Prue Acton OBE

Prue Acton OBE completed a Diploma of Art, majoring in Textiles, at RMIT in Melbourne in 1962 and in 1963 at the age of 19, she started her own business in Flinders Lane. Her bold and colourful designs, which incorporated both natural and new synthetic fibres, tapped into the changing era and the mood of the new wave of independent young women.

Following a successful visit to New York in 1967, Prue was the first Australian designer to break into the American market and was dubbed ’Australia’s Mary Quant’. She had her clothes made under licence in the USA, Japan and Germany and eventually added a range of cosmetics and perfumes to her label.

Her label became an award-winning international brand and throughout the 1970s and 1980s her clothing became more sophisticated and exclusive, aligning with the growth of her clientele’s careers and incomes. She designed Australian uniforms for six Olympic Games, winning ‘gold’ medals for three, including Montreal and Los Angeles, Actil bed linen and corporate wardrobes.

After closing her business in the early 1990’s, Prue became a professional artist after studying with Clifton Pugh and Merv Moriarty, and regularly exhibits her highly acclaimed paintings.

In 1994, Prue donated her collection jointly to Museums Victoria and the Frances Burke Textile Resource Centre at RMIT University - now the RMIT Design Archives. The Powerhouse Museum also houses a collection of her outfits.

Throughout her career, Prue maintained the motto, ’Ageless, Timeless and Priceless’. Her numerous awards include five Australian Wool Board Awards, three David Jones Awards for Fashion Excellence and four Fashion Industry of Australia Lyrebird Awards.

Prue received an OBE in 1982, featured on an Australian Legends stamp in 2005 and in 2007 she received an honorary doctorate from RMIT. She is also a prominent spokesperson for the environment of the south coast of New South Wales where she lives.