Karen Jenkins
Costume Designer, Industrial Fashion
Karen Jenkins lives in West Footscray and was enthralled by Industrial Fashion at the Art & Industry Festivals in 2016 and 2018.
Karen's research into the Red Robin factory operating in Altona in the '50s and '60s, showed it to be a very progressive workplace of its time. With Karen’s day job being in human resource management, this social industrial history was of great interest to her and was an ideal subject for Industrial Fashion.
Karen loves fabrics, vintage fashion, watching costume dramas, op shops, upcycling clothes fashion exhibitions, and so asked her long-time friend, Ruth Gallant, who is highly skilled in pattern making and garment construction, to collaborate with her on the project.
The costume design is inspired by the factory building located at 119 Pier Street, Altona. The building is now owned by the Finnish Society and is significant as an example of European Modern style applied to an industrial building.
Karen would like to thank the Finnish Society in Altona for the photos of the building’s façade showing the Red Robin signage. The photos were taken in 1971 when they purchased the building.
See Karen's work during the Festival in Industrial Fashion