From railway towns to high-end fashion floors, from love found and lost to a legacy that lives on, Kath Devine is a woman who dreamt big and dressed Shepparton in style.
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At 91, Mrs Devine still clearly remembers her early life.
Born in Moss Vale, NSW, she was one of seven siblings.
Her father worked as an engine driver on the railway, a job that required frequent moves, especially during World War II, and because of this Mrs Devine attended schools in various locations.
From a young age, she also harboured an entrepreneurial spirit.
“I always wanted to be a shop owner. Even as a child, I used to create pretend shops,” she said.
Her clothing store was a testament to that childhood dream, filled with items from Australian designers, carefully curated by Mrs Devine herself during her frequent trips to Sydney and Melbourne.
At 18, she started her fashion career with a job at David Jones in Sydney.
From her home by the Hawkesbury River, where she lived with her parents, it was a considerable commute lasting more than an hour.
“I’d catch the train to David Jones every day,” she said.
“My first role was on the exclusive sixth floor — not just anybody could go up there,” Mrs Devine said.
While in her early 20s, she found love and married John Devine.
The couple were together for a few years and, during that time had two sons, Anthony and Michael.
Eventually, however, they decided to part ways.
“Our interests simply diverged over time,” Mrs Devine said.
“But we remained close friends.”
Fate had another chapter for Mrs Devine.
During a visit to Shepparton, she met Peter Serafini, a man who would become an integral part of her life for over two decades.
This new relationship eventually led her to relocate to Shepparton in 1974 along with Michael and Anthony.
“It was Peter who brought me to Shepparton,” she said.
After moving, Mrs Devine took up employment at Fairleys in Shepparton, later transitioning to a role at a small local shop known as Dilettante.
Soon, she moved to a room at a local business, A Pinch of Salt, where she embarked on her own venture.
“I painted it, went to Sydney, found some clothes, and brought them into the shop,” Mrs Devine said.
She fondly recalled the women from Save the Children who showed interest in her venture and even offered to organise a fashion parade the night before her opening.
She seized this opportunity, which turned out to be the first of many successful events, several of which were in aid of Save the Children.
Mrs Devine’s shop, which opened in 1978, thrived during the prosperous 1980s.
“My customers often bought not just one, but two dresses,” she said.
However, like all stories, hers encountered moments of hardship.
Most notable was the loss of Peter.
His passing in the 1980s from cancer wasn’t just a personal blow to Mrs Devine; it also marked a turning point for her shop.
“Peter was unwell for a few weeks, but he never complained,” she said.
“He died of cancer.
“He was very much loved in Shepparton.”
In the wake of Peter’s death, the business she had built with him by her side felt his absence deeply.
The following decade, in 1996, illness forced Mrs Devine to close her shop, marking an end to an era that had defined much of her life.
“It was very sad,” she said.
Despite this, her journey wasn’t only about fashion but also about people, relationships and the community.
“I had some wonderful customers,” she said.
Post-retirement, Mrs Devine keeps herself busy with exercises, knitting and spending time with friends, many of whom she met during her time as a shop owner.
“I go exercising, and I spend time with lots of friends I’ve had since I owned the shop,” she said.
Despite the closure of her shop, Mrs Devine reflected on her past with gratitude, cherishing the memories she created, the customers she served and the joy of running her own business.
“I’ve had a great life, and the people in Shepparton and Echuca particularly were just wonderful,” she said.
It is clear that Mrs Devine’s journey is not only about fashion.
It’s about love, resilience and the courage to follow one’s dreams.
And she wears it all stunningly.
Cadet Journalist