Louise Kennedy
| Louise Kennedy | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 28, 1960[1] Thurles[2] |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Website | |
| http://www.louisekennedy.com | |
Louise Kennedy is an Irish fashion designer and businesswoman who, in 2013, was called the 'uncrowned queen of Irish fashion'.[2]
Career
Kennedy studied at Dublin's Market and Design College and the Grafton Academy,[3] before setting up her own business in either 1982,[4][5] or 1984.[1]
In 1990 she designed the purple wool and moiré inauguration outfit for Ireland's first female President Mary Robinson.[3] Kennedy stated that she had been very fortunate by the timing of this, as it drew a great deal of attention and media coverage with many Irish clients suddenly made aware of her work and choosing to buy from her.[6] That same year she was chosen to exhibit at the London Designer Show.[1] She opened her flagship stores in Dublin and London in 1997, the same year in which she designed uniforms for flight staff on Aer Lingus.[1] Since 1999 she has also designed glassware for Tipperary Crystal, collaborating with Marcus Notley since 2001.[1][7]
In 2009, she designed new judge's robes for the Irish Law Courts, marking a break from the traditional British robes that previous judges had worn.[8] In 2011 Kennedy started offering bespoke wedding dresses,[1] and in 2013 she launched a range of personalised designer handbags.[2]
Awards
Kennedy was named Irish Designer of the Year award in 1989 and 1990,.[1] She won a Fashion Oscar in 1992 for the Best Irish Designer Collection and in 1994 was the first female designer to receive an award for Outstanding Achievements in Fashion from the Irish Clothing Industry.[1] For her achievements in Irish fashion she was elected Tipperary Person of the Year in 1992.[1] She has also been named Veuve Cliquot's Irish Businesswoman of the Year for 2003 and 2004.[1] In 2009 she became the first woman to act as style envoy for Mercedes-Benz.[4]
Throughout her career Kennedy has been recognised for her suit and coat designs, winning awards specifically for these in 1985 (Best Irish Coat Collection), 1991 (Best Suit and Best Coat Award), and 1993 (Best Coat and Suit Collection Designer of the Year).[1]
In popular culture
In 2010 Kennedy was one of six contemporary, internationally renowned Irish fashion designers featured on a set of Irish postage stamps issued by An Post. The other designers featured were Paul Costelloe, Lainey Keogh, John Rocha, Philip Treacy and Orla Kiely.[5]
Along with Costelloe she was a celebrity guest judge for the 2013 final of RTÉ Television's Craft Master show.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 "Ms Louise Kennedy". Debrett's. Debrett's. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Power, Bairbre (13 September 2013). "Louise Kennedy's new idea in the bag". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Simpson, Anne (1991). Blooming Dublin : choice, change, and contradictions. Edinburgh: Mainstream Pub. p. 131. ISBN 1851583246.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Craft Master: Judges". RTÉ Television. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Magnificent Irish fashionista stamps". World Stamp News. 18 July 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ Travers, John J. (2001). Driving the tiger: Irish enterprise spirit. Ireland: Gill & Macmillan. pp. 69–72. ISBN 0717133036.
- ↑ "The Art of Glass". Irish Arts Review 25 (3-4): 131. 2008.
- ↑ McDonald, Dearbhail (2011). Bust : how the courts have exposed the rotten heart of the Irish economy ([New ed.] ed.). London: Penguin Books. p. 165. ISBN 9780141049229.