THE QUIET REBEL: A DAY WITH DESIGNER ORLA KIELY
Her enduring stem design has become one of fashion’s most recognisable and in-demand motifs, but Orla Kiely has much more depth to her creativity and remains totally committed to doing her own thing
As a marvel of prints that defied the minimalist 90s to offer a far louder, interesting and more nostalgic substitute, Orla Kiely’s first breakthrough was designing stem, the enduringly versatile leaf design that is now the face of her logo. It has become one of the most recognised design motifs of the 21st century – coveted on everything from bags to bed-sheets – and yet she’s quick not to let define her.
Her latest venture has seen Orla’s 23-year design career come together for a retrospective exhibition at London’s Fashion and Textile Museum, which showcases and sheds light on some of the unsung elements of her career. From an immersive installation that involves gigantic-sized clothes to an impressive photography archive and some of the brand’s most iconic mood-boards, A Life in Pattern follows the work, evolution and essence of the extraordinary Irish designer.
Born in Dublin, Orla’s globally successful design story is a humble one. She moved to London after graduating from NCAD to work for Esprit before joining Club Monaco, which now owns Ralph Lauren. She began making designs on the side after completing her Masters at the Royal College of Art. With the help of her husband Dermot Rowan, she eventually launched her eponymous brand in the 90s and garnered a loyal customer following who adored her graphic prints.
‘I was always drawing and making things as child and my grandmother taught me how to knit and crochet,’ she tells me of her early inspiration. ‘Growing up in the 70s I was heavily influenced by the style of my mother and grandmother, not just in the way they dressed but also in the way my mother decorated our home. She was never afraid of bold colour or design – the yellow ceiling in our kitchen is still an inspiration to me.’
The eureka moment came with the addition of handbags after a conversation with her dad and the iconic laminate bags that featured her beloved stem print became a household treasure. Interiors, furniture, homewares and soft furnishings then followed.
Back in those days, Orla and Dermot did every job in the company, from design to business, marketing and innovation. Endless determination and constantly evolving her craft while trusting her instincts are phrases you constantly hear from Orla when asked about her success as a designer. ‘Keep pushing what you can do in all areas of design and never rest on previous successes. You have to be true to your vision and what you believe in.’
Through the 2000s, the designer’s play with pattern has become her signature. Vintage yet contemporary, her viscose, silk and crepe dresses, mini-skirts and jumpsuits still speak to present day. Her early influences of Mary Quant, Biba and her mother, as well as the influences she has mined from design, cinema and photography, translate effortlessly through her archive of prints – from the daisy, acorn, painted lady and turtle
motifs to clusters of rosebuds, oval flowers and hearts and on ruffles, bibs, collars and hems.
To bring A Life in Pattern to fruition, Orla worked with the historian Mary Schoeser and Dennis Nothdruft, curator of the Fashion and Textile Museum. ‘The entire project has been a great adventure,’ Orla tells me.
‘It has been such a lovely a time reflecting on the past and seeing how far we have come. I hope people come away surprised that our print archive is greater than stem.’
We ‘ve met fleetingly over the years and she’s always been warm and unassuming. She strikes me as the kind of person who isn’t at all fazed by the glamour of the industry. Happy to talk about her early career and to engage a greater understanding of her musings and ideas, she’s all smiles and very much the embodiment of the Orla Kiely woman. Dressed in block-heeled glitter sandals and a long-sleeved print dress saturated in colour, Orla may be unassuming but she isn’t afraid to stand out. She’s a quiet rebel and a total original. ‘When I see women on the street wearing one of our pieces, it’s such a joy because I can see how that design is adding something to their outfit and day,’ she says. ‘This is why we love doing what we do.’
I meet her husband briefly before I leave the museum and he tells me what a remarkable person she is, endlessly unshaped by people’s opinions. ‘They really don’t bother her,’ he says. ‘She does her own thing which I think is an admirable trait in fashion.’
Dermot – who is originally from Monsktown and met Orla over 25 years ago – tells me in a swish London accent that despite their connection to Britain, Dublin will always be home for them.
‘I visit as often as I can,’ agrees Orla. ‘We go for walks along the beach and spend time together with family. It is the best place to clear my mind from London and be in the moment.’
As I type, she has come and gone from a book signing in the Kilkenny Shop’s Nassau Street store, which has recently unveiled a full window display decorated in stem as well as daisy wallpaper, mugs and frames as a tribute to their 20-year relationship with Orla.
It all stemmed from the stem, an iconic motif that has marked Orla out among a generation of revolutionary print creators.
A Life in Pattern runs until September at The London Textile Museum, see ftmlondon.org for tickets