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Design Hunter® Q+A: Jenny Kee

Design Hunter® Q+A: Jenny Kee

Australian fashion iconista, Jenny Kee has made a decidedly colourful splash in Melbourne with the launch of a new limited edition capsule collection of knitwear, ‘A new beginning’, developed in collaboration with The Woolmark Company. Presented at Pieces of Eight gallery as part of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, the range uses digital knitting technology to bring to life some of Kee’s most iconic patterns.

Photography above: Damien Bennett for Sunday Style

Name:

Jenny Kee

Where you are from/live:

Blackheath in the Blue Mountains, NSW

What you do:

Designer/Artist

When did you first know you wanted to be a Designer/Artist:

When I was ten years old.

Your latest project:

A New Beginning – collection of limited edition knitwear with Woolmark.

 

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Please tell a bit about this, what were the highs and what were the challenges? How did you overcome these?

Each piece in this collection – A New Beginning – is a limited edition of 50.

The collection references my iconic patterns from the archives made with Italian natural yarn from Zegna Baruffa a 100 percent ‘cashwool’ premium superfine merino wool which is the highest quality in the world and utilises digital knitting technology to create the ultimate modern Australian knitwear. 

One of biggest challenges was to translate my multi-coloured handknits into high-tech digital technology.

Working with a great team in Hong Kong and here in Australia and with beautiful wool was a highlight of the project.

Where you find inspiration:

Australian nature and particularly the bush around where I live and Aboriginal art.

 

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Three people that inspire/excite you:

Aboriginal artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Sonia Delaunay Vern Lambert and Anna Piaggi 

What is your favourite…

Car/bike/plane/boat model: Nothing in particular

Chair model: Rolley Clarke bush chair

Residential space: Where I live now in Blackheath

Commercial space: The Museum of Modern Art in New York – the building provides a seamless backdrop to the art.

Decorative product: My Flamingo Park sand blasted mirrors – made especially for the shop in 1973.

Functional product: My father’s (nearly) 100 year old wok and my mother’s collection of cleaning cloths.

 

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Handmade good: My Jenny Kee knit.

Mass-produced good: My check flannel shirts.

Item in your studio: My oil pastels

Time of day to work/play: Late and into the night for both

Meal: Anything by Kylie Kwong

Restaurant: Billie Kwong at Potts Point, Sydney

Drink: Fresh green juice with tumeric

Bar: Don’t go to bars

Piece of technology: My phone

 

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Historical figure: Tibetan Buddhist Master – Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro

Fictional character: Mr Moonface and all the characters from The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

Vice: Always running late

Virtue: Faithful friend

What does the term ‘Design Hunter®’ mean to you

Searching high and low for the perfect object 

Who are two people you’d call Design Hunters®?

Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales from Romance was Born as they are always looking for the perfect designers and artists to collaborate with.

 

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Jenny Kee

jennykee.com


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