Thea Basiliou is a revered stalwart of Brisbane’s fashion community. She is the stylish force behind Blonde Venus, an iconic fashion boutique that broke the mould and led the way for a new retail scene in Brisbane.
Thea is a respected industry mentor and supporter of emerging Queensland designers, lending over 20 years experience and a national and international profile. She talks to The Fashion Archives about her early beginnings, starting with her childhood in Nambour, her first design label, her stint at the Brisbane Arcade, and her savvy decision to open up an avant-garde boutique in Brisbane’s seedy Fortitude Valley in 1995.
Thea also shares some of her eclectic interests and influences, including the formative scenes of fashion, art, and dance music in the 1980s and 1990s. In reflecting on Queensland’s fashion past, Thea makes some enlightened predictions for the future of Queensland style.
Published in Issue 1, on August 27, 2013.