Designer Liza Emanuele has closed her Adelaide fashion store at King William Rd, Hyde Park, in the wake of a six-figure tax debt
ADELAIDE designer Liza Emanuele is closing her up-market boutique a year and a half after The Advertiser revealed she was being pursued over a six-figure tax debt.
- Liza Emanuele owes $113,000 tax bill
- Liza Emanuele’s fashion business has been wound up by federal court
ADELAIDE designer Liza Emanuele is closing her up-market boutique a year and a half after The Advertiser revealed she was being pursued over a six-figure tax debt.
Ms Emanuele announced her decision to close the retail space at King William Rd, Hyde Park after seven years by posting a public letter on Facebook, which was also emailed to customers on her mailing list.
In it the mother-of-two announced she was having a closing-down sale and had no immediate plans to open another “physical shop front” because she was restructuring her business.
The new business model would focus on made-to-measure bridal and special occasion orders “by appointment only”, she said.
“In the immediate short term I plan on working with my custom clients and taking a little time off to concentrate on being a mum and spending more time with my young family,” she said.
She declined to be interviewed by The Advertiser, but made a statement through her publicist in which she said she was “excited about this next stage”.
“Moving to a more bespoke service is what feels right for me right now. I really want to focus on my brides, future bridal business and custom orders,” she said.
The statement also said she was working on “some exciting projects”.
“After some downtime I may release a few seasonal capsule collections via my website,” she said.
Her eponymous label, which was founded in 2005, has always been made in Adelaide and this will continue to be the case with bridal wear and custom orders.
In July 2015, The Advertiser revealed Federal Court action could force Ms Emanuele to shut down her Hyde Park-based retail business if it failed to pay back $113,107.96 relating to her business activity statements to the Australian Taxation Office.
Two months later the ATO obtained an order to liquidate Liza Emanuele Retail and the company was wound up.
At the time Ms Emanuele released a statement to her customers saying she intended to keep running her King William Rd boutique as part of a separate fashion business.
Ms Emanuele began her fashion career working in retail for Sportsgirl, later working for the brand as a designer while living in Melbourne.
She also worked for world-renowned Adelaide fashion house George Gross and Harry Who and designed outfits for the Tour Down Under podium and Clipsal 500 grid girls.
Her first solo label IT Girl and Liza Emanuele have featured in fashion festivals including Australian Fashion Week in Sydney and the Adelaide Fashion Festival.
The latter’s creative director Chris Kontos said the festival had been proud to showcase Ms Emanuele’s designs describing her as part of its “family”.
“Liza Emanuele is an iconic South Australian fashion designer who has played an integral role in growing the Adelaide fashion industry through her eponymous brand, her mentoring and support of others,” he said.
Liza Emanuele’s Heights of Fashion
■ 1992: Studies at fashion design school Istituto Marangoni in Milan, Italy.
■ 1994: Joins George Gross and Harry Who as a design assistant.
■ 1999: Moves to Melbourne to design for Sportsgirl, Kmart and Myer.
■ 2001: Releases own label IT Girl under the George Gross and Harry Who umbrella.
■ 2002: Invited to make her debut showing at Australian Fashion Week in Sydney with IT Girl.
■ 2005: Launches eponymous label Liza Emanuele.
■ 2006: Represents Australian designers at G’Day LA celebrations in the US.
■ 2008: Launches Emanuele Brides.
■ 2009: Opens retail store on King William Rd, Hyde Park.