Conquering the world of couture

By Melissa Keogh

Adelaide fashion designer Paul Vasileff was just 11 when he stitched his first gown – a light purple, bias-cut satin frock inspired by a picture in a magazine.

Fast forward 16 years and the couture king, who heads Adelaide high end dress label Paolo Sebastian, has reached a level of success most fashionistas would only dream of achieving.

Despite Paolo Sebastian boutiques existing in New York, Singapore and Shanghai, as well as a clientele list featuring the likes of Kim Kardashian, Paul says Adelaide will always be home.

“It still shocks me when people ask me ‘are you planning to move?’ he says.

“We aren’t going anywhere. I’m in Sydney for two days and I can’t wait to get home because I love it here.

“We show in Paris and Paris is amazing, but nothing is home except for Adelaide.”

Dreams and fairytales inspire Paul’s whimsical and romantic bridal and special event gowns that feature on runways across the globe.

The handmade gowns are renowned for their feminine silhouettes, expert tailoring and princess-like lace and embellishments.

Each dress begins with a sketch before the design is handcrafted by Paul and his team of dressmakers at his Gouger Street atelier.

“I’ve always been inspired by story books, fairytales and old Hollywood since I was a kid,” he says.

“For me, fashion should offer a sense of a dream for the client. When you put on a dress you should be transported into the highest version of yourself.”

Paul Vasileff at the Paolo Sebastian headquarters on Gouger Street, Adelaide.

Paul Vasileff at the Paolo Sebastian headquarters on Gouger Street, Adelaide.

Paul fell in love with the needle and thread as a teenager, taking sewing lessons and learning techniques from his Italian grandmother.

In 2007, the then 17-year-old launched the first Paolo Sebastian collection with 63 garments sewn with a domestic sewing machine in his parents’ living room.

Before long it was clear the young designer was destined for the world of couture when he travelled to Milan in 2010 to study at world-renowned design house Istituto Europeo di Design.

“I did that when I was 19 and that was a really hard experience for me because I was quickly removed from my family and my friends and everyone who had ever supported me and what I loved,” he says.

“I kind of realised how lucky we are here in Adelaide.

“So I thought I’m going to finish my study, I’m going to take what I’ve learnt here, bring it back to Adelaide and implement it in Adelaide so that we can benefit from it.”

With the power of social media and word of mouth among brides who fell in love with his gowns, the Paolo Sebastian team has grown to 18 staff.

In 2014 Paul received his first big nod from Hollywood, after becoming the first Australian designer to dress a celebrity for the Oscars red carpet.

In 2016 he was the first South Australian designer to showcase in Paris with his couture collection Gilded Wings.

In January 2017, Paul received the ultimate pat-on-the-back when he was named Young Australian of the Year.

Despite these highlights, Paul says he often faced doubt about his ability to run a successful couture label outside of a fashion capital.

People told him Adelaide wasn’t the place to make his fashion mark and that he must move elsewhere.

But with the support of friends, family and “the whole state”, Paolo Sebastian gowns hang in closets worldwide from Australia to the Middle East.

“When I first started it was hard and a lot of people said to me, ‘you’re not going to be able to do this, you’re going to have to move or you’re going to have to work with someone else, your dream is just not possible’,” he says.

“I’ve had the whole state behind me since day one. The success of Paolo Sebastian isn’t just mine.

“We’re only successful because of South Australia.”

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Stringing success with Adelaide’s guitar man

By Melissa Keogh

For 30 years Adelaide craftsman Jim Redgate has strummed the right chord with some of the world’s most accomplished classical musicians.

From his southern suburbs home studio in Port Noarlunga the plumber turned Elder Conservatorium of Music graduate designs and handcrafts classical guitars, loved by the industry’s best.

When one of the world’s most talented young classical guitarists, Ana Vidović, was handed one of Jim’s guitars before a performance she was so impressed she played it for the entire concert.

Despite his rise to fame in the classical guitar making world, Jim says he has never felt the need to move his business away from South Australia.

Jim Redgate in his Port Noarlunga workshop. PHOTO: John Laurie.

Jim Redgate in his Port Noarlunga workshop. PHOTO: John Laurie.

“I’m from here, my family is here and I think it’s a fantastic place to live,” he says.

“There’s not really any reason for me to go interstate.”

Jim didn’t grow up in a musical family and didn’t discover the guitar until the age of 15, the same time he left school to become a plumber.

After completing a four-year plumbing apprenticeship, he decided to switch it up by studying a degree in classical guitar performance at Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music.

Before long his craftsmanship skills crept into his musical interests and he became curious about the makings of a guitar.

“My trade background was always still there and the guitar looked like it would be something interesting to make,” Jim says.

“My father was a tinkerer so I had an upbringing where I was always making things in the shed.”

Jim crafted his first guitar on his kitchen table in 1985.

Drawing inspiration from fellow SA craftsmen, namely the late Bryan de Gruchy, and harpmaker Tim Guster, Jim settled into life as a luthier.

Jim Redgate's South Australian made guitars are highly sought after by musicians around the world.

Jim Redgate’s South Australian made guitars are highly sought after by musicians around the world. Image credit: dmportraitcouture.com

“The guitars that I was building had a bit of an Australian feel about them in terms of materials and colours,” he says.

The modern-style classical guitars are made from internationally sourced materials, in addition to Australian blackwood from SA’s South East and Tasmania.

Jim is renowned for making double top guitars, the sound boards of which are made from two thin sheets of timber separated by a man-made, honeycomb-like material called Nomex.

Retailing between $11,000-$15,000, the double tops are lightweight but powerful in sound clarity, are tailored to the customer and take months to create.

“I’ve never had to advertise, it’s all through word of mouth,” Jim says.

“I tend to make between 12 and 15 guitars a year.

“The finish with the shellac takes more time than building the guitar, but it’s about 100-160 hours all up.”

Jim is also involved in the Adelaide Guitar Festival, a four-day biennial event that is fitting for Australia’s first and only UNESCO City of Music.

The event is curated by renowned Australian guitarist Slava Grigoryan, a proud user of Jim’s guitars.

Apart from influencing the development of the classical guitar with his modern methods, Jim also makes his mark on Adelaide’s live music scene as a member of surf band GT Stringer.

He’s a fan of local trusty gig pubs The Wheatsheaf and the Grace Emily hotels and says they play an important role in supporting homegrown music.

“Many world class musicians are from Adelaide and we definitely punch above our weight in terms of talent,” Jim says.

Carters create wine and gin with a difference

By Melissa Keogh

Adelaide Hills couple Brendan and Laura Carter have pursued a life of passion for quenching thirsts and satisfying even the most cultured of gin drinkers and wine sippers.

Aside from creating some of the most adventurous drops to hit South Australia’s craft beverage scene, the pair is helping maintain the spirits of grape growers across the region.

The Carters run Australia’s only remaining grape-grower’s co-operative label, Harvest, allowing local growers to improve returns on their crops during poor harvests.

Any grower within a 5km radius can deliver their grapes “rain, hail or shine”.

“If we’re in a disease-driven year then we just have to work harder to make bloody good wine,” Brendan says.

“If it doesn’t work out we can still pay them for the grapes and move them to the distillery and turn it into coffee liqueur.”

Laura, 26, and Brendan, 27, are leading South Australia's innovative distilling scene.

Laura, 26, and Brendan, 27, are leading South Australia’s innovative distilling scene.

Operating all their ventures from a 1920s cold stores in Gumeracha, Brendan, 27, and Laura, 26, are also behind Ochre Nation bar, wine label Unico Zelo, and Applewood Distillery.

From Ochre Nation the Carters use native ingredients to create premium, sustainable beverages made from fruit varieties that require minimum irrigation and intervention.

Earlier this year Applewood had foodies in a spin with the limited release of a gin infused with native green ants.

Another big hit has been the Økar, an aperitif made from riberries which are a tart, indigenous fruit.

Whether it’s ant-infused gin or using native jarrah to mature wine and whisky, the distilling duo have set out to create “the most Australian businesses possible”.

Break down their business model and it’s quite simple – just use what you’ve got.

When most winemakers would sob into their oak barrels over a smoke-tainted harvest, the Carters lift spirits by turning it into coffee liqueur.

When a 150-year-old orchard in Montacute Valley spits out a crop of “ugly” disfigured lemons that would otherwise go to waste, the Carters turn it into limoncello.

This waste-not-want-not ethos has led the Carters to be leaders of the beverage game and walking encyclopedias of their industry.

Applewood, Harvest and Unico Zelo products are produced at Gumeracha.

Applewood, Harvest and Unico Zelo products are produced at Gumeracha.

Aside from passion, the pair also has an unwavering commitment to South Australia and say their success would have been impossible to achieve elsewhere.

“SA has such a close proximity to quality produce that it really allows primary producers and value-adding enterprises to thrive,” Brendan says.

“Not to mention the sheer sense of camaraderie that binds all the producers together.”

Both were born in the eastern states but studied in Adelaide – Brendan winemaking and Laura agriculture.

“We have one of the best winemaking colleges in the world,” Brendan says.

“We churn out some of the most amazingly talented winemakers globally.”

Applewood gin makes the most of native Australian botanicals.

Applewood gin makes the most of native Australian botanicals.

The Carters are predicting a boom in state’s craft beverage industry.

“I think it’s entirely reasonable to think that SA (beverage industry), in particular the distilling industry, could quite realistically steamroll the global industry in the next 20 years,” Brendan says.

“With the right management and the right assistance, for sure.”

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From Mt Gambier to NYC: SA milliner a head above of the rest

By Melissa Keogh

The dazzling lights of New York City are a world away from the idyllic country side of South Australia’s South East.

But Mt Gambier milliner Ashlee Kalantarian is about to give New Yorkers a taste of what SA style is all about.

In September, the mother-of-two will showcase her Ashlee Lauren headwear at one of the world’s biggest celebrations of style – New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

It’s a big achievement considering five years ago she began crafting the bespoke headpieces at home from her garage.

Ashlee Kalantarian has turned a passion for craft into a business which will enjoy the spotlight in New York and the upcoming Adelaide Fashion Festival.

Ashlee Kalantarian has turned a passion for craft into a business which will enjoy the spotlight in New York and the upcoming Adelaide Fashion Festival.

The accessories will also hit the runway at the Adelaide Fashion Festival (AFF) in October, giving Ashlee the chance to rub shoulders with established and emerging SA designers.

“I create my pieces all from my garage which I have transformed into a studio,” she says.

“It’s a slow process … it takes hours to complete one piece.”

With the South East’s social scene thriving on horse racing events, Ashlee launched her first race-wear collection in March this year.

The headpieces take about six weeks to design.

The headpieces take about six weeks to design.

“That’s what blew me out of the water and that’s where NYFW picked me up from,” she says.

Ten Ashlee Lauren pieces will be showcased through NYFW’s Fashion Palette, a platform that elevates Aussie designers and connects them with the big players.

She will share the spotlight with eight other designers, while Adelaide hair care company Davroe is the official hair partner.

The Mt Gambier community helped raise $22,000 to help cover the costs of the stint, while $11,000 was raised through an online crowdfunder.

Ashlee Lauren will hit the SA fashion scene on October 12, for the AFF Couture Culture runway show.

“I’m really fortunate to go to New York but (AFF) will connect me to local people,” she says.

Many social media gurus have been snapped wearing Ashlee's accessories, including fashion and travel blogger Jasmin Howell who has a following of 252,000.

Many social media gurus have been snapped wearing Ashlee’s accessories, including fashion and travel blogger Jasmin Howell who has a following of 252,000.

Ashlee began her love affair with design while studying visual communications at university before catching the travel bug and living in London, Canada and Dubai.

Dubai was where she became a flight attendant for Emirates and met her husband, Ali.

After falling pregnant with their first child, the pair relocated to Mt Gambier to be closer to Ashlee’s family and raise their children in the country.

The Ashlee Lauren label took flight when she made a brooch bouquet for her own wedding in 2012.

Word of her talent soon spread and her accessories were selling on popular online marketplace, Etsy, and featured in Bride Australia magazine.

Now 20% of her customer base is from overseas while her accessories also retail at Adelaide couture label Alexis George.

“Living here has given me so much love and support, I don’t know if I would have been able to get that anywhere else,” Ashlee says.

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Prancing Pony gallops to success … again!

By Melissa Keogh

Almost a year since its glory win at the International Beer Challenge (IBC) in London, and Prancing Pony Brewery in the Adelaide Hills is again a nose ahead of the field.

In 2016 Prancing Pony’s India Red Ale was crowned the world’s best beer by IBC judges, who have this year slapped the Totness Brewery’s beers with five medals.

Among the accolades is the Black India Pale Ale (IPA) – The Hunt for the Red Velvet – which took a gold medal.

Prancing Pony co-founder and head brewer Frank Samson says the strong brew tastes “just like a black forest cake” and is reminiscent of rich chocolate.

It also packs a wild punch at 9.6% abv (alcohol by volume), meaning it’s not for the faint hearted.

Prancing Pony beers are becoming regular award-winners.

Prancing Pony beers are becoming regular award-winners.

“The idea was to create an improbable blend of a fruity double IPA with a Russian Imperial Stout, where rich and opulent fruity hop flavours would blend with dark malt flavours,” he says.

Prancing Pony also won silver for its Imperial Pale Ale, Pagan’s Empire, a bronze for the Magic Midnight Carpet Ride Stout and a bronze for the Black Ale.

The 2016 world’s best beer, the India Red Ale, laid relatively low this year, but still snagged a silver.

The IBC attracts entries from more than 30 countries.

The Hunt for the Red Velvet will go into the running for the Best in Class trophy and the Supreme Champion Beer, announced in London in September 4.

Prancing Pony co-founder and CEO, Corinna Steeb, says last year’s Supreme Champion Trophy was a game changer for the business which grew from humble beginnings.

Prancing Pony has grown from a two-person operation to a popular brewery that supports apprentices.

Prancing Pony has grown from a two-person operation to a popular brewery that supports apprentices.

Corinna and Frank – both from Germany – launched Prancing Pony in 2011.

Sharing her wisdom at Brand South Australia’s I Choose SA For Industry Briefing this week, Corinna says her very first beer sale is among her biggest highlights.

“The first dude walked into our brew shed and ordered some beer, actually handed over some cash, that was an amazing moment and I think that everyone remembers the first $5 that they made,” she says.

Last year saw a large upgrade to Prancing Pony’s bottling line to ensure the business keeps up with demand.

“We are quite a motley crew, we have a lot of fun,” Corinna says.

“We now have a female apprentice, male apprentice and an apprentice chef … to me that’s an amazing highlight for our company.”

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McLaren Vale Distillery follows the wine to whisky trail

By Melissa Keogh

Whisky aficionado John Rochfort always knew there was something special about South Australia.

While producing fine malt whisky in Tasmania – Australia’s whisky capital – the former chef says his home state continued to be praised within craft industry circles.

“Every time an award was won it was won with SA (wine) casks and SA grain and it was getting to me,” he says.

“I was determined to come back.”

After running the ship at Tasmania’s Lark Distillery – a pioneering company in the Australian whisky industry – John returned home and launched the McLaren Vale Distillery.

The McLaren Vale Distillery team are committed to producing top shelf, premium whisky.

The McLaren Vale Distillery team is committed to producing top shelf, premium whisky.

John says SA’s high quality barley, wine barrels and clean water supply made it an ideal base for a craft distillery.

Two years later, the business is setting the bar for not only whisky producing in SA, but across the country.

Earlier this month McLaren Vale Distillery took two major awards at the inaugural Whiskies and Spirits Conference in Adelaide.

Some of the world’s finest whisky makers were in town for the event – a first for the southern hemisphere.

“I’m proud to be South Australian after the other night – and I always was – but to take that leap of faith to leave Tasmania and do something here and have it pay off, it’s been great,” John says.

About 40km from Adelaide, McLaren Vale Distillery is run by the Rochfort family and business partner Jock Harvey.

Its single malt whiskies are aged in ex-fortified wine barrels sourced from 20 vignerons across McLaren Vale and the Barossa.

Some of the barrels have previously held premium Century-old wines.

The barrels impart their flavours on the maturing whisky and John says this means a port cask is likely to create a deep red colour, while a sherry cask will infuse floral notes.

While Tasmanian and Scottish whisky makers also rely on the wine industry for their craft, John says his distillery makes the most of the wine barrels’ flavours.

The whisky matures in ex-fortified wine barrels from top winemakers across the region.

The whisky matures in ex-fortified wine barrels from top winemakers across the region.

“The standard process in Scotland and Tasmania is when those casks arrive to the distillery they fill it with water to expand the wood because they don’t want their spirit to leak everywhere,” he says.

“As an ex-chef I would just watch the crimson, red or gold water flow out of these casks and think that is the best flavour you guys have got.

“The flavours we were getting in the first 10-20 days … were flavours and aromas we weren’t getting in two or three years in Tasmania.”

John says whisky making is a hard slog requiring patience and dedication, with his distillery’s first batch of single malt whiskys due for release in 2018.

“It’s not like being a chef where the meal is ready in 20-30 minutes,” he says.

“It’s five or six years before you see the product, so when you gain notoriety it means so much.”

However, the Bloodstone Collection, a limited series of 20 collaborations between McLaren Vale Distillery and SA winemakers, is a preview release and has already proved popular.

Crafty thirst quenchers crack open success

By Melissa Keogh

Father and son duo Michael (MC) and Jack Cameron and his best mate Jared (Red) Proudfoot are South Australia’s most dedicated hop heads.

Almost three years ago the trio packed their bags in their home state of Western Australia and headed for Adelaide – all in the name of beer.

In the beginning the lads behind Pirate Life Brewing in Hindmarsh were the new kids on SA’s brewing block.

But now their brews are on the lips of beer lovers here and overseas, with beer production volumes hitting the millions.

Pirate Life Brewing was born through the mateship of Jack and ‘Red’ who met while undertaking apprenticeships at Scottish craft brewery, BrewDog.

 Jared (Red) Proudfoot, left, Jack Cameron and Michael (MC) Cameron moved from WA to Adelaide to establish Pirate Life.

Jared (Red) Proudfoot, left, Jack Cameron and Michael (MC) Cameron moved from WA to Adelaide to establish Pirate Life. Photo: John Krüger.

The pair lived, studied and worked together, bonding over their love for a pint or two and a shared dream to one day launch their own craft brewery.

Beer runs in the blood of the Cameron boys, as MC also worked at BrewDog among other hospitality ventures.

Once the Scottish stint came to an end, the men travelled home to hone their skills with Jack working for Little Creatures, while Red went to the Margaret River and spearheaded Cheeky Monkey.

Meanwhile, the best friends and MC began exploring South Australia for potential sites to launch their own brewery.

It was to be Adelaide – a city they yearned to make famous for more than “churches and an ice coffee fetish”.

They settled in Hindmarsh in 2014 before the first ‘tinny’ rolled off the production line in 2015.

MC, who takes the reins of Pirate Life as CEO, says SA was the perfect fit because of its distribution capabilities and reputation as a premium food and wine destination.

“It’s a fantastic place as a distribution hub,” he says.

“We can send fresh beer to Sydney and Melbourne overnight and Brisbane and Perth in two days.

“SA is also well-renowned for its premium produce, especially within the wine regions and the products coming out of Kangaroo Island and other areas.

“It’s as good as you could find anywhere in the world.”

Quality is key at Pirate Life. Photo: John Krüger

Quality is key at Pirate Life. Photo: John Krüger

The word about Pirate Life Brewing quickly got out, with craft beer aficionados lapping up the Pale Ale, the IPA (India Pale Ale) and more recently, the Mosaic IPA.

The brewery snagged three big wins at last week’s Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards, while the Mosaic IPA was crowned Champion IPA at the recent National Craft Beer Awards.

From just three employees, Pirate Life grew to take on 41 staff and now exports its product to Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong and the UK.

While Pirate Life beers are recognised for their punchy, West Coast style flavours, they are also renowned for canning as opposed to bottling to maintain freshness and flavour.

The Pirate Life pale ale.

The Pirate Life pale ale.

This month the Pirate Life boys revealed plans for a brewery expansion in Port Adelaide in 2018.

The exact location is yet to be revealed, but MC says it will include a new restaurant/bar and will double its employment numbers.

He says SA’s craft beer industry is going from strength to strength.

“I think craft beer challenges the palate and taste buds,” MC says.

“People are really keen to try something different.”

International Beer Day: Five SA froths with a twist

By Melissa Keogh

From Thomas Cooper’s first batch of ale brewed in 1862 to the modern-day crafty drops spilling from boutique breweries, South Australia knows how to do beer.

If we need even more of an excuse to pop the cap off a frothie on a Friday, well, Friday August 4 was International Beer Day.

While there’s nothing wrong with sipping on a run-of-the-mill beer, we’ve given some thought to the brews that have captured something a little out of the ordinary.

From chocolate to hibiscus, and a beer worthy of being crowned the world’s best, here’s our top five glorious SA brews to celebrate this divine occasion.

1. CHOCOLATE STOUT
Chocolate and beer? Say no more.

Bracegirdle’s House of Fine Chocolate and Goodieson’s Brewery at McLaren Vale have joined forces to combine the best of both worlds – choccie and beer.

Raw cocoa nibs were infused into the beer, creating a sweet and smooth limited edition brew that’s far less bitter than your usual stout.

Chocolate

Bracegirdle’s and Goodieson’s Chocolate Stout.

2. PINK BEER
Yep, you read right. Pink beer.

Stepney beer legends Little Bang Brewing Company are behind this sour Hibiscus Wheat Ale, The Pickening.

Infused with the tropical bloom hibiscus, it’s a “zippy pink drink” that is “looking for the middle ground between beer and sour iced tea”.

The Hibiscus Wheat Ale is pretty in pink. Photo: Iain Dalrymple

The Hibiscus Wheat Ale is pretty in pink. Photo: Iain Dalrymple

3. DRUNKEN HONEY BEER
Small microbrewery Drunken Drone Brewery on Kangaroo Island hand-crafted this sweet little number, Honey Wheat Ale, using Ligurian honey from the island.

The beauty of South Australia’s microbreweries is their ability to play scientist and experiment.

The result is this easy drinking, yet ultra sweet brew.

Oh, and while you’re here, Kangaroo Island is under the spotlight at La Boca Bar and Grill in Adelaide this month. Check it out.

The Honey Wheat Ale is brewed and bottled on Kangaroo Island.

The Honey Wheat Ale is brewed and bottled on Kangaroo Island.

4. PELLICOSIS RED
A beer named after brewing lingo and fermented in ex-wine barrels must mean business.

The Pellicosis Red is made by Adelaide Hills brewery Left Barrel.

Head brewer Brad Bown says its low bitterness allows complex sourness to develop from the house blend of yeast and bacteria.

“(Pellicle) is the name of the delicate membrane formed by the bacteria across the top of the beer, protecting it from oxygen while it slowly sours the beer over time adding complexity and flavours,” he says.

Two kegs from the first barrel of this Flanders style sour ale were poured at last month’s Adelaide Beer and Barbecue Festival.

Featuring in the upcoming 2017 Ferment The Festival, Brad has hinted at an exciting future brew featuring Kombucha, a fermented tea renowned for its health benefits.
Watch this space!

Left Barrel Balhannah

The Pellicosis Red is a Flanders style sour ale fermented in ex-wine barrels.

5. WORLD’S BEST BEER
Adelaide Hills brewery Prancing Pony galloped all the way to the top in 2016 when its India Red Ale was crowned the World’s Best Beer at the International Beer Challenge in London.

Praised for its big and bold flavours, the India Red Ale packs a solid punch at 7.9% abv (alcohol-by-volume).

The Totness brewery won World's Best

The Totness brewery’s India Red Ale won World’s Best Beer in 2016.

Carolyn’s chemo caps turn heads

By Melissa Keogh

South Australian cancer survivor Carolyn Mugford has turned a passion for sewing into a fashion accessory that has turned the head of Adelaide couture designer, Paul Vasileff.

The Strathalbyn woman is the creator of Carolyn’s Chemo Caps, special headwear for women who have lost their locks due to chemotherapy.

In the past five years, Carolyn and her band of volunteers have made and delivered 10,000 Chemo Caps to all major oncology units in SA hospitals, as well as in Victoria.

Last week, Carolyn met with hugely successful South Australian fashion designer and 2017 Young Australian of the Year Paul Vasileff, who is the brains behind Paolo Sebastian.

Chemo Caps are worn by women who lose their hair due to chemotherapy.

Chemo Caps are worn by women who lose their hair due to chemotherapy.

Carolyn, who has been nominated as Australia’s Local Hero in the 2018 Australia Day Awards, also met with 2017 Local Hero Vickie Jelli, who is from Victoria.

Carolyn says Paul donated some fabric to help accessorise the chemo caps.

“Paul is such a beautiful man, he was very interested and complemented us on our designs,” Carolyn says.

She made her first ‘chemo cap’ in 2011 to hide her bald and sensitive scalp after undergoing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“I felt like I had lost my identity and I didn’t want people looking at me and feeling sorry for me,” she says.

“With the chemo cap I felt confident, so I wore it to hospital and a lot of women would say, ‘I love what you’re wearing, where did you get it?'”

“I sat in my sewing room at home making them, it took my mind off how I was feeling.”

Chemo Caps volunteers began gathering at workshops in Macclesfield, Mt Barker and Hallett Cove to have a chat and a cuppa before getting down to business.

“We make about 150 chemo caps a month and they go to the Flinders Medical Centre, Burnside Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital – we service the major oncology units in SA,” Carolyn says.

Chemo cap volunteers have made more than 10,000 of the headdresses in the past five years.

Chemo cap volunteers have made more than 10,000 of the headdresses in the past five years.

The chemo cap project is managed by the Battunga Country Lions Club which services Carolyn’s former hometown of Macclesfield, in addition to Meadows and Echunga.

Club president Fred Keal says Carolyn’s Chemo Caps is the most “far reaching” project the club has supported.

“What Carolyn took was the setback of a cancer diagnosis and made a negative issue into a positive,” he says.

“The nature of the project is exactly what Lions is about.”

Main photo is courtesy of The Australian of the Year Awards.

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