Dana Lenko

Dana Lenko is the Designer of the Lenko Animal Sweaters, now in their 15th year. The collection started when she was a teenager, drawing animals and weird things on t-shirts. After graduating from the VCA she grew the range to include whole collections of clothing. One year, during Fashion Week, a style fell through at the last moment. Dana quickly sewed a Llama sweater. It was a hit and you guessed it, Animal Sweaters were born.

Entirely made in Melbourne, the Animal Sweaters have a cult following. Known for their quality and detail, these soft fleecy sweaters are adorned with animal appliques. Each piece of fabric appliqué is hand-cut and then lovingly embroidered. They're wearable pieces of art! The animal are chosen each year by an online competition and made in very limited editions. A portion of the profits go towards animal care and conservation.

Under her Lenko brand, Dana has opened retail stores, curated art exhibitions, hosted crafting workshops and collaborated with brands and artists on side projects. Her next project is an Animal Sweater Pop-Up Shop In June.