1.Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What's your educationalbackground?
I'm from Dublin. I studied Fashion Design at The National College Of ArtDublin, then I did a Masters in Fashion and Costume Design in The VgikUniversity Moscow Russia where I got a first class Masters. I was in Moscow for2 years .The college was like something out of fame! Different floors haddifferent studies. There was ballet, clowns, writing for films, director study,costume animation, every imaginable art form.
2.Did you know from a young age that you were destined to be a designer or did itjust happen?
I always wanted to be a designer. My mum was an art teacher and painter so froman early age I was drawing. One of my first drawings my mum has of mine was offairies. Each fairy has a different outfit I have drawn even different shoes.You can really tell from it that fashion was, even at 6, what I wanted to do. Isent drawings of my designs to Mary Quant when I was 7 for her doll Daisy. Shesent me back a signed photo and said she would keep me in mind for the future!
3. What were the struggles you faced in the process of trying to make it asa designer?
Struggles, so many! (i) From dealing with shops, I was quiet and hated havingto meet the owners and sell the work and then having to chase them up for themoney. (ii) Budgeting, when working for yourself you have to save on goodmonths for there is no definite income. (iii) Doing vat and tax returns. LuckyI have a husband who does that but is a nightmare. (iv) Dealing with the fakepeople that sometimes surround fashion and realising that so much is rubbishand hype!
4.When was your first big break?
I suppose it was when I was in College. I won The Smirnoff Young Designer Awardand got to represent Ireland in Amsterdam, which was amazing. My collection wascalled Fruits Of The Forest and Paul Costello called out the winner. It was areal validation for me. The fabrics I made by grilling and burning, the headpiecesfrom coat hangers!
5. Where do you get your design inspiration?
From everywhere. I could be in a coffee shop and become inspired by the spoons!One of my latest corsets is made from cocktail stirrers, another from rubberbands and another from Barn Brack rings, umbrellas you name it. Also I supposeI love autumn, leaves and berry tones so a lot of my pieces are gold's andgreens etc.
6. What is the best perk in being a designer?
The best perk is having my own shop and designingwhat I want without having to worry if shops will buy it. And also I supposedealing with customers and making them happy. I do a lot of made to measure.Weddings, 21sts, etc. And I get photos, cards and presents which is reallytouching and makes it all worthwhile.
7.What do you wish people would understand about working in the fashion industry?
That it's not all glamour, fashion shows and kisskiss darling! The fashion shows are a highlight of a lot of hard work. Alsothey in themselves can be so nerve wrecking. Models often don't quite tell thetruth about sizes so outfits can be cut, ripped and spray tan can ruin them.Also in my opinion the reason for fashion is to make people happy with whatthey are wearing no matter what size shape etc. That's the most importantthing. Don't believe also what you read in the papers. Most of it is hype andoften you will think someone is doing great because of what you have read andthen all of a sudden, they close down. Concentrate on your own work not whatothers do and hopefully all will be well.
8. What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion to me means everything. It is so apart of me that it is hard toseparate it from the rest of my personality! I think about ideas all the time.When I'm out I rarely buy anything for myself, it is always for my work. Itexcites me still and I couldn't imagine being without the joy of creating. Itwould be like losing a limb. How sad!
9.What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?
God that's hard to remember. I suppose my biggest memory of making clothes waswhen I was applying for art college. I remember sticking a lot of safety pinsand hair clips to a jacket and my mum taking pictures of it. And making a lotof varnished paper hats and ripped tops. It was the eighties!
10. How long does it usually take you to construct a piece?
Depends on the piece. If I am doing a wedding dress usually 3 to 6 months butthat's with doing other commissions at the same time so I would get the bridein every month. First fitting would be plain, second decoration on and 3rdfinal adjustments. It's usually the same for 21sts. The time when it can takelonger or shorter is when I am designing something new not for anyone but Isuppose for my pleasure and the shop. Often I would have a few new pieces onthe go and will leave them where ever I am, watching TV, etc, so that somehowsubconsciously I will work out what to do. New pieces are like a puzzle. Itcould be weeks before I get it right and I could come up with solution at theoddest times. That is most satisfying.
11. What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?
I won The Smirnoff Young Designer in college and represented Irelandin Holland. I Won The Cream Of Irish Fashion Design Award. I designeda Nokia Phone for London Nokia which was auctioned off for Charity. Thisyear I was one of 6 around the world to win The White Swan competition inParis. It was amazing to be with so many different designers. I was invited toshow my outfits in Paris at the show and was printed in Madame Figaro Magazine. Ireceived an award this year for fashion from The Nigerian Ambassador which wasan honour. I had my work printed in Elle online this year which was great.
12. Who are some of your favourite designers?
Probably Vivienne Westwood, John Rocha and the late McQueen.
13. Howlong have you worked as a designer?
I graduated from NCAD in 1991. ThenI studied in Moscow so I started supplying shops in 1993, which is scary!
14. Howdo you select your models?
For fashion shoots these days I work withphotographer Laelia Milleri who is from Poland and amazingly talented. Shenormally chooses the models as she has so many model friends from all over. Wehave photographed Irish, Polish, Romanian, Nigerian, Chinese, Dutch and Italianmodels. It's lovely to see the variety it brings to the clothes. I trust hertotally.
15. What matters to you most as afashion designer?
What matters is that people leave the shop happy,confident and in something I believe in. There is no point selling somethingfor the sake of selling it, though it's sometimes hard to explain to peoplewhat suits them most. But it's a wonderful feeling when you get it right andalso much better for business. As long as she feels and looks great it willbring more customers. It's almost like a snowball effect. Also, on a selfish note,it is lovely to have my own shop and to design what I want to and getfulfilment t from that ,I don't worry about commercial restraints and thank godit is the unusual things that sell!
16. How do you prepare for a fashion shootor show?
Fashion shows are hard work to prepare for. As I said before, model sizes maynot be what they say. So you usually bring one or two extra outfits in case. Iusually line the outfits up in the shop to make sure they flow together andusually have a finale piece for the end that's more dramatic. Also, I try to varyin the running order styles, one short, one long, etc. Then I label all theoutfits with models names. Then after the show, the long boring process ofpacking up and making sure nothing is lost begins.
17. Doyou prefer sketching designs or actually constructing them?
By far constructing them as I find on a flatpiece of paper the design is not a 3D piece and most of my design work comesfrom fabric manipulation. I do however always draw the deign out for eachclient so they can see it and keep a book with measurements and their designfor me to remember what I am doing.
18. Howwould you define your personal style?
My personal style? Well I don't own a pair oftrousers! I like loose flowing feminine clothes I suppose. I have a hairpiecewhich I wear most days made of cones and beads. The wasps love it!
19. Whatare your favourite colours to work with and why?
I always seem to veer towards autumnal colours, maybebecause I was born in Autumn! Also red's, gold's and brown's really suit theIrish complexion. And I love woodland leaf embellishment and that lends itselfto those colours.
20. What are your favourite fabrics to work with and why?
That's a difficult one. As I make a lot of myown fabrics, probably a sheer tulle which I can layer on beads, rubber bands, pinecones, whatever I want. But I NEVER KNOW WHICH FABRIC WILL EXCITE ME NEXT ,USUALLYITS THE OPPOSITE TO WHAT I WAS WORKING ON LAST. So if I was working on print Iwill want block colour.
21.Whatare your favourite patterns [prints] to work with and why?
At the moment big silver babble beads which I amlayering with fringing and metal. Last week it was the pine cones. Before that,I dried chilli peppers for a collar for a wedding dress. Before that I had tomake a wind up key for a full size ballerina so working with wire and silverspray excited me. I love working with things that would not generally be usedin fashion, seeing something in a new way. Wicker Christmas decorations arealso exciting me at the moment!
22. Whatone piece of advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career infashion?
Start small. Don't think you can just set up andall will work .Test the market, do a small capsule collection and see whatsells or set up in a market stall in cows lane .Once you have more of an ideaabout what sells, you can follow the right track. But stay true to what youlove, it will show in your work. Don't follow trends, follow your instinct anddon't believe all you read about others.
23. What was your most exciting photoshoot?
Most exciting fashion shoot is always the last one. It will be published in theSunday Independent in mid December and was based on Freda Kahlo, the Mexicanpainter. We managed to shoot in the Mexican embassy in Dublin so I am excitedto see it all printed. Also just shot a big blue dress in Barbados so I can'twait to see the photos. That will be published in England.
24. Wheredo you see yourself in 10 years time?
Well every fashion designer wants to showworldwide and have stars wearing their clothes so that would be lovely. But Iam blessed to be still doing what I am doing so if I can keep creating andhopefully making people happy, well that would be great.
