Jenny le Roux on Fashion & Reinventing Retirement
We met with designer and fashion icon Jenny le Roux — founder of Habits and now head of her own online shop and fashion label — and an Instagram Influencer, at 83 — to talk fashion, reinventing retirement, and the myth of the “age limit” in creative careers.
In a world that often equates fashion with youth, Jenny le Roux is living proof that elegance, energy and entrepreneurial spirit don’t fade with age. From her days as a Fair Lady fashion editor to building a South African style empire with her boutique brand Habits, Jenny has dressed thousands of women with her signature blend of sharp silhouettes and classic ease.
And now, at 83, she’s still at it — running an online store, designing timeless capsule collections, and modelling every look herself.
“It’s also good for people to see that you can go on working at any age,” says Jenny. “I think part of the reason we’ve got off the ground is that I model the clothes myself and it’s very unusual for women to see an older model… rather than young, sexy girls in miniskirts!”
From Book Reviews to Fashion Fame
Jenny’s fashion career wasn’t born in a studio or school — it began on the film sets of her childhood in the UK, later detoured through Rome and London, and then found its footing in Cape Town, where synchronicity and style collided.
“My girlfriend could see I was homesick because my chap in England had been a rugger bugger, so she took me to a rugby match. Sitting in the stands, I pointed at the front row forward and told her, ‘I fancy that one’. And what do you know? Four months later that very rugby player walked into the restaurant where I was waitressing and that was it!”
That rugby player became her husband. Cape Town became home. And fashion became her lifelong calling.
Introduced to legendary publisher Jane Raphaely, Jenny found herself reviewing books for Fair Lady and soon working in the magazine’s fashion department.
“I loved Fair Lady. Wonderful shoots, wonderful colleagues, so much laughter my stomach used to hurt at the end of the day… it was a fabulous job.”
The Birth of Habits
Inspired by the lack of affordable, stylish local fashion, Jenny opened a small shop called Habits in Cape Town — and ran it for 35 years.
“I wanted to offer pieces women wanted but weren’t able to find. I stocked the boutique with fabulous local labels… and even though I wasn’t a trained designer I was lucky to find a marvellous seamstress so I could develop my own ranges.”
From the first trunk shows to runway shows and multiple SA Fashion Awards, Habits became a brand that women trusted — not for trends, but for timelessness.
“Hard work and a great team got me where I wanted to be. And with all this going on I managed to bring up two sons… often with the help of lovely staffers who helped with commitments like picking them up from school.”
Starting Over at 80 — and Modelling at 83
After selling Habits, Jenny thought she’d retire. But a new adventure awaited — and true to form, she made it stylish.
“To my surprise, I was awarded four SA Fashion Awards, a Best Brand Award and the SABC Lifetime Achievement Award. To my even greater surprise, I found myself starting a new online business — www.jennyleroux.com — at the grand old age of 80!”
Her newest venture includes two core offerings: the JLR Classic Range and the JLR Travelling Range, which Jenny calls “what every woman wants.”
“Fashion that packs perfectly, in non-crease Jersey Lycra, making ironing a thing of the past. The perfect capsule wardrobe that works for any age.”
These include white shirts, little black dresses, crisp cottons, tapered pants, travel-ready jackets, and swing tops — all made locally, and many to order.
“I buy fabric accordingly — a lot if I’m confident about a style and less if I’m not sure how it will go.”
And the secret to her success? “Fashion is one of the things that’s always obsessed me, so it’s a treat to work in the field… I think it’s what I do best, it’s similar to a range I did many years ago — and let’s face it, it’s what every woman wants.”
The Power of Dressing With Confidence
As someone who’s lived through every phase of fashion — from Swinging London to 2000s ecommerce — Jenny has seen how clothing can shape confidence.
Her advice?
“There’s the misunderstanding of fashion in general, which sometimes leads to slavishly following trends even if they don’t suit, like most of the ‘outfits’ we see at events like the Met Gala! If you’re not sure, just don’t!”
Her style icons include Audrey Hepburn, Diane Keaton, Jackie O, Ines de la Fressange and Naomi Campbell — women who, like Jenny, know that great style is ageless.
And her motto? “Nothing’s impossible.”
Inspired by Jenny?
Whether you’re 55 or 85, your next act is yours to define — just like Jenny le Roux. At Oasis Life, we believe in living boldly and aging differently. Explore how our residents are redefining retirement, style, and what’s possible at any age.
🔗 Read more stories like Jenny’s in Ripple magazine — find all our digital editions here.
