About Orla Kiely
Orla Kiely is a globally recognised fashion and lifestyle brand run by Orla, Dermott and a small team. Best known for our iconic Stem leaf print, which has grown and blossomed into an extensive library of nostalgic, joyful patterns. Each one with the unique ability to inspire you to be the most creative version of yourself.
Founded in 1995, Orla had a passion for bold colour and graphic design at a time when fashion was immersed in black. The Orla brand stood out from the very beginning. Combined with a special interest in mid-century design, Orla would trawl the markets in Portobello and Montreuil in Paris in search of vintage treasures, from objects to clothing from the sixties and seventies to feed her passion and establish a unique style.
It's these founding principles that define the Orla Kiely brand as it stands today.
An insight from Orla:
“The creative world I find myself in now started with a simple idea to design a collection of bags and accessories in a rainbow of prints, always joyful and happy with an emphasis on functionality.
With little funds but lots of enthusiasm, we started our company, his business with my creative, dedicated to colour and pattern. This was our first step along a winding path and the start of a journey filled with challenges and successes in equal measures.”
Inspiring you to be the most creative version of yourself...
Orla’s dream was always to create a style with a strong sense of identity, a visual language that was welcoming and friendly – happy prints that make you smile! In Orla's designs, we often reference 1960s culture: fashion, film, interiors and graphic design. Nature is also a constant source of inspiration alongside other curious and conversational subject matters that spark new ideas every day.
A stem for all seasons
Stem, our simple graphic leaf has been very kind to us. Designed in 2000, it has become our brand icon, an enduring motif that has survived the test of time. Often described as one of the most recognisable prints of the 21st century by experts and commentators in the world of textiles, it seems to have a unique ability to take on new personalities through scale, texture and colour. We have fun re-imagining it each season, surprising even ourselves, like a puzzle with infinite configurations, keeping it fresh and allowing it to remain strong and relevant, no matter the season.
TEAM ORLA KIELY
Orla Kiely is comprised of a small team of like-minded and passionate people all striving for the same end goal. We all contribute creatively and are constantly evolving, open to new ideas, instinctively graphic, playful and curated, being as near to perfect as can be. That’s what inspires us and drives us forward.