpieces by Fleur Coakley (above left), Abbie Walsh Wedding Garters, and hand-embroidered Abbie Walsh Good Luck Hankies (both above right).

"something old....something new......something blue..."


By the way, the Vintage beaded shoes are a size 36 - so let us know if you are Cinderella...

Contact us for enquires info@houseofsnowball.com
or visit shop.houseofsnowball.com for more wedding accessories, couture cuffs and bridal headpieces.