S9 Ep33 CALL ME THE BREEZE: Tara Rowe - on building a vintage wedding dress business from a haunted 1870s mansion in rural South Australia.

S9 Ep33 CALL ME THE BREEZE: Tara Rowe - on building a vintage wedding dress business from a haunted 1870s mansion in rural South Australia.

Author: Emily Stochl October 27, 2025 Duration: 49:48

On today's show, we're chatting with Tara, of Call Me the Breeze – where she's best known for curating and restoring vintage wedding dresses. Tara lives in rural South Australia on an off-the-grid farm with no neighbors for miles.

Last year, Tara made a huge pivot – closing her decade-old multi-brand brick-and-mortar shop to lean into her love for vintage and antique fashion. It all started when she acquired a massive collection, which included suitcases of antique bridal and lingerie, the works. Now Tara operates an online vintage studio business out of a haunted (!!) heritage mansion from the 1870s, shooting her finds in the wedding chapel.

In this episode, Tara shares about the viral TikTok video that got 13 million views and put her vintage bridal business on the map, how she sources vintage in rural areas (where collections sit untapped for decades!), and how she manifested her current career back in high school with a business project. 

It's a really fun one – let's dive right in!

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

  • [7:19] Tara sourced some of her earliest pieces for styling jobs from eBay.
  • [9:00] She manifested her current resale career back in high school with a business class project. 
  • [10:04] Moving to a small, rural town in South Australia.
  • [11:30] She opened a multi-brand brick-and-mortar shop, which she ran for 10 years.
  • [15:57] After a massive collection acquisition, Tara rented a room in a heritage mansion from the 1870s, and dove right into starting the vintage business.
  • [19:45] How living remotely gives her access to untapped collections from rural areas where people have space to store things for decades.
  • [24:00] How vintage bridal became a focus for Call Me the Breeze.
  • [24:56] The viral video (13 million views!) showing her friend's wedding dress restoration process.
  • [29:34] Her social media strategy
  • [32:58] How to clean and restore vintage wedding dresses
  • [35:25] Popular styles in vintage bridal in 2025.
  • [41:34] Her most memorable finds, including two Issey Miyake apron dresses for $12 each.

EPISODE MENTIONS: 

LET'S CONNECT: 

SPECIAL THANKS: 

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Every week, Emily Stochl invites you into a conversation that goes far beyond the clothing rack. Pre-Loved Podcast with Emily Stochl is built on the idea that every second-hand garment has a past, and that exploring those histories makes our present style more meaningful. Rather than just offering shopping tips, each episode feels like sitting down with a fascinating friend who shares your passion for vintage, digging into the many layers of what it means to wear pre-owned fashion. You’ll hear from a diverse range of guests-from collectors and stylists to entrepreneurs and historians-as they explore not only personal style but also the practicalities of running a resale business, the complexities of the global second-hand market, and the environmental ethos behind choosing used over new. The heart of this podcast lives in those incredible stories: the serendipitous flea market find, the garment that carries a decade of memories, or the simple, powerful act of giving a piece a new life. Emily guides these discussions with genuine curiosity, making each topic accessible whether you're a seasoned thrifter or just curious about sustainable fashion. It’s a thoughtful, engaging look at how what we wear connects to culture, art, beauty, and the kind of mindful consumption that can reshape an industry. Tune in for a fresh perspective that celebrates the character, sustainability, and deep personal connection found in pre-loved fashion.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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