Mitch Dowd: Underwear designer and artist sells South Melbourne home and studio
The artistic home of Mitch Dowd at 242 Bank Street, South Melbourne, has been snapped up.
The local artist and designer behind the Mitch Dowd underwear brand has sold his unique South Melbourne residence that he also used as a studio.
The former grocery store, boarding house and fur retailer-turned-family home sold for massive $2.46m – $60,000 after it was called on the market.
Dowd previously told Property Confidential he and his wife were selling the 242 Bank Street house in order to move regionally, where he was eager to return to his artistic roots of his painting practice.
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The stylish interior.
A spacious and sleek kitchen.
A living area with plenty of space to hang your art.
Greg Hocking Holdsworth Albert Park agent Max Mercuri said “upwards of 80 groups” inspected the sought-after residence before three bidders fought it out at auction.
“We had lots of creative types look at it,” Mr Mercuri said.
“(The buyer) was a lady from Sydney who has relocated to Melbourne.”
“She’s planning to update it but the charm is the period details – that front living area has about 12ft (3.65m) high ceilings.”
He said the spacious rooms and the overall “feel of the home” helped get the sale over the line.
“And the position, 100m walk to the South Melbourne Market, MSAC at the end of the street and Albert Park.”
Mitch Dowd with his designs in 1996.
Period details run throughout the home.
Dowd told Property Confidential in March of his country move: “I just wanted to get back and paint, I used to paint before (designing) boxers and I tried to paint during boxers.
“I love painting and I love art and it suits me — that’s what I studied and wanted to do, boxer shorts was something I did for fun, and it just took off and thankfully made me some money.”
Dowd left the underwear company in the early 2000s but has stayed on as a consultant, creating about six designs a year for the brand.
The charming courtyard.
And there’s even a balcony.
The 1898 red-brick building has been reimagined for modern living following Dowd’s extensive updates to the home over the years.
He purchased it back in 1997 and has lived there on-and-off over the years, moving between stints in the country and Italy.
“When I first bought this place, it was pretty rundown,” Dowd said.
“The front room was my studio and I was painting and exhibiting then. That’s now our living room — it’s got a lot of history.”
– with Alanah Frost
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