Meet Mary Smith
Mary Smith nee Maxwell (1921-1996) was a talented and adaptable
Melbourne based fashion designer, patternmaker, ghost designer,
clothing manufacturer, author and educator working continuously
from the 1930s to 1980s.
Mary’s extensive training and experience saw her working for Elvie Hill, Pauline Reliable Paper Patterns and, as head designer, for Madam Weigel before launching her own company and label.
The Mary Smith, label focussed on the design and construction of high-end garments using premium fabrics with meticulous tailoring
and finishing. She supplied boutiques, created special garments for the Georges Christmas Catalogue and, for a time, had her own boutique in Berrick.
Mary’s design practice and work focus was shaped by managing her
family’s health. Widowed at an early age, she regularly adapted and
transitioned between designing, teaching, book publishing, and
garment manufacture. She ran sewing schools from her homes, taught
in state secondary schools and collaborated with Enid Gilchrist on
collections.
Her book Sewing for Beginners was adopted as the textbook for
domestic science in Victorian secondary schools and her publications
on making, dollmaking and learning to sew are still popular today.
The Mary Smith & Associates company she formed with her son,
Ronald Smith, introduced new manufacturing processes, streamlining
production times and reduced waste through local made to order
production.
SAEVM Dr Annette Shiell, March 2026