Starlight – Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano

Dena

Pharaoh-Pezzano

October 23 2025

I first met Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano in her beautiful boutique in Braidwood, in January 2018 [see gallery below].

Braidwood itself [hopefully still] is thoroughly delightful, so please do venture down main street and memory lanes in TRAVELLISM: “Braidwood Jan 2018.” [24/10]

Saloon Design House. The LABEL sprung shoots. The bricks and mortar? Yep pardner, er, sorry, reader, the boutique was as cool as the name sounds.

Co-founded by Pharaoh-Pezzano in 2015, Saloon was the talk of the town.

“Dressmaker Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano and her [then] business partner […] are the creative forces and owners of the boutique, where they make luxe and timeless clothing that’s inspired by the country.” – Her Canberra December 14, 2022

The physical house where the label grew was quite spectacular, a fitting backdrop and foundation for Dena’s talents and ethos.

“The Saloon HQ is a rustic [now 134]-year-old building on the town’s main strip, Wallace Street. It features vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors and an oversized chandelier. Racks on either side of the space include the bespoke clothing collection – that’s launched twice yearly – and vintage cowboy boots sourced from around the globe.”- About Regional, May 22, 2023

Dena has been a designer, dressmaker and educator in the Australian fashion, film and theatre costume industry, for over 30 years.

She has had her own eponymous label in stores, designed for major Australian design names, is sought after for her made-to-measure and made-to-order dressmaking and pattern-making skills.

Dena is a Master Craftswoman, a born with it talent became a skill honed from young, and a deep love for the Art of Clothing, Dressmaking, Material Appreciation and Human Endeavour.

“When I was a young teenager, I would make clothes from a lot of hand-me-downs, and then I would upcycle and recycle them and make them my own. My mum actually taught me how to sew in the early days, and I went straight from school to a fashion course and I’ve worked in fashion since then.” – ‘Her Canberra’ article, as above.

With appreciation of Human Endeavour comes an understanding that Planet Earth gets taken for granted. A human need to express identity, personality and mood via external presentation, a need so prevalent in all of us it’s definitely biological, has become an exploitative industry.

The upcycling and recycling and love of fashion created an awareness early on in Dena, at how wasteful and careless modern life and technology has made Human Endeavour.

It made her know with certainty that she wanted to do things differently. Right from the start, Dena declared war on fast-fashion and is today considered a respected mentor and advocate for ethical fashion production in Australia.

Dena is slowing down the [formidable capitalist foe and faux] wheel of production, prioritising quality and craftsmanship and ensuring equity for all in her periphery, creating a ripple effect and igniting others.

Cue Athena, the ancient Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Warfare, and Weaving.

According to this video on YouTube, Athena’s duty to Earth was to “act as the protectress of civilization, guiding humanity through wisdom, strategic warfare, and skill in arts and crafts. She was a patron of heroes and cities, embodying reason and justice, and she is credited with inventions like the horse bridle and the loom.”

I am pretty sure Athena wore cowboy boots. Sounds about Dena to me.

Moving to Braidwood was a ‘treechange’ for Pharaoh-Pezzano’s formerly inner [Sydney] city family, and, in today’s understanding of who we are, a quantum timeline leap perhaps.

It was fortuitous because Braidwood is where Dena’s ethos became a physical, visible commitment to changing the world. Saloon Design House. [EDITORIAL: Saloon in The City 25/10]

Saloon Design House’s physical doors closed in May 2025, for as Dena says, “a much needed break”, but its soul, goal and swag lives on into the future, with custom orders, workshops and pop-ups, boots and all, up and down the countryside.

The house’s spirit is not confined to its bricks, Dena still imbues her designs and heartwork with the SALOON trademark.

As described by her in the ‘Her Canberra’ article; “the trademark is femininity with a feminist edge [I get] inspiration for our work from counterculture across the decades, but it also celebrates rural life in Braidwood.

We love the fresh air, the big spaces, and the strong women from the town’s past and present.”

Not just as the creator of all patterns, samples, and most garments for SALOON, Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano is the very essence of the SALOON DESIGN HOUSE WOMAN.

PHOTOS:

1. Images of Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano courtesy of www.saloondesignhouse.com

2. Images of Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano at her boutique in Braidwood, taken by TS Publisher, SDDN, in January 2018.

STARLIGHT on Dena Pharaoh-Pezzano.

1. Current mood’s 5 favourite songs/pieces of music

Music has a huge influence on me, it helps me get in the zone when I’m working, what I am creating, the message I am trying to get across. What I can sing and dance around the house to…

So, ‘Higher Ground‘ by Stevie Wonder. ‘Human Behaviour‘ by Bjork. ‘Food For Thought‘ by UB40. ‘It’s a Beautiful World‘ by DEVO. ‘Commonwealth‘ by Bahamadia.

2. Time travel: when, where and why?
The 1960s, North America. The interconnectedness of anti war, civil rights, personal freedom, Women’s liberation and great fashion.

3. What is taking centre space in your mind right now?

Politics, uncertainty and family.

4. What colour would you use to describe yourself?
Red, between orange and violet, I think that’s what I see in myself. Warm, happy and sometimes fiery.

5. If you could “plug in”and learn immediately, what subject/topic/skill would you take a super-crash course in?

To be fluent in every language.

6. What sparks inspiration for you?
Music, film, culture and art. Always.

7. What is your personal style signature/ your favourite look?

Living in a cold climate, I have grown to love layers and jackets. Mixing colours- sometimes clashing, patterns- bold, geometric or floral and styles together. Either with sneakers or cowboy boots.

I love collecting jewellery from around the world, usually from Op-Shops and my friends upcycled jewellery Charleys Forest Silver.

8. What catches your eye about someone else and their style?

I love seeing people just be uniquely themselves and confident with that. It’s not defined by a label, wealth or glamour.

9. What is faith to you?
Being connected to nature, taking time to look into space at night. Feeling the big picture, rather than following a belief.

10. What’s your idea of a perfect holiday?
I always look at holidays as either working or connected to Christmas, so my perfect holiday would be to swim in an Italian summer, hike Mount Kilimanjaro in autumn, visit New Zealand in winter or wonder under the cherry blossoms of Japan in spring.

11. If you could only keep five possessions, what would they be?
Pencil, paper, water bottle, apple seeds and a blanket. How very utilitarian of me!

12. Did you always know you wanted to do what you are doing now?

Absolutely, it branches out like a tree, but always comes back to design, making and hand skills.

13. What’s your biggest indulgence?
Buying a piece of land to live on.

14. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done (so far)?

Trying to catch a red belly black snake (to relocate).

[Ed’s notes: ]

15. THREE things you love about yourself…. and ONE thing you would change.
I love that I’ve made it to 50, I love that I’ve raised 2 children, I love that I love change.

One thing I would change, my diet- I have no self control when it comes to sugar.

xx D xx

Story by TS Publisher SDDN. [” I haven’t fully shared just how much I adore and admire Dena. We clicked immediately and I wasn’t surprised to find out we share the same outlook, insight, observations, attitudes and astrological sign :). ”