Jacqueline Ayer facts for kids

Jacqueline Brandford Ayer (born May 2, 1930 – died May 20, 2012) was a talented American artist. She was an author, an illustrator, and a designer of clothes and fabrics. She even won a special Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators for her amazing work. Jacqueline started her own fashion company called Design-Thai. She also helped create textiles in India. Many people know her for writing and drawing wonderful children's books. Some of her famous books include Nu Dang and His Kite, A Wish for Little Sister, and A Paper Flower Tree.

Jacqueline Ayer's Early Life and Education

Jacqueline Ayer was born in New York City. Her parents were from Jamaica. Her father, Edward Brandford, was a graphic artist. This means he created art for things like advertisements and books. He also started The Brandford Modeling Agency. This was the first licensed modeling agency in the United States owned by an African-American.

Jacqueline's mother, Thelma Brandford, worked with clothes. She was a "sample cutter," making the first versions of clothing designs. She was also a "shop steward" for the ILGWU. This union helped garment workers. Jacqueline grew up in a special community in the East Bronx. It was called "the Coops" and was built for garment workers.

Jacqueline went to the High School of Music & Art in New York. Then she studied at Syracuse University. After that, she traveled to Paris, France, to continue her art studies. She attended several famous art schools there. These included the Académie de la Grande Chaumière for drawing, the École Paul Colin for graphics, and the École des Beaux-Arts for painting.

Starting a Career in Fashion and Art

In the early 1950s, while in France, Jacqueline Ayer worked as a fashion illustrator. She would sketch models as they walked the runway at Paris fashion shows. Her talent led her to meet famous people in the fashion world. She was introduced to Christian Dior, a very well-known designer. She also met Michel de Brunhoff, who was the editor of Vogue Paris magazine. They both supported her work.

In 1950, Jacqueline appeared in a film called Dadascope. It was released in 1961 and featured artist Man Ray. She played the black chess queen in a scene.

Returning to New York and Moving to Bangkok

Jacqueline moved back to New York in 1953. She started working for the department store Bonwit Teller. She was a fashion illustrator there. A young Andy Warhol, who later became a very famous artist, was one of her colleagues.

In 1956, Jacqueline went back to Paris for a holiday. There, she met Frederic Ayer, who was also American. They got married and traveled across Asia by boat and train. They decided to rent a house in Bangkok, Thailand. Their first daughter, Margot, was born there. Two and a half years later, their second daughter, Elizabeth, was born.

Creating Children's Books

Living in Thailand gave Jacqueline many ideas. She started drawing pictures of everyday life in Bangkok. These drawings inspired her to create a series of children's books. A publishing company in New York, Harcourt Brace, offered her a deal.

Jacqueline went on to publish eight children's books. She wrote and illustrated four of them herself. For the other four, she was the illustrator. Her popular books include Nu Dang and His Kite, A Wish for Little Sister, and A Paper Flower Tree.

Founding Design-Thai

While in Bangkok, Jacqueline met Jim Thompson. He was the founder of The Thai Silk Company. An executive from Nelson Rockefeller's company wanted to create a business based on traditional Thai crafts. Jim Thompson suggested using modern designs on his silks.

Jim Thompson recommended Jacqueline Ayer for the job. She was hired as the designer for the new company. Jacqueline decided to name it Design-Thai. The company made printed textiles, including silks and cottons. These fabrics were very popular with people from Europe and America.

Jacqueline designed both the fabrics and the clothing patterns. Design-Thai grew and opened a large shop in Bangkok. They also started making ready-to-wear clothing. By 1966–67, Design-Thai had over 400 employees. During Jacqueline's time there, their products were sold in famous stores like Harrods.

Later Career and Legacy

In the 1970s, Jacqueline Ayer worked for the Indian government. She helped them develop traditional crafts and small businesses across the country. She also spent some time in New York designing bed linen. These designs were sold in major department stores like Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus.

However, she was mostly based in London. There, she designed soft furnishings for brands like The Conran Shop and Ralph Lauren. She also wrote a book about the history of Oriental costumes. In her later years, Jacqueline continued to draw and paint. Many of her final artworks were large watercolor paintings of flowers and her personal belongings.

In 2017, two of her children's books, The Paper-Flower Tree and Nu Dang and His Kite, were republished. This happened along with a special exhibition about Jacqueline Ayer's illustrations and fashion designs. The exhibition was held at The House of Illustration in London from June 17 to October 22, 2017.