Cassie McCullough

And now we'll turn to Madeleine St.

John's The Women in Black.

I'm Cassie McCullough and Kate Evans is here with us.

As always, and also our guests today are medical doctor and writer Yumiko Kodota and Radio National's presenter of The Money, Richard Aidey.

And now let's go to the 1993 novel set in the 50s.

Well, I have to get this out there straight away.

One of my favourite places on earth.

Ah yes, my family know that I'm a tragic for David Jones and I can just go wafting into there and not spend a cent and have a perfectly lovely day.

They're actually in an apartment store called Goods but it's right on Hyde Park right near the Archibald Fountain and it's really no secret I think that it is based on David Jones, the big Sydney department store flagship although of course you know it's very different now and under different ownership but

It's the heyday of that store and the ladies wear section is where we find ourselves with a cast of characters who are women on staff there.

I feel like I almost need to bring you an accent.

She is a migrant from Slovenia, the home of, of course, Melania Trump.

Just in case you'd forgotten that little detail, Richard.

No, but she's come from Europe and the wars intervene in life and she came as a refugee.

And she has this sort of awesome sense of style, of...

of classic design, of a silhouette, about what makes an outfit and therefore the person wearing it sing.

And it's very sophisticated.

And she brings all of this.

Since arriving in Australia, she has met Stefan, who she has married.

They met at the refugee camp and they