“I asked myself, if I had been given six months to live, would this be what I’d be doing?” Leanne Coates recalls, her arms laden with plates and cutlery in a bustling restaurant. The answer, as it turned out, was no. For Leanne, that moment of clarity would become the quiet ignition behind Cavaletti Gallery - a retail studio where fashion, art, and life’s slower rhythms intersect in the regional town of Kyneton.

A cancer diagnosis, she says, “in part” led to the change. “And a desire for a smaller, quieter existence, to turn my textile passion into a living and a professional practice.” The transition from hospitality to fashion might seem dramatic, but to Leanne, the connection was natural. “Provenance, environmental awareness, agriculture, a farming and industrial workforce we need to change, waste and pollution—they’re all interconnected. Fashion, fibre, food and wine tread parallel paths.”

For over three decades, she built a life in the Macedon Ranges hospitality scene, cultivating not just cuisine but community. “Running a hospitality business brings you close to your local community, your customers, fellow businesses, suppliers… I came to value both the artistic and design community I was part of.” That sense of connection, she says, “translates to a retail setting,” where warmth and welcome are still central to the experience.

Cavaletti Gallery began, in part, out of necessity. “In the beginning, it was the only way I could afford to establish myself,” she explains of her decision to open a store that doubles as a working studio. “Now I can’t imagine working any other way… Folks often say they feel moved and inspired by a visit to my shop. I have intentionally created an immersive environment to be enjoyed.”

The garments themselves tell another story - one of process, patience, and pride. “Slow Fashion for me is ultimately not running to trends, deadlines, contrived seasons or KPIs,” Leanne says. Her designs begin with fabric, not the other way around: “I purchase fabric first and design a garment that works for it… My designs are a practice in restraint - ‘shibui’ - allowing the fabric to speak.”

Japanese textiles, with their integrity and artisanal heritage, play a central role in her collections. “Choosing is the hardest part,” she admits, “but I am informed by texture, weight, and colour as well as print… I literally draw from my own stock for my biannual collections.” The result is a rhythm of small batch, limited edition garments that feel personal and considered.
In Kyneton, Cavaletti Gallery sits as a quiet counterpoint to fast fashion and mass retail. “Independent retailers make up a critical part of the regional streetscape,” Leanne says. “There are as many interesting and personal stories behind retailers as there are behind cafés, art galleries, restaurants, wineries… That’s what sets us apart.”

As for what’s next? She smiles. “Strengthening and growing my own brand is my main focus, but it’s a slow burn - and I’m fine with that.” Workshops are on the horizon, as she plans to share her knowledge in visible mending, slow stitching, and traditional Japanese techniques. “There is so much healing to be found in craft,” Leanne says. “It can be symbolic and significant in our daily lives… and enhance our wellbeing.”

CAVALETTI GALLERY
LEANNE COATES
STORY BY MAHMOOD FAZAL
PHOTOS BY PETER TARASIUK

CAVALETTIgallery
Leanne Coates
37A Piper Street, Kyneton
@cavalettigallery
cavalettigallery.com