Family Fabric at Domini Collective
Fashion and creativity are the very essence of one local family who bring their individual styles and passions together to bring us the next generation of the iconic Domini Collective boutique. Carlie Wacker revisits a refreshed Noosa fashion favourite.
The fashion, décor, interior design and sense of belonging blend seamlessly as you wander through the new doors of an old favourite. Tewantin’s Domini Design Elements is now Domini Collective in the heart of Noosa Junction and located alongside the thriving VanillaFood café. It’s a feeling of warmth and welcoming when you step inside the new store, lovingly created by mother-daughter duo Dominique Sheridan and Nathalie O’Shea, with a little help from family.
It’s a beautiful thing to see Dominique light up when she talks about her children being part of the evolution with her sons working on the design fitout and installation and another daughter creating the Sheridan Ceramics range that forms part of the home décor range. The creative clan came together to bring something special to the boutique and Nathalie confirms the family bond.
“Mum and I have always been close, we have something special and we work really well together,” she says.
It’s no surprise given these women share a passion for fashion.
Both talented fashion designers, Nathalie studied for a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Fashion, while Dominique is an award-winning designer with multiple RAQ Fashion Awards for swim and bridalwear. Dominique shares that her interest in fashion began very early.
“I was an only child raised by my mum,” she said. “My Nan taught me to knit and my father’s family were all in fashion with fashion houses in Paris, so it’s a very long family history.”
Continuing the family tradition, Nathalie was taught to sew by Dominique and her talent saw her designs open runway shows. Dominique proudly raised her children in Tewantin and her passion for community was the reason behind the first generation of the boutique starting in Poinciana Avenue. The shop was originally a fabric store until Dominique took over and created a fashion destination unlike anything else in the region. Domini Design Elements was born in 2009 and gathered a passionate following over the next 15 years. Like many locals, I always felt like Domini set the benchmark for fashion outside of Hastings Street. The move to Noosa Junction has taken the business to the next level and enhanced the magic that is the Sheridan family collective. Nathalie says the new location has totally transformed the way they do business.
“I wanted to start moving in a younger direction but also keep our customers that have been with Mum since she opened,” she says.
“Since we’ve moved in here, we’ve brought in new labels, welcomed so many new clients and continued to grow with many of our original customers.
“I feel like we’ve captured a little niche here that wasn’t here before.”
Domini Collective are clever buyers and have curated a collection of labels and designs that are ageless.
“Our focus has always been timeless, wearable style – we buy with our customer in mind, and we’re passionate about helping women of all ages, shapes and sizes, feel confident and comfortable expressing themselves through their style,” Nathalie enthuses. “We’ve always said we wear the same things but we wear them differently and over the years we’ve listened to our customers to help refine and evolve the way we buy.
“In Autumn and Winter, the Noosa wardrobe staple is good denim. We have always been known for our extensive range of denim, and this year will see some really exciting new international denim labels introduced in store including Seventy + Mochi (Denmark), Zhrill (Germany) and Le Temps (France).
“We’ll also have some amazing knitwear from labels like American Dreams (Denmark), Bitte Kai Rand (Copenhagen) and NU (Denmark). And then some of our favourite Australian labels who provide us with year-round staples – Pol, Once Was, Pippa Ridley, Binny, Sofia Irina, Scandi & Co and State of Embrace.”
There is the sense that this boutique is created by mother and daughter for mother and daughter – a multi-generational fashion experience that offers something for all. The Domini Collective legacy is fashion, but joy and love are central to their business ethos, and it radiates from the girls when you enter the boutique.
“I used to love shopping with my mum,” Dominique shares and this is precisely why it feels like home when you enter the store.
The warmth and authenticity in service and the fact that they offer in-house alterations to ensure the perfect fit makes this shopping destination a favourite. You don’t often get to shop in a boutique with experienced fashion designers and makers that can pinpoint the ideal alteration and make it happen.
“When a client walks in, we know exactly what’s going to work on them,” Nathalie explains. “We love to take them on a style journey and explore garments they might not normally try – it’s a unique service.”
The Domini Collective are a fashion family and they will warmly welcome you into the fold.
