HISTORY
This new chapter in my life is a dedication to the richness of culture and art from the women who created beautiful objects in my family and passed their knowledge down to me. I cherish their voices & their knowledge as it flows through my veins and my heart
My Nan, Annie Muir, was a Scottish tailor from Glasgow. She always said ‘I will not cut a piece cloth if it was not high quality, as it was not worth my effort and my time to tailor it.’ I feel her around me almost every day as I am working on making beautiful pieces in my collections, art and spaces. My Nan Peggie (Margaret) Donovan, was a highly skilled crafter, always would say to me ‘God gave you those special gifts you need to use them to make good.’ Both of these women had a huge part in my life and their talents and knowledge run through my heart. My Mum, Jeanette Donovan, a sewer and creative, is always behind me and supporting my creative pursuits. My Dad, Vince Donovan, was a film maker and director, who also supported and encouraged us to be creative professionals.
I truly believe fashion can be made to make and do good things. Its beauty and power can help to change lives in the most profound ways. My next journey is using this to power me through like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of my beloved brand Pure Pod, est 2006! With the knowledge and growth, I learned in the ups and downs of business and as a pioneer designer in the sustainable fashion world and watched it evolve.
My heart is empowered by the beauty of our surrounding Ngunnawal lands elevating its fullness, texture and scents into my work, education and art. This land has always been and always will be Aboriginal land and we have so much to learn from them and their ancestors about caring and loving the land with compassion, insight and harmony.
Protecting the pure essence of life and environment in the things I create myself and hand to you in my design practices and my education slow design workshops.
Our aim is to create a true reflection of our ancestral heritage of tailoring and slow fashion techniques of sublime beauty and respect for our planet for you to enjoy. Bridging time and knowledge from a time when clothes were cherished and cared for and the Sunday best hung proudly in the wardrobes of all women.
Enhancing our female family heritage in the art of textiles and fashion by making things to last, to be loved and cherished for decades.
Sharing stories of past and present about our clothing from the farm through to skilled techniques of the makers to you the wearer then to the end life cycle of a garment.
History
BUSINESS OWNER
2012- 2024 - Pioneer founder / Owner / Creative Director / Sustainable Design / Ethical Fashion Pioneer - Pure Pod
EDUCATION
1988 - 1989 - Associate Diploma of Arts in Fashion – ACT Institute of Technology, Canberra
1995 - Certificate of Tailoring - ACT Institute of Technology, Canberra
1996 - Certificate of Desktop Publishing – Melbourne Vic.
2000 - Certificate of Adobe Illustrator – Melbourne Institute of Textiles
2016 - Certificate IV of Training and Assessment - ACT Institute of Technology, Canberra
2021 - Certificate of Sustainable Development in Fashion Consulting
2022 – Future Fashion Academy – Sustainable Consulting Course
2023 – CIT – Certificate IV of Training and Assessment - ACT Institute of Technology, Canberra – current
2023 – UTS - Center of Sustainable Excellence - Intro to fashion & Sustainability
EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS
2011 - G’DAY USA, New York USA – Australia week exhibition with Austrade and Aus. Industry,
2013 - INTERSOFT, Hong Kong – Austrade design exhibition during Hong Kong week fashion shows.
2013 - Sustainable Threads Show – Belconnen Arts Center
2013 – 2017 - FASHFEST, Canberra – Catwalk and moving story telling and art show on stage
2015 - UNDRESS RUNWAYS – Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
2011 – 2019 – Finders Keepers Markets – Various – Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne
2013 – 2017 – Canberra Handmade Markets – various
2015 - ECOLUX Exhibition London, during London Fashion week.
2017 - Fashionably Numb – Dairy Road Precinct – Organised a full sustainable design event and markets and VIP panel discussion during Design Canberra week.
2018 - 2020 - BANKSIA – Exhibition and catwalk – 50 th Anniversary Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
2008 - 2020 - Various trade show and exhibition events in fashion and textiles – Life In Style, Fashion Exposed, Finders Keepers Design markets, Undercurrent Markets, Canberra Hand made, ECO Expo
AWARDS & GRANTS
2008 - Ethical Fashion Forum – Global Ethical 500 Fellowship London UK
2008, 2009, 2010 - TCF Government Industry Grants up to $50,000
2011 - G’DAY USA, New York USA – Selected as an Ethical and eco fashion artist and designer to show at Australia week exhibition with Austrade and Aus. Industry – Australia week exhibition with Austrade and Aus. Industry
2013 - Sustainable Threads Show – Belconnen Arts Center – Best Sustainable design award
2013 - Green Lifestyle Award – Green Living Magazine
2014 - Canberra Business Point Awards – Clean and Green Award
2015 – BMWi, BMW Australia and Rolfe Classic BMW Design Sponsorship for UNDRESS RUNWAYS – Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
2019 - 2021 - Good On You – Pure Pod - Rated 4 out of 5
2019 - Micro Business Woman of the year – Nomination Finalist – Canberra Women In Business
2021 - Social Impact Business of the year – Nomination – Canberra Women In Business
PROJECTS & COMMISSIONS
2010 – Byron day Spa – Designed and produced organic and Australian made Spa Staff uniforms
1998 – 2004 – Various digital textile artworks for industry and brands for commercial use.
2019 – Jindi Eco Spa – Australian National Botanic Gardens – Corporate Uniform design & product development from sustainable textiles.
2020 - BANKSIA – Exhibition and catwalk – 50 th Anniversary Australian National Botanic Gardens in collaboration with Bursaria and Jindii Eco Spa, Canberra – Kimono banksia wall hanging for the celebration birthday in the Banksia Building and another piece sent to Japan.
2020 - 45th Anniversary Canberra Potters Society – collection apron, Canberra
PUBLIC TALKS & LEADERSHIP
2007 - Digital Fashion Illustration – Australian Institute of Fashion Design, Gold Coast QLD
2008 - Fashion design and textiles – Wollongbar TAFE, Northern NSW.
2016 – 2020 - Sustainable design and innovative thinking – Student talks - ACT Institute of Technology, Canberra
2016 - DIACT – M16 Designer and artist public talks
2017 – Slow Fashioned– Cardif Collective
2017 – Festival of Ambitious Ideas – Lighthouse Innovations
2017 – Design Canberra artist talks - Daramarlan College
2018 - Panel event about sustainable design and textiles – Cardif Collective, Canberra
2018 - Panel event about sustainable design and textiles – Cardif Collective, Canberra
2017 - Fashionably Numb – Dairy Road Precinct – Organised a full sustainable design event and markets and VIP panel discussion during Design Canberra week.
2017 –2018 – Design Canberra Open Studios
2019 – 2021 – Fashion Revolution Industry Ambassador and ACT Representative, Canberra and Australia.
2021 – Textile recycling and up cycling studio works - WASTE ACT – ACT Government
2023 – International Women’s Day – Keynote Speaker – Women in Real Estate
2023 – OneMillion Women – Hosted an event for their Climate Action Day in Keli Studio
Enjoy your journey with me at Kelli Donovan.
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