Lenore Dembski Paperbark Woman
the designer and clothing manufacturer

Lenore Dembski was born in Darwin, and with the exception of about four years in the early eighties, has lived here all her life. Lenore is Aboriginal and has been married for almost 28 years to Andrew Dembski. Lenore's family name is Calma. Lenore has now been sewing for herself, her family and other people for over 30 years.

Lenore has a retail outlet in Harry Chan Arcade, Smith Street, Darwin and, as well as her own clothes, she retails clothes from other designers and a large range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designed materials, patchwork pieces and manchester.

Lenore designs under the names of "Lenore Dembski Paperbark Woman", "Aunty Lenore" and "Oakman." The Paperbark Woman comes from her Aboriginal tribe, the Kungarakan people, who are known as Paperbark People. Oakman, comes from her husband's name. Dembski is Polish and means Oaktree. As well as designing and sewing the clothes herself, Lenore also sub-contracts the sewing to several local clothing manufacturers and individuals.

To a lot of locals, Lenore Dembski is known for her public service work in the Aboriginal employment and training area and her involvement with Aboriginal organisations. However, Lenore was actually a designer and sewer before she even thought about a career in the public service.

In the beginning, Lenore was taught to sew by her mother when she was about eight. To start with, she made doll clothes and costumes for plays put on by her sisters and friends. She began sewing for herself and her brother and sisters by the time she was twelve and started designing, drafting and sewing clothes for other people by the time she was thirteen. Lenore learnt some formal skills in sewing when she did "Sewing" during 1st year at Darwin High School. Between 15 and 18, Lenore modelled in a number of fashion parades and worked on weekends and school holidays for Woolworths selling all forms of clothing, materials and haberdashery.

By her mid teens, Lenore knew how to do knitting, crocheting, tatting, beadwork, tapestry, batik, tie dye, macrame, applique, patchwork and various other art and craft activities. When she was nineteen, Lenore purchased her first (and current) sewing machine - an Elna SU and a Contesser overlocker. Lenore attended a number of short courses put on by Elna in: applique and machine embroidery, men's wear, swim wear, lingerie, and stretch materials. In Adelaide in 1982, Lenore did a 12 hour course in drafting to learn formal techniques in drafting.

Lenore formally started her sewing business in 1979 when she moved to Adelaide. She manufactured children's clothes, women's sports wear, lingerie, and curtains for several outlets, did bridal and after five wear for individuals and costumes for concerts. On returning to Darwin in 1984, Lenore sewed on a casual basis for family and friends and did a small amount of children's wear for several outlets.

In 1996, to coincide with the Aboriginal Development Unit's project to help promote Aboriginal fabrics to designers and the general public, Lenore started to actively produce resort wear, and evening and glamour wear using Aboriginal fabrics.

FASHION AWARDS:

1996 - Northern Territory Fashion Awards, as part of a joint venture with three other designers, Paul Rider, Barbara Smith and Katarina Hutcheson, Lenore received second prize in "Corporate Wear" and "Men's Wear" using textile designs by Barbara Smith and Katarina Hutcheson.

1998 - Northern Territory Fashion Awards, Lenore received third prize in "Our Territory, Our Life Style" and won the "Chief Minister's" Award for using the colours of the NT Flag. Both outfits were made using the "Snake" design from Tiwi Designs.

1998 - Australian Gown of the Year, Lenore was "Runner Up" in the "Australia at Its Best" category for a string bikini and top and skirt she made using licra printed in Melbourne, with the "Rain Dreaming" pattern from Ali-Curung.

1998 - Flair Fashion Awards in NSW, Lenore's silk bridal wear, using the "Body Painting" design from Tiwi Designs, was chosen as one of 125 garments to be shown on the catwalk - out of a total of 350 entries.

1998 - Flair Fashion Awards in NSW, Lenore won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Designer Award

2000 - Northern Territory Fashion Awards, Lenore was awarded 3rd prize for her casual 3 piece outfit in the "Our Territory, Our Life Style" Category with an Aboriginal print poly cotton outfil.

2000 - Flair Fashion Awards in NSW, Lenore won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Designer Award

OTHER AWARDS

2001 - Lenore was awarded a Northern Territory Chief Minister's
"Women's Achievement Award"

2001 - Lenore was awarded the Darwin NAIDOC Artist of the Year for the Darwin area.

2001 - Lenore's business won the Prime Minister's "Community and Business Partnerships" Award for the Northern Territory in the Small Business Category

2001 - Flair Fashion Awards in NSW, Lenore won the Cocktail Category with an Aboriinal print by Makapetik.

2001 - Lenore's business was a National Finalist in the Small Business Category of the Prime Minister's "Community and Business Partnerships Award

REGISTERED BUSINESSES

1997 Lenore Dembski Paperbark Woman
2000 Paperbark Woman
2000 Paperbark Models
2001 Paperbark Management

BOARDS AND COMMITTEES