Jane’s Story
Growing up amongst the hills in Sassafras Vic, Jane always had an innate interest in fashion.
”I encouraged Jane to sew by buying her a child’s sewing machine which was totally useless so then she progressed to an old treadle. She did the usual things like paper dresses on a figure from a book and also loved me to draw her a Cinderella dress which my auntie Shirley had done for me. It somehow held fascination for her. She once told me that sketch (very amateur) sowed the seed for her later interest in bridal. When she was a teenager she did some work in the local vintage shop in Belgrave and would come home with vintage evening bags, lace and all sorts of beads and glitter. Amongst numerous other items she made herself an outfit to wear to Oaks Day, a woolen dressing gown for her father and blouses involving pin tucks and lace insertions.Then came a defining career moment as out of the blue she started at Box Hill TAFE in a pattern and dressmaking course.Even on holidays she would not travel without lots of fabric ,pins and at least one dressmakers mannequin (much to the surprise of airline staff!)’ - Memories from Jane’s mother - Marie Hill
She always aspired to break into the fashion world and make a name for herself. Taking a leap of faith with her infant daughter in the 80s, Jane moved to Adelaide to pursue a job in pattern making at Just Jeans. It was during this time that her passion for wedding gowns and the art of design was solidified.
After working in her home studio making wedding dresses, Jane opened her first studio on Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn in 1990 where she began to build her reputation in a quaint, intimate setting.
By the mid-90s, Jane moved to a large corner store on High St, Armadale, where she only grew her reputation and began to make a significant impact on the bridal industry.
When I was about thirteen I discovered a bridal shop in my home town Melbourne, Australia called Jane Hill Bridal. It was situated on the corner of Kooyong Rd and High St in Armadale, a rather opulent suburb of Melbourne. In the glorious round display window there were always the most beautiful Cinderella dresses on display, with tulle and lace and long veils. Whenever my Mum and I would drive past the store I would look at the beautiful dresses in awe and think “One day, when I get married, I want to have a Jane Hill Dress”. - excerpt from Elise Bloom, past Jane Hill Bride.
In the mid-2000s, after a business decision to merge Jane Hill with another bridal brand, Jane felt she lost her direction within the company. Determined to regain her footing, she set out on her own once more. Starting anew with nothing but her name, she returned to her roots, working closely with brides to create custom creations, ensuring the highest quality and workmanship.
During this time she worked with brides in both London and Melbourne, working with the likes of the Packer’s and Branson’s.
Sadly, in 2013 Jane passed away, but the business continues on in the capable hands of her two daughters who continue to work on Jane’s vision of creating high quality designs.
