Kirsten French

Forget the itchy woolly granny-pullover that springs to mind when you hear the phrase 'Irish knitwear design'.

With her colour clashing ’60s pop art-inspired collection, Kirsten French has injected the Irish market with something fresh and vibrant.

The NCAD fashion graduate worked with Lainey Keogh for three years before taking a break to explore the far east. Now she’s back – with a bang! If you want to be enveloped by colour, you can see Kirsten’s collection in Tulle and Clothes Peg.

“I hate the word knitwear because it makes you think of traditional cardies. My designs are sexy but not overtly so; I have a very varied client base. The shift in the market means that Irish women are no longer scared to wear colour. Travelling through eastern Asia was an amazing experience that encouraged me to open myself to influences and be freer with my designs.”

Kirsten may have launched her collection barely a year ago but she has been developing it from as early as she could draw.

“I was clearing out some boxes recently and I came across these sketches I must have done when I was about six,” she says. “I had scribbled in bright crayon across the page ‘Swimwear Collection’, and had drawn these bright yellow stick insect figures with big heads. They were wearing spotted bikinis in pink and yellow and orange!”

Kirsten’s collection is inherently sexy, with its mixture of bold colours and sensuous materials. The cashmere blends and top quality yarns instantly lift you when you put them against your skin, and there are no nasty itchy rashes. And then there’s the ‘graphics’!

“Andy Warhol has had a huge impact on my work. I admire Paul Poiret for his use of colour and textile,” she adds. “The last few years have seen smaller boutiques popping up throughout the country, so there is definitely more scope for designers in Ireland. In time I will break into the international market but for now I’m happy to let it grow within Ireland.”