Occasionally life gets in the way of what we want to do. Even the things we ought to do sometimes need to be rescheduled. It happens to everyone. At some point. It helps to be understanding, for one day we are going to need it. Our October Photographer of the Month for September has experienced just such an overload…however we are delighted to bring you a Saturday Special featuring some more of her work.
Sometime back in 2008 I discovered Frou Frou. Actually a friend of mine excitedly told me about Frou Frou and how much she thought I would love it. Ever since my visit back then, I haven’t needed much of an excuse to go in for a browse, listen to some great music playing and chat with other Frou Frou aficionados who happily browse the racks and tables stacked with vintage goodness.
Frou Frou started as a stall at the Rozelle markets over eleven years ago. It then moved to Lilyfield before settling on Springwood as its home. Last year, Frou Frou moved into a larger, brighter and more comfortable space in Springwood, a space that feels as though you’re walking in to your best friend’s home for a chat and cup of tea.
But it’s not just the diverse range of vintage that Frou Frou stocks that makes it so appealing. Yes, there is furniture, vintage and pre-loved men’s and women’s clothing, linen, jewellery, shoes, books, music scores, glassware, crockery, millinery and so much more. It’s not even the constantly changing stock, the vibrant and quirky window display brimming with eclectic knick knacks.
t is the friendliness and warmth of Parisa and her family, who greet everyone who walks through their door as though they are long lost friends, that makes Frou Frou the warm and inviting place you want to keep coming back to. Speaking with Parisa during a brief lull, I learnt that one of the secrets is to remain surprising and fresh, as well as accessible to as wide an audience as possible.
This was certainly the case the morning I spent at Frou Frou shooting these photographs. Customers of all ages ventured in for a browse and a chat; conversations begin and before you know it, you’re listening to tales recounted by those who were there when vintage was current; mothers wandered in looking for that special gift for their teenage daughters, some were looking for a party outfit for themselves, others for their grand-daughters.
All the while, the conversation and laughter is flowing as the soundtrack of yesteryear is playing in the background. I can’t imagine a more pleasant way to spend a morning!
If vintage is your thing, don’t wait too long to pay your first visit to Frou Frou. Best of all, if you happen to be visiting the upper mountains, Frou Frou also have an outlet in Katoomba!
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