Step Into Paradise is a beautiful new book that traces the careers and creative partnership of two icons of Australian fashion: Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson.
Inspired by the bold beauty of the Australia, from flora and fauna to bush, reef and rainforest, Jenny and Linda brought a wonderful exuberance to fashion in the ’70s and ’80s that is still adored today. Step Into Paradise represents the first time that their partnership has been celebrated in print, and is being published to coincide with an exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences that features many of their stunning creations (on now until 22 March, 2020).
Today, we have an extract from Step Into Paradise on the blog, along with some photos from this must-see exhibition. Read on!
The sign on the door to Flamingo Park, Jenny Kee’s Sydney boutique, invited customers to ‘Step into Paradise’. Inside they found, enveloped in peacock-blue and red lacquer walls, a thrilling new retail environment. Flamingo garden ornaments stood amid art deco and mid-century retro kitsch, forming a whimsical backdrop to original fashion and jewellery by Jenny Kee, Linda Jackson, and a group of their artist friends. From 1974 to ’81, Jenny and Linda’s spectacular fashion parades, known as Flamingo Follies, presented their creations with wildly performative flair and provided an experience that mirrored the singularity of the store and their designs.
Fashion designers are often ambivalent about calling their work art but Jenny and Linda were always aligned to a fine art aesthetic, following their own passions and interests rather than the commercial imperatives of fashion trends. Many of their pieces were accomplished through creative collaborations with artist friends. The ethereal layers of Linda’s Delaunay chiffon dress were handpainted by artist, designer and political activist David McDiarmid using sweeping strokes from a broad brush.
When Jenny and her family relocated to the Blue Mountains in 1976, the spectacular bushland setting of their home became a major source of inspiration and spiritual sustenance for the designers. Jenny developed a bold graphic style that her talented knitters interpreted into wool and cotton jumpers, cardigans and simple tunic shapes. In 1980 Vern Lambert, Jenny’s mentor, introduced her to Italian printer Fabio Bellotti of Rainbow Fabrics, who was to successfully capture the lush colours and fine detail of Jenny’s artwork.
Inspired by their shared fascination with the Australian opal, Flaming Opal Flamingo Follies in 1981 was Jenny and Linda’s last collection show together. The creative collaboration of Jenny and Linda continued until 1982 when they found themselves moving in different directions.
Linda established her Bush Couture label, marking a shift to unstructured garment shapes. This minimal aesthetic gave primacy to her textile designs as Linda began exploring more unorthodox processes: handprinting with gumleaves and string, emulating the sheen of gumleaves with metallic inks and the shimmering rainbow of opal in fluorescent inks.
A visit to New York in 1982 opened a new design phase for Jenny. She opened a new store on the second floor of The Strand Arcade and began licensing her designs for more commercial applications. She also became active in the conservation movement, protesting the logging of the South East Forests of New South Wales, lobbying government and creating artwork for Greenpeace and Wilderness Society campaigns.
Both Jenny and Linda closed their businesses in the 1990s, their colourful Australian-infused styles out of step with the more restrained and conservative cultural and economic climate. Linda moved out of the city, travelling and living in remote areas of Australia, drawing inspiration from rainforest and desert landscapes, and participating in workshops and projects with artists in Indigenous communities. Jenny was invited to create costumes for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, undertaking one of her most ambitious projects.
Through their creative kinship, independence and imagination, Jenny and Linda reconsidered the relationship between clothing and the body. They introduced styles that marvelled at the beauty and
diversity of Australia’s natural environment while reminding us of its vulnerability. They encouraged us not to lament death but see it as part of the natural cycle of life. They enticed us to wear art and poetry on our bodies while delighting in the handcrafted and, importantly they focused our attention on the things that connect rather than divide humans — nature, beauty, spirituality, colour and creativity.
— Edited extract from Step into Paradise, introduction by Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Curator Glynis Jones, published by MAAS Media in partnership with Thames & Hudson.
Step into Paradise
The first definitive survey of two of Australia’s best known designers, Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson, spanning more than four decades of their creative practice.
Step into Paradise explores the compelling stories and creative practice of iconic designers Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson, whose pioneering style created a bold and unashamedly Australian fashion identity. Developed in close collaboration with Jenny and Linda, this first in-depth...
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