Sonia Stradiotto shares what’s happened during her 34-years in the fashion industry
As designer Sonia Stradiotto faced her darkest hour, she not only prevailed but prospered … Find out how
Lifestyle
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She is the Gold Coast’s queen of couture, … and her 34-year reign has helped weave the social fabric of this city.
From politicians to socialites to celebrities, it seems Sonia Stradiotto knows everyone, dresses every body and serves every charity.
Maybe that’s because with more than three decades in the fickle fashion industry, she’s survived it all - from economic downturns to death to divorce.
With a civic heart as gorgeous as her gowns, both Sonia and her designs can be seen at almost every charity event in the city, many of which are sponsored by her business. Because for this mother of fashion, who has two children of her own, building a personal connection is the core of not just her couture but her character.
In fact, it’s the very reason why, as her Marina Mirage-based Sonia Stradiotto Couture salon faced its darkest hour, she not only prevailed but prospered.
Exactly three years ago, as Queensland shut down at the dawn of the pandemic, Sonia was sure this was the end.
Instead, it was an entirely new beginning. Rather than retire, as she had once planned, she is currently wrapping up a documentary series about her journey, preparing to publish a masterclass course for budding designers and retailers, and creating a coffee table book of her collections.
“I started my business in fashion in 1989 with a little shop in Southport, so I’ve lived through the recession we ‘had to have’, the GFC and Covid,” says Sonia, whose Pretty Woman boutique in Davenport Street sold out of stock within its first three days back in 1989.
“The pandemic was definitely the biggest challenge. I thought it would end us, instead we ended up with our biggest positive change, growth and success yet.
“The reason why we came out the other side bigger and better than ever before is because we spent that time connecting to our clients. I’ve always believed in the power of personal relationships, that’s the reason why bricks and mortar stores still exist and focusing on that is the only way they can continue to survive.
“When the first seven-week lockdown started, instead of sitting here and feeling sorry for myself, we started a competition where everyone had to dress up in Sonia Stradiotto Couture at home and post it online.
“The first person who joined in was Charlie Robinson. She put on her ballgown and stood in the garden hosing the plants … and that was it, everyone was in and they loved it.
“It created so much connection during the loneliest of times. Everyone who submitted a photo received a $100 voucher for when we reopened, and the winner received $1000.
“But the greatest prize was the messages I received during this time. One woman DM’d me and said she lived alone and was not coping during lockdown. She thought about taking pills and never waking up, but the competition and the connection kept her going every day and she made it through.
“It awakened in me a sense of purpose. Fashion is my love, absolutely, but now I know that connecting and supporting people is why I’m here.
“That’s why instead of retiring, as I planned, I decided to relaunch myself into my career. I want to leave a legacy … and that’s part of the plan with the documentary, the masterclass and the book.”
After her first boutique, she launched Sonia Karadimos Design Studio under her previous married name, then Bliss by Sonia Stradiotto and now simply Sonia Stradiotto Couture, but it’s always been the same woman and same vision.
Indeed, fashion is not just Sonia’s passion, but her inheritance … as is her love of this city.
Her parents, Mariette and Nino Alda, were of Italian heritage and moved to the Gold Coast from Melbourne when Sonia was just four years old.
Mariette was a tailor and managed many of the Gold Coast’s best boutiques in the 1970s, while her Nino, was a well-known musician who played at the city’s top hotels and became musical director at the Chevron Hotel.
Given her European ancestry, her mother formed a close relationship with former mayoress and Parisian Jenny Neumann, joining the inaugural Mayoress Committee to raise money for local charities and later becoming patron of the Gold Coast’s Italian Club.
“Both of my parents are gone now, but the Gold Coast is what keeps me connected to them. I will never leave this city,” she says.
“I grew up here and my parents helped build the community, I’ll always be so proud of them.
“I was in the very first class at Benowa High, I was a foundation member and my mother designed the uniform, she was so talented.
“We lived in Benowa back then and nobody even knew where it was … now it’s the centre of the city.
“I’ve been offered so many opportunities abroad but I could just never leave the Coast. I love this city, I love Queensland and I love Australia. I love that my shop is at Marina Mirage, one of the most iconic buildings on the Coast.
“It’s not easy building a career in fashion, and even more difficult when you’re in Australia and not in a capital city, but you can use that to your advantage.
“I don’t try to be anything other than Sonia Stradiotto from the Gold Coast. Bold and bright, colours and sequins, that’s what this city is all about. We want people to look at us and we’re not afraid. By embracing that identity, I have clients from all over Australia and the world … I embrace the glitz and glamour that brings so many visitors to our shores.”
It’s not only her connection to the Coast but its people that keeps Sonia in this city.
From clients to charities, she says her greatest job satisfaction comes from building relationships.
“I will throw as many events as I can, but it’s not about socialising or even selling, it’s about creating purpose. Every event, from a morning tea to a ball, I want it to benefit this city in some way … it has to help someone, somewhere.
“I bring that same sentiment to my business as well. The dollars that I make come from how I make my clients feel … the secret of my success is relationships.
“The fundamentals of connecting and caring are what every retailer needs to concentrate on. If I’m a customer, talk to me, connect to me, give me eye contact, remember me … give me something that I can’t get online.
“In my business, you are always someone. I’ve done your wedding, your divorce party, your grandchild’s christening and your back-to-dating dress.
“The reason I’m successful is you, and that is something I can never forget.
“I may be the only couture house in this city, but that doesn’t mean that other people in retail can’t afford this same service. I want to see everyone thrive.
“The stronger the local industry is, the better we all are … and the better the Gold Coast.”
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