Muir, Jean

Jean Muir was born in London, 1928. As a child she was skilled in needlework, claiming to have been able to knit, embroider, and sew by the age of six. In 1950 she took a job at Liberty & Co in working her way upwards to selling over the counter, and then despite her lack of formal art college training, was given the opportunity to sketch in Liberty's ready to wear department. This would serve as her apprenticeship, and led to her gaining a job as designer for Jaeger in 1956. Upon leaving Jaeger, Muir was approached by David Barnes,who offered to fund her own design label, and so Jane & Jane launched in 1962. In 1964, Jean Muir won the first of her three Dress Of The Year awards. In 1966 Muir started her own label Jean Muir Ltd.