Pattern
From her early signature bags, the collection has grown to include a complete womenswear line, accessories, travel and homeware, sold worldwide. The book is illustrated with many examples of Orla’s work, along with inspirational images that have shaped her style, and gives a personal account of what informs her work and inspires her designs.
This is the perfect book for anyone who loves design, not just fashion.
I have one copy worth £25 to give away to an LLG reader (sorry, due to the weight of the book, this one is for UK readers only). Just leave a comment below, telling me either what the first piece of Orla Kiely was that you bought or were given, or simply why you think you should get this book
Pattern
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I have some lovely OK stem print bedding. A dream to sleep in!
I have never had an Orla piece despite loving her work very, very much. I am hoping that will be rectified this Winter and she will be the maker of my handbag of choice now that I am grown up enough to buy serious handbags. I would also love to be the owner of her book!
Love love love her stuff. Despite her being Irish, she will always remind me of my time in London. My first purchase were a duvet cover and pillow covers and to this date, I make sure to wash them in the morning so they are dry at night and I don’t have to sleep under something else. Just too pretty a design.
I bought a small Orla Kiely weekend bag, in its traditional leaf print. It was one of the most expensive purchases i had bought, being a student with little money, but even to this day whenever i pull it out of its box, it still brings me the original joy as when i bought it. Orla Kiely is so original in the way her prints are so unique and empowering, add a touch of orla to every outfit and girls, your sorted!! i would just love to have a chance to win this inspiring book!
I bought myself a stem-pattern wheelie suitcase when I signed my book deal. It cost considerably more than I would ordinarily think of paying for a suitcase, but I keep it in the corner of my office and it makes me happy every time I look at it. I would love to win the book — thank you for the opportunity!
I would love to have a copy of this book. For my 30th birthday I was bought an Orla Kiely handbag and I have never looked back. I recently had to restrain myself from completely furnishing my new flat with her designs and have settled for the odd piece here and there.
The first piece of Orla Kiely I bought was a marvellously stylish AND oh so practical waterproof rainhat. It’s quite a legendary piece amongst friends… one that anyone who has hair with a tendency to frizz should keep with them at all times x
I was bought Orla’s giant sunflower handbag, its so gay and I’ve called it my “happy bag”. I only have to look at it and I smile. a very dear friend of mine bought it for me as he said that it was so me. I love the colour of it and its very summery. One of my favorite bags and I have quite a few.
would not mind this book either, pretty please:)
Love it, thanks for this chance! The first piece of hers i got was the lollipop handbag around 5–6 years ago. i still have it and wear it, and I love it!!
I love Orla Keily! I have been going into her shop in Covent Garden for most of the summer on my way home from work or on the weekend. I am the person that the sales assistant is driven insane by! I loved this one dress that I would literally go in and try on over & over again. I am on a really tight budget at the moment so buying clothes isn’t really an option.
I am trying to be creative with what I have or swap with my sisters. If you were to give me the book it would be my very first thing from Orla Keily. So please consider me!
I’m a bloke so for me it’s less about tea dresses and bags but more about fantastic bed linen which is so beautifully designed you just don’t want to leave it, brilliant wallpaper and home-wear which is so far removed from stuff you find in department stores (am still gutted she did a range for Target which never made it to the UK) — it’s a sense of effortless design which nods back to our past (I always think South Bank net and ball designs and the Festival of Britain) yet totally shows the way forward at the same time. There is a real sense of control about the whole thing which is oddly quite subversive at the same time. Love Orla — would love the book!
My first Orla item was a duvet cover whic I love!
I think Orla Kiely’s work is just beautiful! I love the rich warm colour palettes, the bold funky patterns and the feminine but classic tailoring!
Kiely’s work is an inspiration to my work and i think her retro style is amazing!
I LOVE ORLA KIELY!
I did a textile design course which I loved and would love to have this book for further inspiration!
Love Orla’s designs, and love the fact she has always stuck to her original designs and not been strayed by trends. Her bags are timeless. I don’t own any though so I think I deserve the book
I saw your tweet about receiving this book and was secretly hoping that you’d do a competition, and lo and behold, you have done!:-) (very generously in my view, as I would have kept it for myself:-))
My love of all things Orla Kiely goes back to approximately 2005, when my friend bought one of her iconic totes. Quite a few of my girlfriends are, in fact, completely obsessed with her designs, some have bags, some have wallets, some have BOTH purses and walletts. I am always impressed by the quality. Orla Kiely’s clothes are very high quality, too, and I’d love to be able to afford them. I’d, however, be as happy to win the book, as I’ve been lusting after it for a while and it’s been on my Wish List since I first spotted it on Amazon. I see myself happily poring over its pages for hours and hours on rainy autumn evenings…
I was given a cotton leaf print Orla Kiely bag by a friend of mine about 10 years ago (I think!?), which I no longer use — so if I win this fabulous book I’ll continue the great Orla Kiely giveaway extravaganza by offering the bag on my blog. Sound like a deal?
I have never bought one of her item but I read about the book in Stylist yesterday and thought I should have it! Also, my BF is an architecte and is always amazed at patterns and deco stuff!!! (Maybe this will inspire him to buy/draw me a house!)
I am such a huge fan of Orla Kiely, especially the bags, yet unfortunatly I don’t have anything Orla Kiely so I’m left to lust after them. I am starting a fashion course at uni in a couple of weeks and I’m so nervous! It would be great to have such an influential pattern designers book always open on my desk to keep me going and ensure I’m always inspired!
Love the blog!
Thanks!
I would love to win this book, I am at uni working towards becoming a designer. I find inspiration from all sorts of things. I mainly focus on prints and I think this book would be really inspirational for future projects and interesting to read with a cup of tea
My work is on my blog if you want to take a look, thanks!
Great giveaway!xx
stylejunkiejournal.blogspot.com
Hi — I deserve to win this lovely book because I have used my v.tired looking green Orla Kiely Purse with love for nearly 5 years! Look how tired it looks:
http://twitpic.com/2kiubo
Its still the best purse ever, bought for me as my first Christmas present from my (now) fiancé.
Sarah x
The first Orla Kiely piece I bought was an orange, pink and red psychedelic print handbag about 4 years ago. It was a very brave purchase for me, I usually stick to black when it comes to handbags, but I was going to Morocco on holiday and wanted something more vibrant to take with me. It’s a little battered now but I still have the bag and it always makes me smile and think of mint tea and the stall holders in the Souk shouting ‘Spice Girls’ at me and my friends.
Loving the blog!
I have to have this book to make up for the utterly, utterly shocking fact that I do not possess anything by Orla Kiely, and the fact that I am getting a little fed up that the marks from the ensuing self-flagellation mean I am having to wear roll-neck sweaters, even in our current mini Indian summer.
Just three things, which I treasure — an apples and pears washbag in orange, a stem print make up bag in brown and cream, both from my sweetheart after we first met just over ten years ago. Both zips long broken but still on the shelf and I smile every time I look at them. I also have a green pear print reusable shopping bag, made for Target and given to me by my sister. I use it every day. I have a Heals cherrywood lampbase from the ‘60s which my mum bought and one day I’d like to get an olive tulip print shade for it. And that would be it.
I have everything about Orla Kiely
One way to get me out of lurking!
I love Orla Kiely’s design — I had coveted a bag for about 5 years and then got one with a stem design in cherry red for a recent ‘special’ birthday. I’ve also got two lots of bedding — including the design that’s on the front of the book, so I instantly relaxed when I saw today’s post!!! My 8 year old son has the bedding with the tangerine carprint — I love that too and I’m sure that will see him all the way through college (well at least until he needs a double!).
I don’t have any of her pieces. However I’ve recently moved into my own place and a friend is giving me her old coffee table. A coffee table without books seems wrong. Surely it deserves a pretty book like this one?
I was drooling over this in a shop yesterday but just couldn’t justify the expense…utterly gorgeous book tho!
I love, love, love Orla Kiely!! First purchase was a stem print bag which I have used every day for Two years! Think she’s a very clever lady…starting to worry she’s branching out a little too much with perfumes etc…but think I will always be a massive fan! Would love to curl up with her new book..looks an inspiring one.
My first piece of Orla Kiely was a pencil case and exercise book, given to me by my (1950’s fabric designing) granny. She said it was to help inspire me in my own design endeavours and I can’t help but think of her when I see Orla designs! I would love her book to inspire me further…
Got a gorgeous brown oil cloth bag from London Fashion Weekend in 05 or 06 — still a resident staple unlike the ex boyf who bought it
I studied graphic design the last two years and love her graphic print designs. I sadly don’t haven’t purchased anything buy her but I really want the Ivy design slouchy leather bag on her website for when I go back to college. I would love this book too (:
Kelly x
Very, very pleased Orla Kiely has put this book together. This is a book to be treasured. I will savour each page. I am in awe of Orla Kiely as I dream and think in pattern, but have never been able to transfer those ideas onto print. My childhood memory bank is full of different patterns — including Laura Ashley curtains, William Morris wallpaper (they have their place!) — and my current home is now full of many patterns, including Orla Kiely’s.
This book would be a very welcome autumn treat for me to pore over as the nights draw in and maybe I can turn my own dream of pattern design into something real. Thank you.
We were given some Orla Kiely bedlinen as a wedding present and I was so excited. Then the washing machine mangled them the first time we washed them and they have a big rip in them. Made me so sad. I’ve stitched them but it’s not the same.
Maybe the book will cheer me up?
xx
Alas, I’m not in the UK but can’t resist adding how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE her work x
I just love Orla Kiely, I have some of her notebooks, and her designs always remind me of my local bookshop, one of my favourite places in the whole world! So, when I’m away at uni, her designs remind me of home and holidays, lovely!
Anyway, I love the blog, as always!
Hannah.
I also got a brown oil cloth bag from London Fashion Weekend in 2005
On a grey wet London day an Orla Keily pattern keeps the blues away x
my twin sister, always ahead of the fashion curve, turned me on to OK. the first piece i bought was actually for her– a multi stem print handbag. i lived in chicago at the time, and OK had barely registered in the US. but i loved it so much, i bought myself the same pattern in a large zip wallet. since moving to england i’ve become even more of an OK convert and love seeing people carrying their OK handbags and whipping out wallets big and small– such a great way to brighten a rainy day! i’ve also redecorated my home office in all things OK, with a hydrangea print lampshade, the same patter wallpaper on my desk and behind frosted glass cupboard doors, and some of her magazine files and boxes from Heals. i love mixing and matching the patterns into one cohesive story!
My first Orla Kiely purchase was her ‘wottle’ water bottle. It makes me smile everytime I take a swig on my daily commute
Georgia
I’m a textile designer and Orla has been a great influence on me throughout college, and now as a freelancer she really is someone to look up to! I have never owned anything by her because I could never afford it but I would love this book to add to my pattern book collection.
Great giveaway, very generous!
I nearly did a wee when I got my first and only Orla dress!
A beautiful stem print bag — I felt so good walking down the street with it!
I absolutely love pattern, from fifties ceramics to retro repeats like Orla Kiely, my house is covered in prints from the bright Stem bedlinen, to wallpapered Neisha Crosland chest of drawers. I even have some pretty china mugs bought by my friend Julie. I am dying to take a look at this new book, great idea to put the word out on facebook. Well done!
My first piece was a flower print sling bag, still in use and going strong, after so many years, and still my all time favourite bag!
I don’t own any Orla but whenever I look at her designs it reminds me of the bedspreads my sister and I had when we were young — Happy Days!
Orla Kiely makes me think of friends.
The friend who bought me the lovely OK little make up bag.
The dear friend who has more Orla Kiely bags than you would think is possible. And another friend, Miss practical and Mrs Minimal but who manages to show a more colourful playful side with more than one Orla Kiely number.…
I also have a lovely wool Orla dress I picked up for a steal.
But my favourite piece of Orla Kiely is my elastic bound notebook, with lined, square and plain paper, interspersed with tracing paper printed with the signature Orla Kiely print, and a wonderful punched card bookmark.
I adore it!
My first Orla was a Carprint weekend bag.
I now have the whole Luggage set, orla duvets, orla curtains made from duvets, orla cushions from heals, Orla Nappy Bag, Orla laptop bag, chairs I appolstered in her fabric. I am a HUGE fan.…
I would love this book as i’ve been in hospital for 9 weeks solid, and im getting abit bored.… to say the least.
Have a lovely day,
Laura x
My first piece of Orla was an orange Lollipop print bag. I fell in love with it as it reminded me of a little 70s orange cushion I used to drag around with me when I was small. That’s the essence of Orla — nostalgic and evocative.
I would like the Orla Kiely book because…
1. She is easily one of my favourite designers with her pretty prints & simple colour schemes.
2. I wish I did own a piece to write here…but I don’t, because I’m a broke student and this book’ll probably be the closest I’ll ever get. For now at least!
3. As well as being a student I’m also a freelance fashion writer. An unpaid one… [broke student still applies]. That means I’m going to LFW. Or at least I was going to the whole of LFW until I found out I have to have surgery on the Monday. Please give me something to read…!
lots of love + hope to see you on the fri/sat/sun of LFW! xxx