In honor of the launch of the new Florence Broadhurst collection by Selamat, this Library Friday is about the fantastical life – or lives – of the Australian handprint wallpaper designer, Florence Broadhurst.

Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret & Extraordinary Lives is a dazzling portrait of one woman’s flair for the theatrics in life and her mysterious unsolved death.

Throughout history, our society has been drawn to the idea of transformation.  Whether it is a peasant girl becoming a princes with glass slippers, or a man who is wrongfully imprisoned turning himself into the Count of Monte Cristo.  Even in today’s society we are consumed with hiding our true identity. We all know the phrase ”what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”  Florence Broadhurst was a woman way before her years.  By the early 1920’s, she was touring with a performance group in South East Asia and China.  Eventually she established a finishing school in Shanghai.  After that venture she moved to England as a French fashion designer.

By the early 1950’s she moved back to Australia with her husband and son.  There she re-imagined herself as a high society aristocratic English lady.  Through a love and hobby of art she became a well know painter and eventually a hand drawn/ hand printed wallpaper designer.  She created bright, bold patterns inspired by her worldly travels. Her death in 1977 is still an unsolved case.

This publication is a must for anyone who has a deep love for life, intrigue, reinventing of identities, and a passion for stunning, bright, bold patterns.

As an exciting aside, steve mckenzie’s is thrilled to be carrying the new Florence Broadhurst collection by Selamat and we’ll be celebrating our new offering at a launch party on Wednesday, September 7th. Reach out to the team at steve mckenzie’s for more info!

Here’s to Library Friday!!