ELISSA FRIDAY checks out three Geelong businesses with very different offerings.
After three decades in his domain of wine and spirits, Dale Cooper sure knows a thing or two about heady scents.
The operator of Wine Domaine has worked in sales and marketing for Louis Vuitton’s high-end alcohol range as well as with prestigious brands including Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinard and Moet.
But studying at France’s Hennessey Academy a few years ago instilled his “love of all things Cognac” – especially its aroma.
Now Dale’s East Geelong store is one of the few in Australia selling a perfume based on the scent of the popular French brandy, and six other liquors as well.
Dale’s range is from French family brand Frapin, one of the oldest Cognac houses in the world, dating back to 1270.
“They’re a family and brought out their own range of perfumes,” Dale explains.
“In three days I sold out of the Frapin 1270 perfume at $229 across the board – I’m the only store that has both the Frapin alcohol and the perfume in-store.
“There’s no weak concentration, they’re as concentrated as you can get, being eau de parfum.”
Dale’s Frapin perfume range includes L’Humaniste, representing gin and tonic.
“The main constituent in gin is juniper berries and that’s what you can smell and what’s prevalent in that particular perfume,” he says.
The perfumes’ arrival in-store initially intrigued customers, Dale says.
“When I was first stocking the perfumes some people said, ‘Why would you want to smell like you’ve just had a drink?’” he chuckles.
“It can be a bit confusing, although the perfumes don’t smell boozy. It’s actually about flavour profiles and the aromas of the perfumes picking up the aromatics of the fruits and the grapes.”
“I suppose I have an eye for design, as a horticulturist,” says Olivia Thwaites.
The Manifold Heights mum of two young children grew up on a farm in the Otways, which she attributes for her “hands-on” approach to life and love of the outdoors.
Now her background also inspires Green Hip, Olivia’s brand of work-wear for women.
She developed the concept after finding only men’s work-wear available when she began a horticulture apprenticeship in 1997.
“Someone needed to do something about it,” Olivia says.
“It’s quite demoralising as a woman to walk down the street having to wear the big boots, baggy shorts and shirts – people often comment not so favourably,” she says.
Olivia began designing her range in 2005 after moving to Bangkok for three years following her marriage. She found some help from a tailor, researched factories, and finally put it all into practice, manufacturing Green Hip clothing in China.
“It was a bit of a lonely road because I didn’t come from a design background,” Olivia says.
Green Hip launched in 2010. Olivia now has a consultant to help with graphics, as well as a colleague with a design background.
“I designed alone for many years but about four years ago I employed a fantastic girl, Angie ,who has a background in fashion and retail and marketing. She helped me design and refine the new cargo style.”
Olivia still checks her Green Hip size guide against measurements of customers’ favourite clothing items.
“It’s tried and tested method, so I’m not changing it,” she laughs.
Green Hip’s range covers pants, shirts and headwear.
Olivia’s garments were the first work-wear to use cotton-stretch fabric, she says.
“The clothing really empowers women to feel good while at work.”
With Green Hip now stocked in 15 stores around Australia, Olivia plans to introduce new garment colours and designs.
But, as a horticulturalist, she remains “really passionate about gardening”.
“I always thought I’d have my own gardening business.”
But volunteering “manpower” for every garment sold helps keep Olivia involved, with her father and others, in horticulture through the revegetating of farmland
“Last year we planted a mixture of 2000 grasses, shrubs and trees on a dairy farm in the western district. It’s a way of me keeping connected to my roots and caring about the environment.
“It’s also a great to get to know the community.”
After working as a nurse for the 24 years, Marsha Davies headed for Geelong to expand on her experience with cosmetic injectables.
As a dialysis nurse with theatre and clinical-teaching experience, she arrived in Geelong from Benalla two years ago.
Now she’s opened Lip Lab, which offers injectables along with the rare offering of custom lipstick, mixed while customers wait.
Clients choose from a variety of colours and bases, including cream, butter, vegan or matte, along with flavours like hazelnut chocolate.
“We use a blending machine that spins the lipstick for 16 seconds,” Marsha explains.
“Then we put the lipstick into either a classic or gothic mould and from there it takes five minutes to set. If you choose your colour straight away, a lipstick can be made in a little as 20 minutes.
“All lipsticks cost $55 and additives such as pink champagne cost an extra $3. You can also create your own lip gloss for $30.”
Marsha’s young daughters love visting her work to create lipsticks with the “cool” Lip Lab process.
Her huband is also involved in the business, helping by doing the books.
“We met at university and have been married 20 years,” Marsha says.
