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Leah Kelly is an Australian designer born 1966 in Mudgee NSW.
She started design at an early age having been taught to sew by hand by her grandmother, particularly embroidery. She relocated to world heritage tropical rainforest, far North QLD in1988, just outside the small artisan village of Kuranda. Here, she spent fourteen years learning the Djabaguy (local Aboriginal) language.
As a musician she spent much time dedicated to sharing and keeping alive this language and culture through music. Much of Leah’s conceptual design has been inspired by the indigenous culture and life in the rainforest and has led to innovative expression through thread. Living without electricity in the middle of a tropical rainforest has brought Leah back to her original roots of hand sewing.
This creative environment, coupled with expertise with needle and thread, sees her delicate creations come to life through natural fibers, colours and sewing techniques that are rapidly vanishing in the modern world.
Daryl Hannah & Leah Kelly at the Permaculture Convergence in Kuranda 2010 A regularly commissioned designer, her unique garments are highly sought after by theatre and performance groups as well as weddings and formal gowns. This multi-award winning designer creates wearable art that has led to her works being in high demand regionally, nationally and internationally.
