Former Ragtrader sales manager and founder of Fashion Forecast Services, Sharon Rae, shares her memories of working with the late Ragtrader founder Fraser McEwing.
I had the good fortune to join Ragtrader in 1984 and, to find myself working for a man who was passionate about the fashion industry, publishing Ragtrader and Menswear trade magazines and a specialised rag trade employment agency.
He managed a team of 97 per cent women from two Surry Hills terraces, an art room in another terrace at the rear and printed around the corner by his partner Laurie, along with an office (in another terrace) based in Carlton, Melbourne. Keeping fit was easy between running up and down 3 flights of stairs in two terraces and down the lane to the art room!
Fraser loved to play the piano, he spent many lunch breaks tinkling the ivories to improve his already serious keyboard skills, no-one dared to interrupt him during his ‘lesson’ time, this was his escape from all the women in his 9-5 work day, not that many days were 9-5, deadlines always meant extended hours and no-one minded.
As an employer, he was generous. We enjoyed fabulous fun Christmas bashes and he shared annual bonus from the success of the business with all the staff.
A fond memory was as the receptionist I would answer the phone and say “may I ask who’s calling”, Fraser said I spoke so quickly that it came out as “MASK” who’s calling!
Many a time he tried to drag me away from my reception role to sell advertising, having come from a sales background. Around 1986, Fraser formed Advance Fashion Publications, a service that specialised in providing international fashion trend reports and magazines to our industry. To my surprise, he decided I would be great to run this new division. I recall expressing my shock to him that I thought all womenswear designers were talented and dreamt up new garments and didn’t need magazines etc, not to mention jumping on planes to the US and UK to check out what was selling there, I was so naïve.
Around this time he bought a fax machine to replace the old Telex. He always embraced new technology with a passion even though he still bashed out his stories on his faithful (antique) Remington while the rest of us had electric typewriters. I can still hear the click clacking of the keys, the ‘ping’ of the carriage return and the sound of him ripping out the page of a finished article from the rollers. He loved to use his RED pencil when reviewing a journalist’s story. I can’t recall anyone ever producing an article that didn’t see an edit without red circles and cross outs for a rewrite.
Fraser was a generous, kind, thoughtful employer and an inspiration to many who walked through those doors, he was always available if you needed a chat, offering an ear or sage advice when needed .
I will be forever grateful for his support when I made the decision to start my own business, I’m not sure that I could have taken that leap without his advice and mentoring.
Over the past 40+ years we’ve had many conversations/discussions about “the industry”, the ups and downs, the positives and negatives - he embraced change and loved to challenge your thoughts.
I consider myself extremely fortunate that I walked through the mission brown door of 437 Riley Street, Surry Hills in 1984 and met a man who for decades has encouraged, believed in me, and, more importantly became someone I treasure and called a friend.
I will miss our chats, the laughter and the love, forever in my heart.
THANK YOU FRASER.