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Paul Jellard (1946 - 2002)

JELLARD

Posted By: Barry Mateer (email)
Date: 7/27/2024 at 17:22:12

The Sydney Morning Herald
June 29, 2002
Sydney, Australia

Paul Jellard, fashion retailer, died recently at the age of 56 from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease which afflicts the neurological system. He ended up wearing an Emporio Armani jacket with a Thierry Mugler shirt, Jil Sander pants and, on the only place that he would conscionably wear the brand, Burberry socks. In his possession were: sunglasses; a wallet stuffed with a variety of denominations; frequent-flyer cards; the Conde Nast Traveler 2002 Hot List, Vogue, Wallpaper, W and his reading glasses, which he had taken full responsibility for.

Epicurean, balletomane, businessman, connoisseur, voyeur, arbiter, traveller, taskmaster, teacher, but above all, practitioner of an assured style, Jellard arrived in Sydney from New Zealand in 1965. Of English stock with a bit of French way-back-when, his father, Doug, was a warehouseman, his mother, Alma, a housewife.

A third son, he attended Mount Roskill Grammar where he was breaststroke champion and excelled at the piano (Alma was a piano teacher). In 1963 he was granted an American Field Service scholarship to ATTEND SCHOOL FOR A YEAR IN OSCEOLA, IOWA.

On his return, Jellard spent a few frustrating months at Auckland University before taking a job with the New Zealand Government Tourist Bureau. There, unfortunately, his concentration was distracted by the necessity of wearing regulation long white socks with shorts. A situation vacant with P&O Shipping next appealed and he was able to start satisfying a lifelong desire for travel. Jellard then headed across the Tasman and into the opportunity to create his perfect world.

In 1974, after working in the Sydney office of P&O, a quick switch to British Airways and a small stint in PR, Jellard opened Five Way Fusion. Situated in Sydney's Paddington, the store sold imported men's wear, transforming Jellard's life as much as it did the look of many of Sydney's more aware males. With considerable savvy he proceeded to de-scruff a couple of generations of men - fathers, brothers, sons, straight or bent, even the suspiciously curly. They all shopped with Jellard, allowing him, and his staff, to divine their look. (He was scathing about the standards people applied to cars, houses and entertaining, only to baulk at the price of a garment.)

Naturally, apart from the men who found their way there, so did wives, sisters, lovers and mothers. In 1995, this prompted Jellard to extend into the neighbouring store and start selling women's wear. Despite his bon vivant behaviour, the bottom line was always about business, which is precisely what made Jellard that rare creature: a good retailer.

When buying, he purpose-bought with a specific client's particular requirements in mind. A maintenance service was introduced, furnishing preferred cobblers, drycleaners and laundries. There was often also a delicious waft about the place, indicating that a premise-prepared meal, with an appropriate wine, might be offered. Five Way Fusion, which Jellard sold in 2000 for an undisclosed sum, continues to trade.

Before lifestyle became a marketing definition, it was simply how Jellard chose to arrange his life and once he had organised the wherewithal, there was to be no looking back. He was a firm believer in the ease of hotels and travel was a major passion. He visited Thailand more than 120 times, with The Peninsula Bangkok throwing him a party on arrival. Dance always held an attraction and Jellard began a collection - which he maintained with the meticulous determination that fashioned much of his personality - of rare books, programs and photographs on the subject, the bulk of which were eventually sold to the research library of the Australian National Gallery. He supported the Sir Malcolm Sargeant Cancer Fund for Children and the Australian Opera, the latter becoming a major obsession when Jellard despaired of what he perceived to be happening to ballet.

Forties furniture, unfussed food and the designs of Fornasetti were enthusiasms, as were literature and the arts. Jellard's personal philosophy was based on a French proverb which can be vaguely translated as: "What matters is not life, but a beautiful life."

Possessor of a natural hauteur, that rode a royal mile to condescension when disturbed (which, in truth, revealed a certain vulnerability within), Jellard also wanted the very best, in every aspect of their lives, for everyone he knew. He experienced a number of significant close companionships and could call on a global circle of friends. His humour was ribald (his long-time favourite joke was so foul it was banned, but when everyone relented, he had forgotten the punchline), he eschewed orthodox dogmas, his curiosity knew no bounds and his instinct was acute.

Taken to the Bahai Temple on the Monday before he died, Jellard spent 25 minutes in quiet contemplation, then said, "Get me out of here, before I get sold the dream," safe in the knowledge that he'd realised most of his own.

Tremors began to affect Jellard's hands in 1999. When they persisted and gradually progressed, he was referred to Professor Bruce Brew of St Vincent's Darlinghurst neurology department, who diagnosed the sclerosis. As his muscles collapsed, Jellard ultimately replaced cane with wheelchair. However, in public, with a dignified discretion, any limitations were explained away as being the result of a fall. In 2001 he took his last buying trip to Milan.

He made his final departure sometime in the early hours of June 11, with his head on a down pillow, his body pointing toward the Pacific. Jellard's life was celebrated at a Buddhist ceremony (not that he was over-fond of animals), where Beethoven's Sixth (the First and Fifth movements), the Third and Fourth of Strauss's Four Last Songs and Sondheim's Children Will Listen were heard. His ashes - which, by arrangement, are flying first class - will be scattered in the garden at The Peninsula Bangkok, a vineyard in New Zealand and Paris.
Jellard is survived by his father Doug and siblings Bruce, Ross and Keith.


 

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