Hasta La Ideas

Melbourne boutique marries colorful style, art objects and French lessons under one roof

“The main thing distinguishing Dagmar Rousset from other shops in Melbourne is that it’s owned and managed by a fashion outsider–me!” the undeniably fashionable Julia Pound exclaims from her stunning Getrude Street boutique. “The other thing is that Melbourne is known for its love affair with black,” she explains, “but Dagmar attempts to buck this trend by suggesting that color really isn’t such a bad thing.”

Indeed one glance inside this boutique-cum-art gallery, and now language school too, makes obvious Pound’s obsession with all things bright and beautiful. Stocking an eclectic mix of well-known (Eley Kishmoto) and lesser known (Take Off Your Clothes) labels from across the globe, along with numerous Melbourne-based fashion offerings such as Emma the Shoemaker and Hopeless Lingerie, Dagmar has just the right mix of local chic and international style.

Keen to ensure Dagmar Rousset customers are provided with unique and one-off pieces, Pound is the exclusive Melbourne stockist of All knitwear,
Salasai and Reckless Exuberance.

In addition to eclectic fashion, Dagmar Rousset offers a finely edited selection of homewares, including embroidered duvet covers from Sydney label The Lowercase and All dishcloths, as well as objects d’art such as Mooks of Florida and San Francisco’s Double Parlour.

Clearly not one to shy from challenges, Pound recently added a French School to Dagmar Rousset’s belt. “I know a lot of shops that also run sewing classes, but there aren’t many clothing shops that double as language schools,” says Pound, “People are sometimes confused by this, but when I explain my highly self-indulgent concept (i.e. combining my two passions, design and French), they seem less perplexed!”

Photos by Leah McIntosh