Yesterday I had a chance to stop into Rathdowne Fabrics & Remnants on my hunt for baby fabrics, and I'm so glad I did! From I entered the ample fabric showroom to when I left with a nice bundle of baby-suitable fabrics the whole the whole experience was FANTASTIC! A very nice change from my last fabric store foray :)
Location: Rathdowne Fabrics & Remnants is located at 154-158 Victoria Street, just off Lygon, in Brunswick. Street parking is free (!!!) but there are also 6 bays out the front just for customers and I was able to nab one of these on my visit :) A helpful sign on the corner of Lygon and Victoria St proclaiming "Cheap Fabrics" helps to point the way, useful if you are unfamiliar with the area ...or easily distracted like me.
Staff: Well staffed – 3 customer service staff on shop floor at time of visit. Friendly, super-helpful, very knowledgeable of fabrics and the fashion industry. Manager Sandra is particularly helpful if you have any questions regarding stock or the business' role in the industry. The business is family owned and still family run, as I had the opportunity to find out by meeting one of the owners- Dean Sunshine-while talking to Sandra. The son of Rathdowne Fabric’s original founder, Morre Sunshine, Dean was more than happy to answer my questions about the business and provide some interesting details about the business’ involvement with Project Runway Australia. Embarrassingly I had no idea that parts of both season one and two had been filmed on the shop floor and that this was where the contestants sourced their fabrics from! I definitely need to catch up on past episodes now ... :)
Floorplan: Housed in a warehouse style unit, the space is carefully thought out and well lit. Dressier/evening wear and high end fabrics are arranged at the front, with more "casual wear/ dress style fabrics and knits in middle and upholstery fabrics at the back. Fabrics are arranged by type (lycra, fleeces, woollens etc) on tables and racking, with offcut bins throughout offering the chance to snag a bargain at a further 25% off the marked price. There is ample space to move around most of the aisles and stock is kept neat and orderly, with prices clearly marked on roll ends in texta. Several cutting tables spaced throughout store mean that you do not have to carry rolls of fabrics very far and staff appeared willing to help move fabrics if you are unable to do so.
Stock: A simply wonderful selection of fabrics that changes regularly due to what job lot remnants have been brought – and from where- by the owners. Mainstay types of fabric (fleece, knits, evening wear) will always be in stock but styles, colours and textures may vary. Speciality and more unusual types of fabric also appear on the shop floor- during my brief visit I noted Swiss Guipure lace (vintage!!!!), woollen/cashmere coating and a wide range of swimsuit fabrics on display. There is also good selection of curtaining, sheeting and upholstery fabrics to be had. Rathdowne Fabrics buys remnant rolls from big name clothing manufacturers such as: Seafolly, Allanah Hill and Bettina Liano plus excess stock from smaller designers seeking to have a clear out – this leads to an unusual variety of fabrics to choose from. Quality is high and pricing good with many fabrics appearing to be about 25 to 40 % cheaper than what I've seen elsewhere. They also carry a range of patterns (Simplicity, Kwik Sew and New Look), notions and haberdashery, adding to the convenience of shopping there for the home sewer.
Conclusion: Lovely family owned store with absolutely brilliant staff and stock.
A stop here is a must for any fabric shopaholic living in or visiting Melbourne. Be warned if travelling by plane you will have to plan your packing accordingly – so much interesting stuff to choose from could easily send you over your baggage limit :) Eftpos facilities are available instore (excluding MasterCard and Diners) and Rathdowne Fabrics will ship internet orders both Australia wide and Internationally.
Order forms and other information can be found on their website:
http://www.rathdownefabrics.com.au/
Bonus: Dean Sunshine happily agreed to let me take photos of stock and the showroom during my next visit!! Stay tuned for future pics of some truly scrumptous yummy fabrics :)
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