Gerard Taylor to style Orla Kiely outlet

Fashion designer Orla Kiely is to open her first stand-alone boutique in Europe in London’s Covent Garden next month, designed in collaboration with architect and furniture designer Gerard Taylor.

The concepts will then be used as a design template for further Orla Kiely-branded outlets in Paris and New York, according to managing director Dermott Rowan.

Orla Kiely operates a portfolio of dedicated stores in the Far East, including key locations in Japan, where it is funded by Itochu Corporation, also an investor in Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood. In Europe, Orla Kiely products have been distributed through wholesale agreements with retailers.

Elements of the product designs have been highlighted in the 84m2 Covent Garden store, according to Kiely. The space will feature a ‘highlight wall’ of her signature stem print, along with a mixture of 60s-inspired fixtures and Scandinavian wood treatments. Patterns and prints will be used as accents across the two-floor store, employed on the walls, bespoke furniture and custom printed ceiling panels.

‘This is the first time we have got retail exactly right. I spent a long time looking for the right location. It represents what Orla is about, because Gerard [Taylor] spent a lot of time with her,’ says Rowan.

Funding was raised by the company itself, according to Rowan. The store opens in the third week of September.

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