Orla Kiely A Life in Pattern Exhibition

 

Last year I attended an excellent talk given by Orla Kiely at Foyles Bookshop in Charing Cross Road.  At this event she talked about an exhibition of her work which would be coming to London in 2018.  As a big Orla Kiely fan I excitedly squirrelled that information away looking forward to when Orla Kiely A Life in Fashion would to the Fashion and Textile Museum in May this year.

I have been a big fan or Orla for many years and own bags, purses, notebooks and storage jars with her distinctive prints.  I pride myself on being able to spot an Orla Print at a 1000 paces! In fact such is my love for Orla, my husband has through osmosis also developed this excellent life skill!

So, you can imagine my excitement when on a precious day off last month I took myself along to the exhibition.  On entering the exhibition, my first observation was perhaps unsurprisingly the number of women, and in particular the number of women sporting Orla kiely products.  I have to admit to being one of them!

The exhibition begins with flat lays and glass cabinets filled with products and fabrics and drawings and vision boards all which provide an insight into the creative and design process, and stages of development which take a product from drawing board to shop floor.

One of the most striking  part of the exhibitions is the huge gallery containing giant size coats and dresses, suspend from the ceiling on enormous coat hangers.  There is a real ‘wow’ moment here as you turn the corner into the gallery and are quite unexpectedly faced with the wonderful clothes on such a large scale.  I immediately thought of it as a huge dressing up box. Bringing together so many iconic patterns in this way is very clever.  Wandering around the clothes, seeing them from every angle made for a superbly visual treat.

“Pattern is in me, it is my life” – Orla Kiely

I was introduced to Orla Kiely like many people through her bags, buying my first one from a sale in Chelsea Town Hall in around 2002.  Since then I have had a few, ranging from small shoulder bags to large totes.  I love them all!  But even I had no idea of the extent and vast number of bags which make up the 20 years of the collection.  There is one very  long wall with every Orla bag carefully placed in a carefully curated exhibition of colour and style.  The ultimate in handbag eye candy, for which my picture does little justice.

Along side the handbags is gallery filled with mannequins lined up in rows and dressed in head toe Orla.  There were so many wonderful outfits and the inspiration of nature and landscape really struck me here.  These are fun clothes, clothes to make you smile and feel happy, which I believe is what all clothes should try and do!  It reminded me of my promise to myself at the beginning of the year to only wear clothes which bring me joy…I perhaps need to revisit this promise.  I have no doubt wearing head to to Orla would bring me great joy!

Before entering the final gallery where every wall is covered in framed photographs from the spring / summer and autumn / winter collections from 2009-2018, it was great to watch some of the films on show.  A screen plays a continuous loop of advertising campaigns, many of which are so blurred and dreamy they look like extracts from a beautiful arthouse film.

This exhibition is wonderful not only for those who love Orla Kiely but also for those who want a lesson in branding. With her instantly recognisable style, colour and patter, there  can be few people who do it better.

“I believe in the power of integrity” – Orla Kiely

I left with my love of Orla, the bag, the clothing the accessory and the homeware product completely in tact.  But I also came away with a better understanding of the person behind the business and an appreciation of her commitment to the environment, sustainability and charitable work.  Despite her huge success Orla Kiely has earned true to her Irish roots and all that the landscape, in which she grew up in has given her.

The exhibition runs from 25th May to 23rd September

Tickets are £9.90 for adults.