Property of Zephyr
Paddo & Bondi Markets & New Online Shop
Property of Zephyr = a lifestyle choice that gives this local small business owner the freedom to enjoy life & make a good living
“Whether I’m working a street corner or a market stall, well, that’s none of their business unless they’re buying. The anonymity is comfortable, like going around draped in magic, hidden from view.”
― Cat Hellisen, When the Sea Is Rising Red
Sydney-siders have always loved the weekend ritual of getting up and being outdoors, trawling local markets for clothing, jewellery, artisan made crafts, bric-a-brac, vintage furniture & more. Markets have an intoxicating feeling of community. It’s very social & super casual – a place where you can chat with the locals, wander around with friends, and support stallholders by spending your cash away from the mainstream, mass-produced shopping centres where most things are homogenised, and getting out of the carpark can send you to straight to a therapy session. Markets are outdoors - fresh air, sunshine, live music, stallholder food, and interesting wares – what’s not to love? With more & more of us making consumer choices in line with our values set of sustainability, supporting local, and doing better for the planet, local markets have become an important place to put your money where your mouth is.
Jen Dowd has been working weekends for almost 20 years running her clothing label, Property of Zephyr at Paddington & Bondi Markets. It all started in 2003, when Jen & an old school friend from New Zealand were sick of their day jobs, so started creating clothing & accessories at home in Bondi to sell at the local markets. Now running as a solo enterprise, Jen continues to sell her label at both Paddington Markets (Saturdays) and Bondi Markets (Sundays). She loves it. Her label is a collection of pretty, simple, understated women’s clothing – flowing dresses, knitwear, outerwear & soft pretty tops made of linen, the softest cotton & more.
These days, there is far less sewing at the kitchen table, with Jen sourcing her collection both locally & overseas. Without the overheads that come with a bricks & mortar presence, the cost to the buyer is unbelievably good value.
Bondi Beach is still home after relocating from New Zealand over 20 years ago, and trading at the markets affords Jen a lifestyle that is, frankly, very enviable. Her weekdays are fairly free, apart from when she is doing some buying, designing, and ordering for the business. Her work hours on the weekdays are completely up to her, allowing her to surf, exercise, relax, socialise or do absolutely nothing whenever, and however, she wants to. Property of Zephyr turns over enough to make a good living, and she is free to travel whenever she wants to because if she doesn’t want to work on a particular weekend or weekends, she doesn’t have to. Downsides? Of course there are. Every job has them. For Jen it is inclement weather, rain or high winds, that can mean the markets are cancelled or business is slow. It doesn’t seem to get her down or deter her from continuing the market-lifestyle she has created for herself.
For Jen, like so many others, COVID meant she was unable to work. The markets were not allowed to run, only The Growers Markets kept trading. While it was frustrating, Jen is grateful that the government COVID Relief package meant she could still pay the bills. It also gave her the time to consider going online and launching her website and online store. Considering she has run her business for almost 20 years, the lockdown period was a welcome break for her, a sort of forced long service leave. Jen has been grateful for the opportunity to have all of her weekends off during the past five months. Now that she has an online presence, it will require some more working hours, but she plans to outsource the marketing so she can continue to enjoy the flexibility and freedom she has enjoyed for so long.
Paddington & Bondi Markets are the last to reopen for trading, commencing in December. Jen is looking forward to getting back into trading at her well-established market locations. If you can’t get to the markets, you can peruse her collection online. It’s a perfect way to shop and support local for something new to wear, or a gift for someone special.
Property of Zephyr
Saturdays – Paddington Markets
Sundays – Bondi Beach Markets
E: enquiries@propertyofzephyr.com
