Saint Garde – A store of inspiration
Melbourne Street
Sometimes it takes working with exactly the right person to make your dream come true. When sisters-in-law Brendt and Dianna Parisi opened the doors to their Melbourne Street concept store, SAINTGARDE, they knew their close relationship as well as similar interests and skills were the perfect combination.
SAINTGARDE is a space where you can indulge in creative and inspiring things and feel-good vibes. As Brendt explains, the idea for the store came about when her young children started at school. “Particularly after having kids, you really learn to appreciate that time out to go shopping, enjoy a coffee with friends and be surrounded by a welcome and positive environment. Dianna and I wanted to make a place where you could do all those things but feel as welcome and relaxed as you do at home,” Brendt recalls.
Melbourne Street has an incredible community and that unmistakeable village feel; it’s got soul — so it was the perfect place to do it! There was never any question about that!
“As interior designers and stylists by trade, we knew we could create that feeling for people. I love creating a home that you feel warm and welcome — and really, you can make any space feel like that. I grew up in the building industry and have worked in it since I was nineteen. Then, my husband and I started flipping houses and doing renovations, so this store is an extension of that passion. It’s a representation of our personal style and passion for all things design and lifestyle.
“We love creating a sense of homeliness and integrating with likeminded people and businesses to offer you fashion, furniture, gifts (including books, candles and great grab-and-go gifts), and homewares and pieces that you love as well as coffee for the soul. We choose brands based on what we have ourselves at home and we’re very loyal to them.
“With our fashion, we love up and coming labels and we’re really passionate about supporting Australian brands as well as delving into the New Zealand market — they have the most stunning materials! We also offer Scandinavian brands — a lot of their designs aren’t based on a particular body type but are about making every woman feel incredible, which is exactly what we’re about!”
And the sky is the limit for Brendt and Dianna, who are always expanding their offerings and working with likeminded people. “We’ve now integrated Floristry by Sally, which is perfect as flowers are absolutely something that can add to the feel of your home. We’re also working on doing more collaborations so we can make the most of using this amazing space for events,” Brendt says.