Jenny Kee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jenny Kee AO
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Jenny Kee in October 2012
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| Born |
Jennifer Margaret Kee
24 January 1947 Bondi, New South Wales, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
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Label(s)
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Flamingo Park |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of Australia (2018) |
Jenny Margaret Kee (born January 24, 1947) is a famous Australian fashion designer. She is well-known for her bright and colourful designs, which often feature Australian animals and plants.
Contents
Jenny Kee's Early Life and Journey
Jenny Kee was born on January 24, 1947, in Bondi, New South Wales, Australia. Her family background is quite diverse, with a Chinese father and an Australian mother who had Italian and English roots.
When she was 18, Jenny left Sydney and moved to London. There, she began her career in the fashion world as a model. She even appeared in advertisements for Canadian Pacific Air Lines.
Jenny Kee's Fashion Career Highlights
In 1965, Jenny Kee moved to London and became part of the exciting "Swinging London" scene. She started selling cool second-hand clothes to hippies at the Chelsea Antique Market.
Opening Flamingo Park Boutique
In 1972, Jenny returned to Australia. The next year, in 1973, she opened her own fashion shop called Flamingo Park. She teamed up with another talented designer, Linda Jackson. Together, they wanted to create a unique Australian fashion style.
Iconic Designs and Collaborations
Jenny and Linda worked together to make amazing outfits. They created bright and colourful jumpers made from pure Australian wool. These jumpers often had designs of Australian animals and plants.
One very famous jumper had a knitted koala on it. It was nicknamed "Blinky." Diana, Princess of Wales, wore this jumper to a polo game in 1982, making it super famous! Jenny Kee also used the waratah flower a lot in her designs.
In 1982, the famous designer Karl Lagerfeld even used some of Jenny Kee's designs in his first collection for Chanel. Jenny and Linda also worked with artists like David McDiarmid and Peter Tully. These artists would hand-paint fabrics or create jewellery to go with their outfits. The Flamingo Park shop was located in the Strand Arcade in Sydney and closed in 1995.
Later Achievements and Recognition
In 2006, Jenny Kee wrote a book about her life called A Big Life. In May 2012, she showed her designs in a solo fashion show for the first time in over 30 years.
- In 2013, Jenny Kee received the Australian Fashion Laureate award. This is a very important award in Australian fashion.
- In 2015, she worked with Woolmark to create a new collection of merino wool clothes. These designs were inspired by her older, famous pieces, including the koala jumper worn by Princess Diana.
- In 2016, Jenny Kee's work with Linda Jackson was shown in a big exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. The exhibition was called "200 Years of Australian Fashion."
- In 2018, Jenny Kee was given a special honour: she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
- In 2019, a combined exhibition of Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson's work was displayed at The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
Jenny Kee's Personal Life
In 1977, Jenny Kee married Australian artist Michael Ramsden. They were married for 21 years. Jenny and her daughter, Grace, were survivors of the Granville rail disaster. In the 1980s, Jenny became interested in Tibetan Buddhism. She has described the Bardo Thodol as her "Bible."
Jenny Kee in Books and Films
Jenny Kee is mentioned in a book by Richard Neville, who was an editor of the Australian magazine Oz. She is also played by actress Nina Liu in a film called Hippie Hippie Shake, which is based on Neville's book.
