ObjectnummerM2017/016:001
BeschrijvingThis is a sketchbook belonging to Julianna (Juci) Foster (Faludi) and was donated to the Museum by her son Dr. George Foster. As a dress designer, Juci would often sketch designs in the little book, even taking it with her on overseas holidays. She had a keen eye, spying people with various items she liked, she would them make them up at home.
Tibi and Juci Foster left Hungary and arrived almost penniless in Sydney in September, 1947 with their young son and Tibi’s mother. Juci was a dress designer and dressmaker and Tibi was a jack-of-all trades. Initially Juci began work by designing and making clothes at home for private clients, but quickly began to supply dresses for established clothing stores, the first being for Sports Lazar in the Imperial Arcade.
Tibi managed to get a bank loan to expand and they set up their own business and factory in St Paul Street, Randwick – Falutex Fashions. Operations expanded rapidly and they moved to Oxford Street Taylor Square where they employed 20 people. At its height, Falutex Fashions supplied many dress stores in Sydney, including John. J Hilton, Kitty Lou, Sports Lazar and wholesalers Egon and Hetty Gordon. In 1962 they went into partnership in a dress shop, Bonnie Blair, in Parramatta, however when Tibi moved into property development and real estate the shares in Falutex Fashions were sold and the Parramatta shop was closed in 1964.
These years in the Rag Trade or schmatte business, as it’s known in Yiddish, was instrumental in helping Tibi and Juci establish themselves securely in their new home. For many post-war Jewish immigrants, the fashion industry offered accessible opportunities for realising a new life, particularly if they were prepared to work hard, innovate and adapt. In addition, it was often easy to operate in the rag trade where language barriers were less acute. In the climate of a post-war Australia, the European influence of new immigrants was well received, thus shifting the country’s collective sensibilities and the cultural landscape of fashion.
Tibi and Juci Foster left Hungary and arrived almost penniless in Sydney in September, 1947 with their young son and Tibi’s mother. Juci was a dress designer and dressmaker and Tibi was a jack-of-all trades. Initially Juci began work by designing and making clothes at home for private clients, but quickly began to supply dresses for established clothing stores, the first being for Sports Lazar in the Imperial Arcade.
Tibi managed to get a bank loan to expand and they set up their own business and factory in St Paul Street, Randwick – Falutex Fashions. Operations expanded rapidly and they moved to Oxford Street Taylor Square where they employed 20 people. At its height, Falutex Fashions supplied many dress stores in Sydney, including John. J Hilton, Kitty Lou, Sports Lazar and wholesalers Egon and Hetty Gordon. In 1962 they went into partnership in a dress shop, Bonnie Blair, in Parramatta, however when Tibi moved into property development and real estate the shares in Falutex Fashions were sold and the Parramatta shop was closed in 1964.
These years in the Rag Trade or schmatte business, as it’s known in Yiddish, was instrumental in helping Tibi and Juci establish themselves securely in their new home. For many post-war Jewish immigrants, the fashion industry offered accessible opportunities for realising a new life, particularly if they were prepared to work hard, innovate and adapt. In addition, it was often easy to operate in the rag trade where language barriers were less acute. In the climate of a post-war Australia, the European influence of new immigrants was well received, thus shifting the country’s collective sensibilities and the cultural landscape of fashion.
Datum 1947 - 1964
Objectnaamdrawings
Formaat
- width: 80.00 mm
height: 120.00 mm
height: 240.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Dr George Foster