urban walkabout sydney shopping

Behind the Label:
PELLE

By Alexander Kendrew & Laura Keneally

Like some kind of dream shoe store, Monica Schnieper's store Pelle has something to satiate the secret Imelda lurking somewhere deep inside of you.

Pucci, Gucci, Prada, Blahnik. You name it, she’s got it. Schnieper has a knack for getting her hands on high quality, rare and unusual pieces.

Schnieper is passionate about originality. The joy of shopping at Pelle is that everything is a ‘one-off’. It’s important to buy when you spot it because you might never see it again.

Growing up in Switzerland, Schnieper's eyes were opened to the unique beauty in high quality second-hand wares. She has her grandmother to thank for her pre-loved appreciation. It was with her at the age of eight in a Zurich fleamaket that Schnieper knew: “pre-loved is my destiny,” she says.

Schnieper’s dream took time and hard-work. She studied shoe-making in Sydney where she learned technique. The idea for Pelle came to her while working for a high profile boutique in Double Bay. Schnieper discovered that people don’t always shop out of necessity; she got to imagining homes full of shoes that had only been worn once or twice. Schnieper spent two years in Zurich saving up, then came to Sydney and did the government run NEIS course, which helped her set up a business plan. Pelle opened its doors for trading in 1996. “It was a dream come true,” Schnieper says.

Schnieper understands the qualities shoes need to possess in order to please. They have to be well-made, comfortable and above all, according to Schnieper, “desirable.”

“There’s something very sexual about shoes,” she says.

With a largely consignment-based stock, Schnieper has regular clients as far away as Alice Springs who supply her with treasures. She is very, very particular about what she accepts: “the pieces must be a label and they must be unusual,” Schnieper says. Her high standards make Pelle stand apart.

The concept of pre-loved filters down to Monica’s entire life. At home she recycles everything: “I am really proud to be a recycler on a bigger scale.”

Schnieper requests that fellow lovers of quality second-hand let her know if you are searching for a particular brand, colour or style. She calls it her “wish list.” Tell her your shoe or accessory fantasy item and she will write it down and keep it in mind. But be warned; prepare to be seduced by Schnieper’s wares. Only walk in cashed up. Schnieper is adamant you leave satisfied.