Shirl's Story

“I’m almost 80, I’m still sewing and I frigging love it.” - Shirl


Shirl, in her workroom

When you walk into Shirl’s workroom, you notice scissors everywhere. There’s a pair on almost every surface you look at. Specifically, steel fabric scissors with red painted handles. Shirl is my grandmother - Shirley Nocente. The story begins with her. We’ve always had makers in our family, right from the very beginning. 

 
The infamous red-handled scissors.

The earliest memory starts with Ellinor Maud Hooper (my great grandmother) who was the wife of a dairy farmer in Deep Creek, Gympie, Queensland. She sewed, not for a hobby, but out of necessity. Ellinor had 5 daughters and had to make clothes for all of them. There were no store bought clothes on the dairy farm. Ellinor made everything from the bloomers on their bums, to the jackets that protected them from the sun and the cold. Once the girls turned 12, they were shown how to use their family’s treadle sewing machine and taught to make their own clothes. 

 
Shirl's favourite Juki straight stitch.

Fast forward to 21, Shirl was given her own domestic sewing machine for her birthday. It was at this juncture that she became fully invested in sewing, learning all the ins and outs of a sewing machine. After much trial and error, her sewing machine became an extension of her body, something she knew how to control like an additional limb. 

 
Shirl, contemplating her next creation.

In 1966, an airforce relocation moved Shirl to Malaysia with two kids in tow, and a third on the way. She lived there for three years and upon her return, opened Leilani Gallery, an import-export business specialising in South East Asian paintings, sculptures and fabrics. Leilani was just the beginning. Unfortunately, the fabrics were not selling as well as Shirl would have liked. She quickly learned to overcome and adapt and switched gears. The fabrics were turned into men’s shirts. Of course, not wanting to waste a single scrap - the scraps were turned into bikinis. 

 
Shirl's Juki overlocker.

Soon thereafter, Leilani Gallery was sold and Suncoaster Sportswear opened on Weyba Road in Noosa. Shirl ran with the clothing concept and continued on making men’s shirts, but what she really became famous for were her bikinis. After yet another move, this time to Noosa Junction, Suncoaster Sportswear re-opened and Suncoaster Vogue was born - a fabric shop just two doors down. These two businesses grew hand in hand, the fabric shop supplied all fabrics and haberdashery needed for their clothing business. Suncoaster Sportswear was a special business - it was where locals and tourists alike went for all their swimsuit needs. 

 
A shirt, repurposed from a vintage tablecloth.

Shirl became known for her 24 hour turnaround tailor made bikinis - business boomed. In the 1970’s it was impossible to buy bikini separates - which is where Shirl came in. Not only were they using the scraps from the shirts that otherwise would have gone to waste, they cornered a niche market allowing women to buy only one bikini if they weren’t a “perfect size”. Prior to visiting Shirl, women would need to buy two bikinis - one to fit the bottom and one to fit the top. At Suncoaster Sportswear, not only did you get one bikini, but you also got your high leg, or cheeky bum, triangle, or bandeau top. The customer got exactly the fabric, style and fit they wanted. All within 24 hours. 

 
Leo's artwork.

Over the course of the next 20 years, the shops were sold, manufacturing moved to a home workshop and Shirl slowly moved away from customer based sales and more towards wholesale. She partnered with shops on Noosa’s famous Hastings Street as well as other high end resort boutiques in Queensland. At the peak of her career, she was living out on a 70 Acre property in a country town called Cooroy and had a staff of 10 people to help with the manufacturing. Her workroom held between 15-20 specialised commercial sewing machines: there were straight stitches, overlockers, button holders, button sewers, blind hemmers…etc. She had the works!

Leo's paints.

In the early 1990’s Shirl moved back again to Noosa Junction and opened “Sarona”. It was at this juncture that she moved away from wholesale and focused on tailor made resort wear. Sarona thrived in Noosa Junction for about 10 years before moving into semi-retirement. Shirl and my grandfather, Leo moved into a two story house which enabled them to work from home. They lived upstairs and had the workroom downstairs. They’ve lived in the same property ever since. Shirl has downsized the business and only takes on a few clients and has opened up the other side of the workroom to make room for Leo’s art studio. 

Leo and Franchesca.

 

Creativity runs in my family. We have dressmakers, artists, leather makers, jewellers, photographers and just general tinkerers. Our hands are never idle, always dreaming up the next project.