Kate Jenkins
Curriculum Vitae
CARDIGAN LIMITED
Cardigan is a highly successful professional knitwear design company based in Brighton, East Sussex with over 12 years experience in the fashion and knitwear industry and knitted art.
BACKGROUND
Kate graduated from the University of Brighton in 1995 with a BA Hons degree in Fashion / Textiles - having gained a wealth of experience and knowledge about the industry during her university gap year, worked in Paris and New York with a number of high profile fashion houses.
On leaving University, Kate returned to her hometown in Wales and became a freelance knitwear designer. During this period Kate freelanced for a number of well-known design companies namely, Livingstone Studio, Joe Baker designs and Knit.1 (Brighton) before moving to London to open her second design studio.
Profile of Growth
1998 – 2000
Opened a studio in East London and continued freelance work for two years until approached by Knit 1 Brighton to become their Design Director and Overseas Sales
Executive – these were valuable years working within a design team environment and working to tight time constraints to extremely high standards of work which would prove invaluable.
2000 – 2002
Employed by Knit 1 for two years, designing collections of machine knit, crochet and embroidery designs for selling as ‘swatch’ ideas to Designer and High Street companies ranging from Donna Karan. Etro, Missoni through Gap. French Connections Arcadia group etc., Departed from Knit 1 in 2002 to set up her own label ‘Cardigan’ working out of a design studio in Brighton.
2002- 2003
Cardigan label was launched – specialising in knitted, embroidered and crocheted unique accessories supplying Whistles and exclusive boutiques in London, Cardiff, Bath and Brighton where the accessories were retailed under the Cardigan label – During this time Cardigan continued swatching for external customers to an extremely high standard and exclusivity which has now lead to Cardigan's sustainability in this arena and continues to-date.
2004 –2007
Cardigan was registered as a Limited Company in November 2004 establishing links with manufacturers in Scotland and China, to cope with the demand for Cardigan accessories and knitwear. November 2006 saw the opening of Cardigan’s first Studio Shop, based at Unit 5 Arundel Mews, Arundel Place, Brighton, BN2 1GG.
Cardigan launched its current Website on 1st September 2007 www.cardigan.ltd.uk .
2008 - 2009
Cardigan ‘COMFORT FOOD’ After a successful exhibition of framed crocheted pictures at one of Brighton’s leading hotels in March 2007. Kate participated with Brighton Festival’s Artist Open House Trail, exhibiting her collection throughout the month of May.
The exhibition comprised of some of the nations favourite food, ranging from fried breakfasts, Fish and chips to exquisite patisserie cakes. (see Comfort food Menu attached to this profile).
Comfort Food’ achieved acclaim for its innovate approach to knitwear design and was chosen as one of three houses short listed from 1,000 entries as one of the best open house of 2007.
Commissioned work has developed as a consequence, taking the Cardigan brand into another arena. Kate has been working with publishers The Art Group where she has been working on a series of greetings cards based on her crocheted food theme which were launched in 2008.
2008
As part of the Annual Brighton festival Kate transformed her studio shop into a knitted and crocheted garden called ‘Cardigan in Bloom’ where she was nominated for best Artists open house for 2008.. This led to her being asked by Liberty of London to create an exhibition of box framed insects which was displayed in their store during the summer of 2008.
Following on from the success of Cardigan in Bloom, the organisers of Made 08 the Brighton Craft Fair approached her to decorate the foyer of the Corn Exchange, Brighton for the November 2008 fair. Using her crocheted floral display - this was well received and attracted a high degree of recognition, acclaim and publicity for her work both Art and Knitwear designs.
2008 -2009
Kates’ art work being represented by The Rebecca Hossack Gallery in London and in June 2009, Kate will have her first solo show at Rebecca Hossack’s Charlotte Street Gallery.
Kate continues to promote her studio shop in Brighton also her website www.cardigan.ltd.uk which is attracting a large number of customers both in the UK and overseas and is constantly being updated and reviewed.