If you've got to glitter, Fleur's your girl
Fleur Thiemeyer is a person who makes pop stars twinkle a little brighter.
As an expatriate Australian who lives in Los Angeles, she is heading towards wealth and fame by designing and making clothes for the wealthy and famous.
Fleur’s clients include Raquel Welch, Rod Stewart, Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton-John, Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy and Leif Garret.
She became a part-time seamstress about 10 years ago while working as a model in Melbourne. Johnny Farnham, Russell Morris and The Master’s Apprentices were among those who wore her designs.
These days the job is definitely full-time with 10 employees to help.
“It is a lucrative business because with every tour there’s always new clothes”, Fleur said.
“It’s a never-ending demand because the bands just keep appearing.”
So far her most expensive creation has been the $3,000 outfit Olivia Newton-John wore at last year’s American Rock Awards TV show.
“A lot of them hit between two and three thousand dollars depending on the amount of work or beading involved,” Fleur said.
Rod went Arab
The most unusual designs she recalls were Rod Stewart’s Arabian harem costumes for his recent three-month US tour.
“Most of them have an idea of what they want,” she said.
“Rod and I sat down and talked about it and he wanted something like Nureyev in Valentino.
“I went home and did 14 or so sketches for him. You go back hoping you’re on the same track as them. He picked 10 of them straight away.”
“They’re all very choosey. They know what they want and you’ve got to come up with it. Some can get temperamental, but not to the extreme that it’s annoying.”
Fleur’s closest friend is Olivia Newton-John (“Liv”). She travelled on every tour with her for three years, but Fleur’s workload is too demanding to allow that now.
They met in Los Angel en where Fleur went to live about 4 years ago. Unable then to get a work permit, she decided to kill her boredom by studying for a fashion designing degree.
“Liv asked me if I’d be interested in doing some clothes for her shows,” Fleur said.
"Quick visit"
“That was how it started. She became more successful and wherever she went people would ask where she got the clothes and who designed them.”
At 28, Fleur sees her future in period-costume designing for films.
But for now she is on a quick visit home to add some final touches to the Electric Light Orchestra’s costumes for its Australian tour. (Her brother in-law is the group’s Australian publicist. David Douglas).
“It’s a 10-day rush job. I have to go back on Monday or Tuesday to start on come clothes for Leo Sayer,” she said.
And sew it goes.
By Lindsay Scott