MELBOURNE – Precision, determination and perseverance, paired with a touch of genius, have propelled Dom Bagnato from Tatura, a small town in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, to the most prestigious shopfronts across Australia and New Zealand.
His success spans forty years, but the foundations of his lifelong commitment to fashion were evident from childhood. After a brief and unenthusiastic stint in a barber’s shop, he found his way to his godfather’s tailoring business - despite his godfather’s repeated efforts to dissuade him.
“He kept trying to put me off it,” Bagnato recalls, “but once I got behind a sewing machine, I never left.”
Like many defining moments in life, his career took shape during a time of personal hardship. As a teenager, he was hospitalised for weeks after suffering immense trauma upon hearing of his sister’s tragic death in a car accident.
With time passing unbearably slowly, he began sketching; imagining garments and bringing them to life on paper.
“That was when I realised not only that I could draw but that there were possibilities I had never considered before.”
With a new sense of opportunity, he made the bold decision to leave home at just sixteen, moving to Melbourne to live with his aunt and uncle. The city, full of promise and energy, didn’t disappoint.
Before long, he landed his first job with Sackville, one of Australia’s leading clothing manufacturers at the time.
“There were no fashion schools in Melbourne back then - only the Melbourne College of Textiles,” he explains.
Taking evening courses, Bagnato deepened his understanding of fabrics and pattern making, eventually earning a role at the Commonwealth Government Clothing Factory, where he designed military uniforms.
“The specifications for uniforms were so detailed that they helped me become a skilled pattern maker—a skill that later led me to become head designer for another major fashion house.”
Despite his steady career progression, Bagnato harboured a growing desire to build something of his own.
At 27, a new father, he took the leap into entrepreneurship. With unwavering support from his wife, Pia, he launched his own business in 1984.
But just two years later, disaster struck. “We lost our house, our car – everything,” he shares.
Even now, the memory stirs deep emotions. He vividly remembers the pain of breaking the news to Pia and the fear that he wouldn’t have the strength to rebuild.
“It was ten at night when I left that meeting with the accountant, who told me we had nothing left,” he recalls. “I got home, woke Pia and told her everything.
“She sat up in bed, looked at me and simply said, ‘Okay, we’ll start over.’
“And that’s exactly what we did.”
In this moment of crisis, Bagnato’s reputation and strong industry relationships proved invaluable. Travellers Apparel offered a joint venture, giving him the opportunity to relaunch his brand.
“I’ve been very lucky,” he says repeatedly throughout our conversation.
But he’s quick to clarify what he means by luck. “It’s the kind of luck you create for yourself - by working relentlessly and never giving up, no matter the challenges.”
Dom Bagnato
His belief in forging one’s own destiny is reflected in an anecdote he shares. Ready to depart for Italy, where he and Pia planned to finalise details for a potential move, Bagnato ran into an acquaintance, Sam, at Melbourne’s iconic Pellegrini’s café.
“Sam had a tailoring shop nearby and casually mentioned he wanted to sell it,” Bagnato says.
“That thought stayed with me the entire trip. On the way home from Italy, I told Pia I wanted to buy the shop,” he recalls with a smile.
In 1990, Dom Bagnato opened his boutique on Bourke Street, right in the heart of Melbourne.
The early ‘90s, however, were tough. Australia was in a deep economic recession and his business struggled just a year after opening.
Then, out of the blue, he received a phone call from Lloyd Williams, the founder of Crown Casino. “He asked if I made women’s clothing. I said yes - even though that wasn’t my field.”
That impulsive answer led him to design two entire wardrobes for Williams’ wife, creating the patterns and sewing the garments himself.
From there, things turned around. His brand gained momentum and he dressed another prominent Australian businessman, Lindsay Fox, the founder of logistics giant Linfox.
Over the past 40 years, Bagnato’s journey has been filled with challenges, triumphs and countless stories of resilience. His company has expanded and evolved, but his hands-on approach remains unchanged.
“I still handle the design and marketing myself - not just because I love it, but because it’s crucial to the brand.”
His sense of style is deeply rooted in his heritage. “I grew up with the classic Italian idea of La bella figura - always making a good impression,” he shares.
“Even though my family was of modest means, my father owned three or four beautifully tailored suits and wearing them made him feel incredible.”
This appreciation for elegance has shaped his entire career, guiding him to create collections that are both timeless and ageless. Two or three times a year, he travels to Italy to personally select fabrics and attend trade fairs.
“It’s essential to soak in the atmosphere, to be inspired,” he says. His creative process is structured yet intuitive. First, he envisions the collection, then he selects fabrics and sketches designs based on what he’s seen and felt.
“By the third day, I place my orders. By the end of the week, I have the collection mapped out,” he explains.
“Sometimes, when I return to Australia, I rethink everything - but blending creativity with market awareness always leads to a strong collection.”
Like anyone who has achieved success, Bagnato has made sacrifices. “I’ve given up a lot to follow my dream,” he reflects.
“But when you work obsessively and push yourself beyond limits, your destiny awaits.”
“If you have passion, if you refuse to give up, you’ll find your own luck,” he says.
“I had to endure some incredibly tough times before my opportunity arrived.”
