Celia Birtwell

Celia Birtwell, CBE (born 1941) is a textile designer known for her distinctive bold, romantic and feminine designs, which draw influences from Picasso, Matisse and from the classical world. She was well-known for her prints which epitomised the 1960s/70s. After a period away from the limelight she has returned to fashion.

Early life

Born in Salford, Lancashire, she studied textile design at Salford School of Art, where in 1959 she met the fashion designer Ossie Clark, whom she later married in 1969 after being reintroduced when they both studied in London.

Ossie Clark

Celia Birtwell and Ossie Clark's was an almost perfect marriage of style, and their work together helped define the era. The collaboration began with a 1966 collection for the Quorum boutique in London, which they shared with the designer Alice Pollock. It was the Clarks who began the modern catwalk show: the previous procession of modeled clothes was put to music, the London glitterati were invited, and the shows became events. Birtwell worked at home designing textiles for Clark, who would use his skill in cutting and understanding of form, together with her knowledge of fabrics and textures to produce haute couture for the 1960s culture. This included work for the Rolling Stones and Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, as well as Pattie Boyd, Marianne Faithfull, Bianca Jagger, Verushka, Paloma Picasso, Talitha Getty and numerous other celebrities.^{[citation needed]}

Family

Celia and Ossie had two children together, Albert (born 1969) and George (born 1971), but their private relationship deteriorated and they divorced in 1974.^{[citation needed]}

David Hockney

She has been a muse for the painter David Hockney since 1968, and features in his 1970 painting Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy, one of Hockney's most celebrated and one of the most viewed paintings in the Tate Britain gallery. In 2005, it featured on the Today programme's shortlist of the Greatest Painting in Britain.^{[citation needed]}

Interiors and furnishing fabric

After the break-up of her marriage, Birtwell continued in fashion, designing for the Radley label for a time, until in 1984 she set up a shop on Westbourne Park Road in Bayswater, selling fabrics for the home. Again she built up a reputation for innovative and witty design. Her first success came with her own take on a 16th century animal print she called ‘Animal Solo’, followed later by the first, and much copied, white on white voile and muslin fabrics. These fabrics are now to be seen in many homes, hotels and public spaces, including Claridge's and The Lanesbourough Hotels in London, The Grand Hotel, Leeds, and the Dubai Hilton.

Recent work

In 2005, it was announced that she would design clothing for the high street chain Topshop, beginning with Spring/Summer 2006. Her first collection was a huge success, selling out within minutes of the shops opening. In April 2008, Celia designed a limited collection for American fashion retailer Express. In 2008, Millets launched a camping and outdoor footwear and clothing range designed by Celia Birtwell. New lines were added to the range for Summer 2009.

Honours

She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours.

External links

• "Sketches by Celia Birtwell". Victoria and Albert Museum. http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1250_ossieclark/designs/celiabirtwell/. Retrieved 2007-06-16. 
• Celia Birtwell designer profile at Fashion Model Directory
• How we get dressed, the Guardian
• BBC British Style Genius series, Style Icon
• Celia Birtwell 2006 collection
• Boys, men, women - my life with Ossie, 1996 Interview