Fashion designer Jenny Sun inspired by Vivienne Westwood, Katharine Hepburn
Shanghai-raised designer running her own label in London tells Denise Marray she admires Westwood and Hepburn for their independent streak, and credits the London School of Fashion for making her a 'pattern engineer'
Shanghai-raised Jenny Sun, of London-based label By Sun, talks about being inspired by British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and actress Katharine Hepburn.
"Both of my parents were involved in business, and I really sought to learn from that. However, my inclination veered towards creating rather than the logistics of business itself.
"My mother encouraged my creative side and would give me old clothes to repurpose. I spent high school turning old clothes into something new and interesting. Fashion just seemed like a natural career path for me."
"She was the first woman to wear trousers in Hollywood, at a time when they were widely regarded as being 'unladylike'. This showed her spirit of independence and ability to stand apart from the crowd. The '40s era has inspired the whole collection. In that decade the shapes were quite classic. You can see that girls' school uniforms of the era have influenced my designs. We have tried to balance the masculine silhouette with feminine textiles."
