MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Drive Time
  • Video
MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Drive Time
  • Video
Subscribe
Kendall Jenner asks Harry Styles which song of his is about her
Watch 1:10

Kendall Jenner asks Harry Styles which song of his is about her

{headline}

{headline}

Prince Charles Gets Royally Caught Up In Counterfeit Art Scandal

Prince Charles Gets Royally Caught Up In Counterfeit Art Scandal

 Brisbane's Hottest Hotel Honours Art's Power Couple

Brisbane's Hottest Hotel Honours Art's Power Couple

Sarah Blasko Gets Candid About Female Friendship

Sarah Blasko Gets Candid About Female Friendship

Bumble Brings Their BFF Mode To Life For International Friendship Day

Bumble Brings Their BFF Mode To Life For International Friendship Day

{headline}

{headline}

This Is The Important Reason The NGA Is Opening Its Doors For 24 Hours On Saturday

This Is The Important Reason The NGA Is Opening Its Doors For 24 Hours On Saturday

Taylor Swift Makes History At The 2019 American Music Awards

Taylor Swift Makes History At The 2019 American Music Awards

Jennifer Lawrence, Phoebe Waller-Bridge And Amy Schumer Hung Out And We Are Not Coping!

Jennifer Lawrence, Phoebe Waller-Bridge And Amy Schumer Hung Out And We Are Not Coping!

{headline}

{headline}

Meet Australia's First Wellness Warrior

Meet Australia's First Wellness Warrior

Artist Hiromi Ozaki Is Changing The Future With Her Gender-Led Installations

Artist Hiromi Ozaki Is Changing The Future With Her Gender-Led Installations

Confessions Of A Female Brewer

Confessions Of A Female Brewer

Girls With Nagging Mums End Up Being More Successful

Girls With Nagging Mums End Up Being More Successful

These 40 Quotes From Incredible Women Are All The Empowerment Inspo You Need

These 40 Quotes From Incredible Women Are All The Empowerment Inspo You Need

Girl Boss Michelle Battersby On Her Exciting Next Step

Girl Boss Michelle Battersby On Her Exciting Next Step

Sally Obermeder And Maha Corbett On Their Biggest Business Mistake

Sally Obermeder And Maha Corbett On Their Biggest Business Mistake

  1. Home
  2. Fashion

Weekend Plans: Catch Jenny Kee And Linda Jackson's Fashion Exhibition

Colour me happy - by Saskia Tillers
  • 15 Nov 2019
Weekend Plans: Catch Jenny Kee And Linda Jackson's Fashion Exhibition

We sat down with the iconic design and art duo ahead of their exhibition opening...

MC: Your exhibition Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson: Step Into Paradise explores your creative partnership over the past 40 years. Take us  back to the day you first met...

LJ: It was at an exhibition in Sydney, and we just stood there and looked at each other.

JK: It was creative love at first sight. She looked straight out of a ’50s movie, and designed and made these exquisite clothes. There was an instant camaraderie. When we were together it was like we were in a bubble – we only vibed with each other.

Jenny Linda

Jenny & Linda in the early years

Jenny Linda

MC: From your infamous liaison with John Lennon to selling clothes to Mick Jagger in London, Jenny, what was it like being in the epicentre of a legendary era?

JK: It was a completely unique situation because there will never be another Chelsea Antiques Market [in London], where we dressed up in vintage Balenciaga and Fortuny with the most fabulously creative people. [But] when I came back to Australia afterwards, it had the energy of a country that was about to happen – so I never looked back.

MC: Jenny, you opened Flamingo Park Frock Salon in Sydney’s Strand Arcade in 1973, which stocked many of Linda’s designs. What were those early days like?

LJ: We’d come from travelling the world in opposite directions, so all the things we’d been inspired by joined up. We weren’t the type of people who wanted to have a big business. [It was] personal, the way we’d greet people, make friends with everyone.

JK: It was an amazing hub that attracted all the actresses, artists, musicians, singers and lm directors. People flocked [in] not just to see what beautiful things we were making, but [also for] the atmosphere – even [to hear] what music we were listening to. We set trends.

LINDA

Jenny & Linda in the early years

LINDA

MC: Jenny, you’ve said before that growing up as a mixed-race child in Australia helped you learn to embrace your differences.

JK: It did, because I [grew] up in a racist country. My Chinese relatives wanted to t in. But when I hit puberty, I thought, “I am different and I want to be different.” There was strength in not being like anyone else. I was going to leave my mark – “I’ll show you!” I had that drive. I knew this face was something people weren’t going to forget.

MC: In 1982, a photograph of Princess Diana wearing your “Koala” jumper went viral, and the following year, Karl Lagerfeld used your opal designs for 65 garments in his rst Chanel show. What was it like being catapulted onto the international stage?

JK: That was a big moment, because Princess Diana was the princess dream of all. She looked so gorgeous – I loved her being in my knit. The whole thing with Karl Lagerfeld, well, equally he was transfixed by [our designs]. People were falling in love with Australia, discovering it for the first time through lm and music, and we were sort of pioneering that discovery.

jennykeeoz View Profile
1,373 likes - View Post on Instagram
Bless you Princess Di..36 years ago 💛🙏🌟💛 #jennykee #wool #australianfashion #australianartist

MC: You were ahead of the times in your approach to sustainable fashion. Why was that?

LJ: We’ve always had a love of the ocean, the blue sky and the bush. We were never thinking about making things you’d wear once and get rid of – they were bespoke, special. And we’re still wearing them!

MC: You’re both style icons, but looking back, are there any outfits you regret wearing?

JK: Mistakes are fabulous. There can’t be any regrets. That’s the only way to see life. I could never change anything about the way we did everything, because we had unlimited freedom. We just did it and the world took notice.

jennykeeoz View Profile
872 likes - View Post on Instagram
WOW! Big Billboard! Only 2 weeks to go..Our Show 'STEP INTO PARADISE' Opens 17 October @powerhousemuuseum @opallindaoz #jennykee #lindajackson #powerhousemuseum #stepintoparadise #maas

Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson: Step Into Paradise is at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney until March 22, 2020.

This article originally appeared in the December issue of marie claire Australia. 

  • News
  • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Events
  • Celebrity

Free MECCA MAX Gift- worth $111

When you subscribe to marie claire.

Subscribe Now
Free MECCA MAX Gift

Free MECCA MAX Gift- worth $111

When you subscribe to marie claire.

Subscribe Now
Free MECCA MAX Gift

Recommended to you

Kendall Jenner asks Harry Styles which song of his is about her
Watch 1:10

Kendall Jenner asks Harry Styles which song of his is about her

{headline}

{headline}

Prince Charles Gets Royally Caught Up In Counterfeit Art Scandal

Prince Charles Gets Royally Caught Up In Counterfeit Art Scandal

 Brisbane's Hottest Hotel Honours Art's Power Couple

Brisbane's Hottest Hotel Honours Art's Power Couple

Sarah Blasko Gets Candid About Female Friendship

Sarah Blasko Gets Candid About Female Friendship

Bumble Brings Their BFF Mode To Life For International Friendship Day

Bumble Brings Their BFF Mode To Life For International Friendship Day

{headline}

{headline}

This Is The Important Reason The NGA Is Opening Its Doors For 24 Hours On Saturday

This Is The Important Reason The NGA Is Opening Its Doors For 24 Hours On Saturday

Taylor Swift Makes History At The 2019 American Music Awards

Taylor Swift Makes History At The 2019 American Music Awards

Jennifer Lawrence, Phoebe Waller-Bridge And Amy Schumer Hung Out And We Are Not Coping!

Jennifer Lawrence, Phoebe Waller-Bridge And Amy Schumer Hung Out And We Are Not Coping!

{headline}

{headline}

Meet Australia's First Wellness Warrior

Meet Australia's First Wellness Warrior

Artist Hiromi Ozaki Is Changing The Future With Her Gender-Led Installations

Artist Hiromi Ozaki Is Changing The Future With Her Gender-Led Installations

Confessions Of A Female Brewer

Confessions Of A Female Brewer

Girls With Nagging Mums End Up Being More Successful

Girls With Nagging Mums End Up Being More Successful

These 40 Quotes From Incredible Women Are All The Empowerment Inspo You Need

These 40 Quotes From Incredible Women Are All The Empowerment Inspo You Need

Girl Boss Michelle Battersby On Her Exciting Next Step

Girl Boss Michelle Battersby On Her Exciting Next Step

Sally Obermeder And Maha Corbett On Their Biggest Business Mistake

Sally Obermeder And Maha Corbett On Their Biggest Business Mistake

MarieClaire
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Pacific Magazines
  • Partners
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Statement
MarieClaire Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Pacific Magazines
  • Partners
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Home Beautiful
  • Instyle
  • Who
  • Women's Health

Pacific Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Men’s Health
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • All Recipes
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • Practical Parenting
  • 7travel
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
© 2019 Pacific Magazines
Get more from Marie Claire

Magazine Subscription Offer

Free MECCA MAX Gift- worth $111

Shop This Offer
Free MECCA MAX Gift