Orla Kiely OBE
Orla Kiely was born in 1963 an Irish Fashion Designer living in London, Began her career as a hat designer. She moved into designing for handbags and then on to textile design, kitchenware, and cars.
Creativity
Orla Kiely thanks her grandmother for bringing creativity into her life and her mother who graduated in textile design from the national college of Art and Design in Dublin and then moved to New York to work as a fabric and wallpaper designer.
Simplicity
Orla Kiely studied at the Royal College of Art (RCA) to gain her master’s degree. to follow Orla worked at various companies to gain more experience and expand her skill set. When Orla felt like she was ready and had really established her own look and handwriting, she set up her own company. Her collection from her thesis was purchased by Harrods London.
London Fashion Week
She exhibited her first hat collection at London Fashion Week, being made aware by her father of the fact that all the attendees at the fashion show were carrying handbags and not wearing hats, in a drastic rethink Orla she accepted his judgment and moved her career towards designing handbags, she thought of using laminate for handbags, as at the time this cloth was only for table covers.
Orla’s father gave her a sewing machine on her 12 birthday and it was from that moment on that she was hooked on sewing, designing and regularly made clothes for her sister.
Orla Kiely Partnership
The Orla Kiely partnership was founded in 1997, with her husband by her side her brand was born.
Even though the Orla Kiely Brand has ceased trading today, Orla Kiely Home and Design-branded accessories and homeware will still be sold through partners. So you will still have a chance to get your hands on her iconic classic branded products.
Check Out our latest designs from our emerging design talent
