Trudy’s friendly face and sparkling wit have been a part of Samantha Ogilvie Boutique from the day the doors first opened. Not only does Trudy have a wealth of knowledge and experience honed during many years in fashion retail, she is also a keen global traveller, foodie and home gardener. Read on to find out what makes Trudy tick, and visit her in-store to hear more of her incredible travel stories.
Q: How long have you been with Samantha Ogilvie Boutique?
A: Since the beginning.
I started in retail back in 1979 for a multi-label boutique called Vogue Boutique. Leaving school, I deferred my university entrance to spend a year working in retail; this time in menswear, running a store in Clayfield. I was then asked to return to Vogue Boutique, working at the MacArthur Chambers store, and then went on to work for Shan at Camargue for 7 years. Following that I did a 7 year stint working with a Japanese cosmetics company, where I ran my own business and sales team. My husband and I built a boat and sailed around the world over a 7 year period after I was inspired by a book I read, written by a family we knew who did just that! When we returned to Brisbane and were settling back into life with a young child, my friend Samantha Ogilvie was ready to make the move with her business, and in 2007 she opened a shop front. The rest is history!
Why do you love what you do?
Not only do I get to work every day with my best friend and with an incredible team of like-minded and talented women, but I get to help people feel great about themselves by styling them in our beautiful selection of amazing labels.
What has been your favourite moment at Samantha Ogilvie Boutique?
There are many, however a standout moment was being given a budget and brief to put together a new wardrobe for a clients’ employee who was being rewarded for her outstanding commitment to her work. The lady was so overjoyed by the experience and felt so incredibly special, like a princess, in the clothes. The client was so happy with the outcome that he personally delivered a magnificent bunch of flowers to thank me.
What do you think are this season’s essential items or trends?
The ‘barely-there’ shoe and an epic trench.
What is something you can never get enough of?
The infinite tones of blue-based greens.
What is the hardest-working piece in your own wardrobe?
My Banjo & Matilda cashmere track pants which I put on as soon as I get home from work almost all year ‘round.
What item in your own wardrobe is most special to you, and why?
A magnificent Etro ‘tree of life’ printed silk chiffon wrap dress, which was a hand-me-down from Sam. It’s timeless and elegant, and I always get great compliments when I wear it. It is something I will wear forever.
What’s inspiring you at the moment?
I love the passion and commitment Maria Grazia Chiuri shows in her role as Creative Director at Dior, and her celebration of traditional artisanal skills. Her recent Resort 2020 collection shown in Marrakech struck a chord as I had recently been there and felt a real connection with Morocco.
Who are your style influences?
Karen Blixen, the Danish author who penned Out of Africa – the fashion, the music, the adventure, the strength of her character – everything inspired my love and passion for Africa. I even got married on a beach in Africa! The safari suit is my all time favourite, especially in khaki. India, where my father was born, is a constant source of inspiration – the colours, the scents, the people and their crafts, the colonial history, the cry of the peacock, paisley and ikat prints and block printed silks. Colonial Caribbean and Sea Island cotton, Hemingway’s Cuba, Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s Colombia. I grew up with Diana Ross & The Supremes and Sergio Mendes, but I also love the rock, funk and glamour of artists like The Rolling Stones, Prince, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and Madonna. A good movie soundtrack will also move me – John Barry for Out of Africa, Vangelis for Bladerunner and Chariots of Fire.
What are your hobbies?
Yoga, and anything aquatic – snorkelling, swimming with whales, beach combing, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing.
Favourite Instagram accounts?
fashion_viadi’s cool collection of street style shots, and Chloe of Loulou De Saison for her effortless monochrome style.
Favourite travel destination?
Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain where my family and I have an apartment. We love to go there in the off-season to go hiking. There is something very satisfying about a great hike with rewarding views to the sea, and usually a great lunch at the end. Palma is an island of incredible diversity – a sophisticated old town with high-end shopping and artisanal craft markets, brimming with culture and tradition and historical significance. Lunch at Sa Foradada; a restaurant in a small cave in a cliffside that serves only lunch and the specialty is paella. You have to drive 30 minutes out of town and walk 45 minutes down a gravel road, or otherwise you can come ashore from your boat. Take a drive to Valldemossa to stroll around the charming village where Chopin spent a winter, then drive down to Port de Valldemossa to have lunch at Es Port and finish with a dip in the sea.
