Iconic Aussie designer Jenny Kee makes a comeback with kidswear collab
For her collaboration with babywear and bedding brand Halcyon Nights, Kee revisited some of her most iconic designs, including the ‘Blinky’ koala jumper worn by Princess Diana in the 1980s.
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“Sometimes, when you’ve got a small business, you just have to take some chances,” Kym Purtell, founder and creative director of Australian babywear and bedding brand Halcyon Nights, told Inside Retail.
That was the thought that went through her head the day she decided to email internationally acclaimed artist and designer Jenny Kee about collaborating on a collection of kids’ clothes and blankets. To her delight, Kee said yes.
“When I was little, her work inspired me so much. It was the colour [she used] and also the picture knit work…it just really inspired my imagination,” Purtell recalled.
Kee revisited some of her most iconic picture knits for the collaboration, including the ‘Blinky’ koala jumper worn by Princess Diana in the 1980s, which made Kee a household name, and the ‘Bush Paradise’ design.
“I want this new generation to grow up in Jenny Kee designs, full of colourful optimistic love of the Nature of Oz,” Kee said in a statement.
Called Halcyon Park, the collection marks the first time Kee has collaborated with a children’s wear brand. Previously, she has teamed up with designer label Romance Was Born.
Launched on Monday, the collection includes knitted jumpers, cardigans, beanies, and blankets, as well as cotton bodysuits, leggings, bibs, and mittens for kids from 0-5. Garments are for sale exclusively on the Halcyon Nights’ website, and in select retail stores and galleries.
A baby gift you can use
Halcyon Nights was founded in Melbourne in 2015 as a ‘functional gifting brand’ for babies.
“When I first had my daughter, I was living in a single-fronted terrace with no cupboards, and a lot of the things you get, you just can’t use. So there was a strong drive for me to create things that you could use,” Purtell explained.
She drew on her background in fashion retail – she was the co-founder and director of the 2000s-era multibrand retail store Fat – to understand how the brand needed to be packaged and merchandised in stores.
“That really clear picture enabled me to get a strong product up that would retail and sell really well, but also gave [people] so much joy,” she said.
Initially selling through markets, the brand is now stocked in children’s boutiques and gifting and homewares stores around Australia, and business is going really well, Purtell said.
“It’s grown so much more than I expected it to,” she said, noting that she’s seeing a lot of international sales.
She attributes this to having a really clear vision and a collaborative approach with different artists, which keeps things fresh.
Purtell sees her products as more than just clothes; they’re works of art that can be passed down from generation to generation.
That’s why she’s looking to make Halcyon Nights more sustainable. She stopped using plastic packaging a few years ago, and is currently exploring organic fabrics.
“It’s nice to be able to make changes that are positive for the environment and people,” she said.
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