“Life just sends you in all different directions,” she says casually, sipping her tea.
This seems like an understatement for Margie Andrewartha, who began her career in physical education then moved into publishing to start up some of Adelaide’s most well-known magazines in Rip It Up Publishing.
She then sold those and joined her husband in the establishment of The Tasting Room, is involved with the new wine bar, Mother Vine, and in her spare time designs a handbag range.
Oh, and not to mention she’s also a mother of two!
Each of her businesses scream success and are loved by the public in their own way, but Margie has seized the hearts of Adelaidien women almost overnight with her stylish accessory collection.
Despite being neatly tucked away along the wall of The Tasting Room, her handbag range, ‘Miss Margie’, steals the show the minute you walk through the door as the leather collection subtly captures your eye.
A holiday in Bali a few years ago suddenly turned into the creation of her handbag range when she came home with items her friends loved.
“It all started with the jewellery, with pieces like big wooden crosses.
“Then I designed bags based on I what I was looking for, and found a lady who made them to my specifications,” she said.
“I came home and suddenly people were saying, “I want your wallet,” and Miss Margie just progressed from there,” she laughs.
Margie says things “just happened”, and after being so busy with the magazines she felt she needed something to do.
“I couldn’t just be a housemother and sit around—I needed an outlet, and Miss Margie filled a void,” she said.
All her products are made from cowhide; by-products that are then stamped with either patterns or animal stencils.
So when you look at her ‘Dalmatian’ range, don’t worry, she’s hasn’t kidnapped 101 puppies for her new line, or skinned a zebra straight out of Africa for her other popular patterns.
Margie reads a lot of magazines and enjoys following the fashion industry, but admits says she’ll be hard pressed to follow trends if they “turn bizarre”.
“You’ve got to follow your own gut and design what you like because I couldn’t make something I didn’t like—I can only make things I’d use or wear,” she said.
She certainly has a lot on her hands at the moment and confesses some days have been a bit crazy, but has learnt the fine art of multitasking.
When asked if she wanted to branch out and turn Miss Margie into an international brand, she just laughed and instantly said no.
“It could be a massive business, but I’ve had big businesses before, and I don’t want that.
“I’d like to keep it small and exclusive, and I want things to be special,” she said.
And that’s exactly what her products are, as they’re individually made and contain a personal touch that’s otherwise lost in the mass market of fashion.
Despite her enormous success and life achievements, Margie is very down to earth and simply loves what she does.
The Miss Margie handbag range is something that caught our eye, and has obviously filled a gap in the market, as buyers purchase items that were designed from the heart.
Visit the Miss Margie Facebook Page here.
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