The exhibition charts the growth and success of Orla Kiely from her first collection of hats at London Fashion Week in 1994, through the advent of the iconic Orla Kiely bag in the mid-nineties to her freelance work for department stores executed from her kitchen table in 1998.

Orla Kiely, OBE (born 1963) is an Irish fashion designer based in London. She began her career designing hats, and moved on to design work on handbags and a variety of other items including kitchenware and cars. She received a master's degree from the Royal College of Art. She worked with several companies before setting up her own business. Orla Kiely is undeniably fashion’s sweetheart with her iconic feminine prints that fit seamlessly across collections from homeware to ready-to-wear season after season, always with a hint of her favourite era, the 1960s. The Irish designer began her career designing hats before creating major waves of innovation with the idea of using laminate cloth for handbags in the late 90s, with her distinctive designs leading her to be described as ‘the Queen of Prints’ as time leads on they have seen her work transferred across kitchen and homeware, clothing, accessories, and even cars. Kiely’s aesthetic is dominated by geometric flowers, leaves and the closest thing the designer has to a logo, her endlessly versatile, scalable and variable Stem pattern. Her imprint can be found on her signature handbags, accessories and clothes, stationery and perfume bottles, homeware and furniture, and even on a ­limited-edition version of the Citroen DS3 car.Only after the concept was been approved did selected manufacturers get instructed to produce first prototypes or samples – and the arrival of these in the studio was always seen as ‘the moment of truth’. Looking to see whether the design on the product matched that of the design on the paper. Orla Kiely to close retail and online businesses". RTÉ. 19 September 2018 . Retrieved 7 February 2022. You might also want to let children have an opportunity to develop their observational and sketching skills while taking inspiration from plants and animals in preparation for this activity. As well as examining the success of the Orla Kiely brand, the exhibition explores the artist’s childhood in Ireland and the way this environment formed her creative outlook, including the influence for her love of colour paying homage to the colours of the Irish countryside, from the greens and greys of vast skies to the browns and mustard yellow of the rolling hills and gorse. Fashion collections are showcased on the mezzanine gallery, with over 30 full outfits displayed on mannequins alongside a wall dedicated to Orla’s iconic handbags.

Even so, people shouldn't be so scared of pattern in the home. "You just have to go for it. That really is the point. Just be brave." Emling, Shelley (5 June 2009). "A designer's gift for understatement". New York Times . Retrieved 7 February 2022. (subscription required) Overseeing every single detail within the design process. Orla Kiely is meticulous, motivated and passionate. Prior to production, every aspect matters to her from the first phase of designing to making, mixing colours, creating art work and sampling. Having presented her first ready-to-wear collection in 2003 using simple, clean silhouettes that allowed the prints to stand out, her clothes have been worn by a vast supply of household names, including Alexa Chung, Kiera Knightly and the Duchess of Cambridge. From influence to impact, the Orla Kiely range at MyBag includes styles from practical tote bags with classic Orla Kiely floral print to cute mini leather handbags and embossed cross body bags taking heed from the many realms of Orla’s iconic career. We have a great range of art resources for the classroom and for home learning. Art for KS1 doesn't always have to be as messy as this Orla Kiely activity might well end up being, but we can't promise all of our selections will leave you and your children free of mess:Mid 1990’s when Orla showcased hats at London Fashion Week, her father noticed that very few women wore them, but all carried a bag. Which started the key offering, made originally of wool, cottons and mesh, she then started making them in leather and bright colours. The Orla Kiely archive of bags consists of bags showcasing two principal characteristics. The ‘Stem’ range is generally produced in classic shapes and in shoulder and cross body versions. The main line has always been reflective of the designer’s latest concept, exploring different techniques and applied with finishes in prints and embroidery. She has been awarded the title of Visiting Professor of Textiles at the Royal College of Art and was made a Senior Fellow in 2016. [2] Perhaps it should be no surprise that when Kiely has spoken about her musical preferences in the past, she’s listed contemporary artists such as Feist and Joanna Newsom, as well as classic acts such as Minnie Riperton and Van Morrison. Patterned prints from Orla Kiely Despite the global reach of her designs, the hues, colour ­combinations and motifs ­employed by Kiely remain ­inextricably linked to her childhood. They reference fabrics, objects and interiors from a particular moment in the 1960s and 1970s that are profoundly domestic. This may explain the atmosphere that's artfully conjured in many of Kiely's advertising campaigns, an aesthetic that's reminiscent of the world ­depicted by Hanif Kureishi in The Buddha of Suburbia. Kiely credits her grandmother with being the creative influence in her life. Her father was an accountant; her mother studied science before being forced to give up work by her employers after she married. [2]

Her work has a way of making people feel upbeat,” Nothdruft admits. “It makes them feel safe and comfortable by making references to the past, but it’s certainly not nostalgic.”If you're looking for some fun home learning art at KS1 level, this could be the perfect resource for you. This step-by-step art activity is easy to follow and can be created with simple objects like a sharp pencil, a small knife, paint and a potato. It is inspired by the designs of Orla Kiely OBE, an Irish designer and artist known for her bold, colourful prints. It could be used when teaching printing techniques, as part of a design project or as an art activity during art week.

By walking through the exhibition, you follow the steps that Orla has taken from design, through to promotion and prints. Including giant dresses down to miniature dolls, her collection showcases over 150 patterns across all products from T-shirts to teapots. Shepard, Anna (12 September 2008). "Green living: can Orla Kiely wean us off bottled water?". The Times. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008.Beginning with wool felted hats commissioned by Harrods and soon expanding into handbag designs. In 1995 Orla presented accessories at London Fashion Week and had her first buyers from Japan. Whilst working at her kitchen table, freelancing for Marks & Spencer and designers at Debenhams, by 1998 her range had developed to include clothing and was being shipped to Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York and Dublin. Using a potato as a stamp, this resource guides pupils through all the stages of the creation process, while allowing them to make independent decisions about their pattern, design and colour. Their vibrant, bold and colourful artwork will brighten up your day, whether it's for a class display or fun activity for home learning. Art at KS1 is about engaging children and inspiring their imaginations, whilst at the same time helping them with skills that will develop more over time. Kiely first studied print and textile design at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. She moved to London where she studied at the Royal College of Art.