Introduction: Orla Kiely discusses her design ethos: colour and functionality, quality and graphic control and why practicality is the bottom line. Practice: Orla Kiely traces her career from art school and Royal College to the growth of her label into an international brand. Creating a collection - the fashion year, timing, production and presentation. Inspiration: Greater detail about Orla's sources of inspiration, including artists and Scandinavian design and mid-century modern style, this chapter provides guidance on how to develop a creative eye for colour, shape and form. Colour: Colour is an incredibly powerful element in design, as it is in life. A short-cut to the emotions, it is almost visceral in the way it connects with our moods and feelings. Print: Pattern is powerful and transformative, adding rhythm and movement to the sensory experience of colour and texture. Our shared visual vocabulary means that pattern is often expressive of a particular time, mood or place. It naturally evokes associations. Texture and Form: What texture brings to pattern is an extra dimension of physicality, depth and character. It grounds print in the real material world of touch and weight and volume. Home: Decorating and furnishing a home provides most people with their greatest opportunity to express their tastes and preferences in a substantial and long-lasting way. Creating surroundings that have character and personality is satisfying, rewarding and meaningful.
The first edition has sold more than 20,000 copies worldwide; Winner of the Gold Award for Exporter of the Year 2008; Designer UK Fashion Exports Award 2004 and Irish Tatler Woman of the Year 2004. There is a devoted worldwide following for the Orla Kiely brand. A great value gift at GBP15.
Orla began her career studying at Dublin's National College of Art. She obtained her master's degree from the Royal College of Art in London and has subsequently been a visiting lecturer at the RCA and Chelsea College of Art. She was also an external examiner for the National College of Art and Design in Dublin for two years. In 2005 Orla was awarded the Irish Tatler Irish Woman of the Year for design. She has also judged on several occasions for the UK Graduate Fashion Week Industry and Media Awards. Orla's industry consultancies include designing ceramics and wallpaper for Habitat and sitting on the Dulux Design Council. She has designed three capsule collections for the Tate in conjunction with their summer exhibitions. Orla has won two UK Fashion Export Awards and the UK Fashion Exports Gold Award and was recently honoured with the prestigious title of Visiting Professor of Textiles at the RCA. Orla Kiely is a continuously growing brand that produces a ready-to-wear collection alongside homeware, furnishings, luggage and accessories as well as signature bags. Orla has two stores in Japan and one flagship store in Hong Kong. The London shop and showroom opened in September 2005 in Covent Garden and expanded to accommodate a showroom in 2006. Wholesale USA business is growing rapidly and Europe is currently their largest export market. The company employs 50 staff in the UK with their head office in south London.
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