D_PaperbarkWoman - Banner_About

designer— about paperbark woman
Lenore Dembski is a leader in Aboriginal fashion and design in Australia having dedicated many years to promoting and encouraging indigenous design talent. The Paperbark Woman online shop will showcase a variety of talented Indigenous designers including…

Karda Designs, silk textile art from Barbara and Kara Matters
Pinjarra, Western Australia

Kandina Designs, silk work from young designer Lilla Gagliano
Wickham, Western Australia

Lenore is already well known for her public service work in the Aboriginal employment and training area and will now be expanding her business horizons by supporting emerging creatives through her own marketing networks. Also as a specialist supplier of the world famous Tiwi Islands printed textiles Lenore supplies the Australian and American markets with these unique printed cottons.
designer— curriculum vitae
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