Jennifer is an illustrator, art director and designer with a lifetime passion for textiles and fashion, which led her to apply her hand-drawn designs on to silk scarves and reusable fabric gift wrap. Her mission is to create vibrant art and design that is uplifting and uses the power of colour to bring joy. She believes there are no limitations to the use of colour in design and that even selective little pops of colour bring positive energy and can enliven our wardrobes, homes and lives. Jennifer loves how a small square of art can make a big impact, elevating an outfit with luxury and style and enhancing a gift to feel special. Both allow room for play and self expression.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Design in Fashion at Toronto Metropolitan University, Jennifer started her career as an illustrator, providing creative solutions with her distinctive style in the fields of editorial, publishing, advertising and product design. Some rewarding clients include LA Times, Delta Airlines, The United Way, The Royal Bank of Canada, Zoomer magazine, Orca Book Publishers, Food Illustrated UK, Fast Company, The National Post, Façon magazine Australia, Running Press and Klutz Publishing.  Working with Mudpuppy/Galison out of New York, she designed a number of children’s stationery products and toys. Two of her favourite jobs over the years were clothing designer at Hong Kong City Toys in Vancouver where she designed outfits for a fashion doll and graphic designer and photographer for Lion Roars Hotels and Lodges in South Africa.

Jennifer’s line of bright fabric gift wrap, offering a sustainable alternative to disposable gift wrap, has been featured in Chatelaine magazine, Country Living, Style At Home, City TV, Martha Stewart Radio, The Boston Herald, Global TV, and Home & Country. She is the author of Wrapagami, the Art of Fabric Gift Wrap, published by Macmillan, NYC.  

Inspired by a recent trip to the Gucci Museum in Florence, Italy, Jennifer was moved to design a line of silk scarves, bringing her back to her original love of fashion. Her first scarf design is inspired by the local flowers, birds and butterflies from her home in British Columbia. Her collection is expanding in 2026, look out for new designs coming soon!

Jennifer was born in Toronto and grew up in Switzerland, Belgium and Germany. Living abroad and travelling extensively since she was 6, has greatly influenced her art and design. In her twenties she played keyboards in a band for fun, playing shows in London, UK where she lived for two years as well as Toronto and Vancouver. She currently lives and creates in Victoria, on Vancouver Island and has two children that are on their own artistic and musical journeys.

Photo of Jennifer by Carla Unger Photography, Jennifer's studio

For wholesale and custom orders, collaboration and licensing enquiries, please contact Jennifer at info@jenniferplayford.com