Linda Jackson

Linda Jackson (born 15 September 1950) is a pioneer Australian fashion designer, fashion retailer and artist. Biography Jackson was born in Melbourne bay side suburb of Beaumaris. Her parents were ballroom dancers and encouraged her creative instincts. She studied fashion and design at the Emily McPherson College (now part of RMIT), and photography in Melbourne. In 1966 she left to travel in Asia and Europe. She regarded these travels as her "university of life". She travelled through Papua New Guinea, Asia and onto Europe and England. Jackson returned to Sydney in 1972 after working as a dressmaker in London. She visited workshops and collecting the fashions of Parisian couturiers, studying how to cut on the bias, drape and other intricacies of hand-made clothing such as hand-rolled silk hems. Her favourites were Vionnet and Paul Poiret. Jackson favoured quality fabrics such as tafetta, crepe de chine, chiffon and silk georgette. After meeting designer Jenny Kee in 1973 at an exhibition opening at the Bonython Gallery in Sydney, they established a business partnership and opened Flamingo Park Frock Salon, a boutique in The Strand Arcade, Sydney in 1973. She remained partners with Kee until 1982 when Jackson created the Bush Couture and Bush Kids labels. This period also saw Jackson collaborate with artists Bruce Gould, Deborah Leser, David McDiarmid and Peter Tully, who hand-painted fabrics for Jackson's dresses and provided jewellery to complement her outfits.