Noosa fashion icon Tilly Saunders curates vintage fashion collection
Noosa socialite, international model and DJ Tilly Saunders has created an enduring style – with items worth up to $5000 a piece. Take a look inside her wardrobe. FULL GALLERY
Sunshine Coast
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A Noosa socialite and style icon with a penchant for vintage designer fashion has explained how she avoids mass produced items by curating her wardrobe – with handbags worth up to $5000 – with a conscience.
Tilly Saunders, who is also a fashion stylist and co-owner of Noosa cocktail bar Nudge Nudge Wink Wink, has carefully curated and edited an extensive collection of designer vintage clothes, shoes and accessories acquired over several decades.
“I have designer bags and designer shoes and I have some designer clothes but it’s mostly thrift and vintage which I think allows you to be more creative with the way you style things,” she said.
“Plus it’s more sustainable and good for the environment, so that’s my shtick, my inspo and I really try to stay away from fast fashion.
“They’re also one-off pieces so you’re not going to be dressing like everyone else, you’re going to be different.
“Not challenging so much, but just super fun and I love the retro,” she said.
Ms Saunders, who now works as a DJ at exclusive bars and launches for brands including Tiffany and Dior was raised in New Orleans and moved to New York where she worked as a model and actor before travelling to Australia and settling on the Sunshine Coast.
Tilly says she has bought a lot of items on eBay in America, but has also trawled second hand stores in the UK, USA and Europe and been gifted items from family.
“My Chanel bag is from my mother-in-law, it’s darling,” she said.
“I wear it all day, every day, it’s my go-to.
“It’s right before Lagerfeld started designing, so it’s early 80s and it goes with everything.”
She said she preferred sustainable fashion labels like US brand Reformation and Byron Bay brand Chasing Unicorns who she describes as “vintage for the future”.
“They’re all about the fair labour act, and you pay,” she said.
“It’s super expensive but it’s quality, it’s not fast fashion.”
Ms Saunders said she inherited a love of old world elegance from her maternal line.
“My Mum was super stylish,” she said.
“I think in the ‘80s everyone was naturally just stylish, because that was just such an amazing era for fashion.
“She was always really chic with the blazers with the collar flipped up which I love and I do that today, cause it’s a timeless look, you know with denim or a dress.
“You can do so much with a blazer.”
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