FEATURE

The madame who grew up to be a magpie

Words RHONDA SNELGAR Photos WILLIAM DAVENPORT

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Wellington Woman

Summer 2010

Claire Terry is a magpie. A gypsy treasure hunter with a penchant for trinkets and delightfully over the top sparkle. Behind the papered windows at her first Plimmer Steps store, she revelled in hearing the curious remarks of intrigued pedestrians passing the Madame Fancy Pants opening soon sign on the door. Three and a half years ago, the store shifted to a more shopper-friendly locale at the top end of Cuba Street but the curiosities piqued by the stores name havent dwindled in the slightest. It has to be said, that when you enter the store, there isnt one single pair of pants to be seen not even on the delightfully cheerful proprietor who favours 1950s frocks and while the stores colourful name raises more than a few eyebrows, the only madame inside bears the moniker as a childhood nickname and not a job title. Born out of a need for a store stocking crafty items, Madame Fancy Pants is the store for everything sweet and twee. Stocking cupcake and embroidery kits, novelty notebooks, tender infantwear, vintage style calendars and an assortment of incredible jewellery, so one-of-a kind and remarkably special that there are barely words to commend it. The store also serves as a studio for Claire to create custom jewellery items and work on her new collections, just a glance away from the shop floor. The Madame Fancy Pants shopper has her own sense of style and isnt governed by mainstream fashion. Shes an individual with a penchant for shiny trinkets who likes what she likes, with cups of tea and

Emily Post. The focus at Madame Fancy Pants is on the unique; finding items that arent already available throughout Wellington. A ceramicist in the USA provides Victorian-style mannequins donning animal heads and Myrtle and Lace provide handbags to complement the range of NZ designers Claire supports, with the likes of Victoria Mason, Morgan Terry and Tessa Peach filling the shelves alongside a line by Erskine a 70 year old, motorbike riding man who creates dainty rosebud earrings for the line Forget me not. Among the designer range are the stores

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own jewellery brands Madame Fancy Pants and Lil Lovelies. The latter is the cheaper line with a cute and trinket-like aesthetic priced at $12-$30, while the range bearing the stores namesake is an assortment of bespoke, limited edition pieces extending to special custom pieces with a 1950s influence, a Mills and Boon romantic absurdity and a gypsy-fair love of baubles featuring a variety of chains, brass and crystals, ranging between $49 and $300. With similarities to the Karen Walker, Meadowlark and Deadly Ponies (another brand found in-store) ranges, the Madame Fancy Pants line features designs made from semi-precious stones, brass, sterling silver, gold fill and plated materials which Claire terms semi precious costume jewellery with good components. Every item Claire creates is made with the idea that this piece is for someone, she may not know who it is yet, or when theyll step into the store, but when they lay eyes on it, it will be perfect for that person... kismet. Claires main passion is the custom pieces she makes for individual customers. She loves seeing where her pieces go, the person behind each piece. Some are on their way to becoming heirlooms having been handed through the family on special occasions. Its these stories, these relationships that she builds with her customers through her jewellery that she really relishes the thrill of boyfriends coming in to have something custom made and stamped with sweet nothings for their sweethearts or sitting down to design a custom wedding headpiece and hearing tales of lovers meeting. I managed to sneak a peek at Claires next collection which features chain acquired through a Royal New Zealand Ballet costume department sale. Inspired by the theatre-filled history of the chain, the designs follow an Art Deco aesthetic. One piece that caught my eye as

I etched it onto my wishlist was a pair of earrings made with the glitz and sparkle of Swarovski crystal and the historical dangling chain which, as a ballet enthusiast, carried great sentiment. The collection is also dotted with jungle inspired elements leading Claire to term the theme Deco-jungle. Claire has been a jeweller from the time she received an empty dollshouse around the age of eight and made every chandelier and candelabra inside it to the tween years of fimo bling and red lipped, flutter lashed crocodile brooches. It seemed a natural progression to store owner and she found success following her heart and intuition through the simplest of mantras Why

do something you dont love? If you try and you fail you can always go back. Shed love to collaborate with Trelise Cooper for the OTT factor or with Juliette Hogan whose simplicity could pair beautifully with the sass of Claires designs, however in the meantime she has created jewellery and headpieces for singers Bella Kalolo, Lisa Tomlins, Sacha Vee and Miss New Zealand and her inhouse collections are expanding at an ever increasing pace. Claires ultimate goal is having time to create more collections, to start wholesaling to other stores and expand her range of materials. She also intends to return to stocking clothing in-store, but in keeping with the stores fifties, girly vibe, Claire states itll be strictly frocks. Claire has also started up the Claire Terry Trio a musical ensemble with two amazing musicians, Dan and Paul, who Claire can hardly believe dain to accompany her. The folk/ alternative/ indie/ country sound can only be referred to as an eclectic mix of happy and thought provoking songs with a few silly numbers thrown in for sass. The trio are playing at Around the Wireless in Hawkes Bay and look set to play at the Botanical Gardens Summer Series in January. Head along to the store nominated for Best Shopping Experience by the Wellingtonista Awards and meet with Claire to let her help bring that perfect design out of your stories and occasions. Whether for the Summer races at Trentham, the wedding and festive seasons, or simply for the pleasure of having something made that is perfectly yours, theres no better excuse for a special treat.

Madame Fancy Pants 187 Cuba St, Wellington T. 04 385 0830 www.madamefancypants.com Wellington Woman

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Summer 2010