2000 - Jenny Quested

From Aussie Bonds to London Boutique

Since graduating from Whitehouse in 2000, Jenny Quested has been into people's undies - working with iconic Australian brand Bonds - and has mastered the use of print and jersey.

"Whenever I told people that I worked for Bonds, they immediately reached for their undies, men in particular, and proudly showed me a bonds waistband, quoting the tagline "very comfy undies"; it was always quite funny", tells Jenny.

In 2009 Jenny left Bonds and sunny Sydney behind for London's East-end where she secured a role with boutique fashion label Oliver Spencer as the Jersey Designer for men's and women's. The label debuted at London Fashion Week AW11 on the first ever Men's Day featuring Jenny's designs. Oliver Spencer is a small label known for its modern yet traditional English designs, with 80% of their product made in the UK. This reflects the company's philosophy and the team work hard to keep the trade alive in London while so many fashion labels continue to take production abroad.

Jenny comments on the size of the label, I am suddenly a pattern maker again, doing production, going to factories, organizing buttons, grading patterns, cutting and sewing samples, creating technical drawings, fitting garments, creating a collection, this list goes on and on. All of the things I was taught at Whitehouse, and my thanks go out to Jill and Melissa, I couldn't have made it this far without their guidance.

Jenny loves simple design with great silhouettes, getting her inspiration from such UK designers as Stella McCartney's femininity, Paul Smith's use of colour and print, and Pringle for everything knitwear.

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