Jody was raised in the Hawkesbury Valley in New South Wales. A picturesque part of the world covered in rolling green hills and beautiful waterways. When she was a young girl her grandmother volunteered in an op-shop and Jody combed through the wares to find interesting pieces she could deconstruct and rework to reflect her individual architectural style. She was drawn to vintage pieces that were built to last. ‘I was recycling the recycled from an early age,’ she says of these preliminary designs.
“My mum was a keen sewist and made most of our clothing. The sewing machine was always set up on our dining table.”
After high school Jody moved to Sydney and worked in the costume department on major musical theatre productions. She fine-tuned her sewing skills in a costume hire company that worked in film and television. Jody relocated to Melbourne to study and graduated in Costume Design and Costume History at Swinburne TAFE. She set up a studio in a Warhol-like warehouse where she met and collaborated with other artists. Her designs were eye-catching. Friends and strangers wanted to find out where the unique pieces she was wearing came from. Her client base began.
In 2010 Jody opened her boutique ‘Jody Kahlon’ in South East Melbourne. Her boutique is also her workshop and all her designs are created here. Jody’s window displays are beautiful installations, playfully showing her latest pieces that tempt you to walk into a world where art and fashion connect.
Once inside, her colourful sample rack of jackets, dresses and skirts will impress. Luxe fabrics: some hand printed, others sourced mostly from Japan and Italy. Jody creates intricate weaves and textures using treasured remnants of rare materials refashioned into striking featured fabric. The meticulous attention to detail and immaculate finishing are akin to the couture houses in Paris.
Jody Kahlon is open Wednesday to Friday from 11 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 12 pm to 4 pm OR contact Jody to arrange an appointment.
