Jill Stansfield

  • Designer (Textile Artist / Fashion Designer)
Stansfield was a textile designer, initially working for commercial firms such as Clunes Ross Packman and Comspring Fabrics. The designer was noted for her colour work. She was active in the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) as President of the Victoria chapter, later becoming President of the national DIA. Elected as Life Fellow and Hall of Fame member.
Tags: textile designer, interior designer

Anon. “Tribute to Jill Stansfield”

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Jill Stansfield, renowned textile designer and Design Institute of Australia’s (DIA) first female National President. Jill passed away on June 20th following a brave 10 year fight against Multiple Myeloma, confronted with her inimitable courage.

Jill had earned a Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design 1981-84 from RMIT. Prior to that Jill studied a Diploma of Interior Design 1968-1971 at RMIT. Her employment history with DIA indicates that she worked at Clunes Ross Packman in sales & as a decorator from 1970-71 and as a freelance decorator in 1971-72. Jill applied for DIA membership when she was Company Director and Manager at Comspring Fabrics P/L 1972-1989.

Jill first joined the DIA in April 1984 and immediately stepped up to serve on Victoria Chapter Council. She went on to become Victorian President from 1992 to 1995 for which she was awarded a Fellowship. During this time Jill was also part of a group that formed the Australian Textile Designers Association which amalgamated with the DIA in 1998. She achieved the highest position within the organisation in 1995, when Jill served as DIA National President for 2 years. After this she was made a Life Fellow. Whilst President, Jill witnessed the induction of Peter Geyer and Alberto Alessi into the DIA Design Hall of Fame.

Following her responsibilities with the DIA, Jill continued in academia and the design industry. This period of Jill’s professional life probably originated from her 1968 – 1969 student colour work and her interest in colour. On a personal note, Jill’s friend, Sandy Geyer recalls, “It was around 2000 when Jill, along with Allan Whitfield at Swinburne University, commenced a study investigating whether colour trends reflect the prevailing socio-cultural lifestyle conditions of a society. We will remember Jill being surrounded by colour swatches, particularly the somber colours of the War years. The colour palettes were assembled decade by decade – Jill’s life was being lived within a rainbow.

https://www.design.org.au/communications/id/510/idString/lgpjq19254 29 July 2021

Writers:

Michael Bogle
Date written:
2021
Last updated:
2021