PRESS AREA / KATIE LARMOUR DESIGN NEWS:

PRESS RELEASE

SUMMER 2018

KATIE LARMOUR'S LUXURY CUSHIONS TO BE STOCKED IN DUBLIN'S PRESTIGIOUS BROWN THOMAS STORE THIS SUMMER

Belfast Irish linen designer Katie Larmour is to be featured in this year’s prestigious Brown Thomas CREATE showcase at their flagship luxury department store in Dublin.

The six week listing in the store will see Katie being unveiled amongst the most exciting up and coming names in Irish fashion.

CREATE opened on Tuesday July 3 and celebrates the very best in contemporary Irish design.

Featured at this year’s showcase is Irish designer, Katie Larmour, graduate of the University of Ulster School of Art & Design with a BA (Hons) in Fine & Applied Art, who specialises in creating exclusive and unique luxury couture cushions. Her work is expertly made from rare vintage and antique silk scarves on the front, and traditional Irish linen on the back, sourced from one of the last remaining linen mills still active in Ireland.

Breathing new life into the vintage scarves at her studio in Belfast with her signature use of natural oatmeal-toned Irish Linen, which is certified by the Irish Linen Guild and the natural undyed colour of the flax plant itself, providing a luxurious but very durable foil to the more luminous colours of the richly patterned silks on the front.

Now in its eighth year, CREATE nurtures rising talent and serves as the best platform to help Irish designers establish their brand. This year’s installation presents the work of 24 designers across ready-to-wear, millinery, jewellery, handbags, scarves, accessories, and interiors, and offers coveted selling space in Ireland’s leading luxury fashion store. Set against a specially constructed mirror backdrop, the in-store execution plays on the theme of reflection, a nod to past designers and budding new ones.

Katie has created a selection of high-end and vintage one-of-a-kind designer scarf cushions for her Brown Thomas collection, in a variety of colours and patterns and featuring historic names from the fashion world such as Cartier, Gucci, Versace, Chanel, YSL, and Hermes, which she feels are a strong fit with the Brown Thomas brand.

“My designs, and the nature of my product, compliment and promote sustainability, as well as blending fashion with home accessories, to create high-end and unique pieces, which I feel have a natural synergy with Brown Thomas” she explained, adding: “I am passionate about using sustainable materials, where possible, to create desirable pieces, and by repurposing vintage designer scarves within my work, my products link perfectly with the theme of CREATE this year, which is reflection and recognising the important role that designers of the past had to play in where we are today.

“By breathing new life into vintage scarves by world-renowned fashion designers, which I source at antiques markets around the globe, and turning them into artisan handcrafted cushions that are cherished by a new generation, we are able to blend the old with the new to create functional, but gorgeous, home furnishings.”

Katie Larmour Design is soon to be featured as a celebrated maker at the first ever Linen Biennale taking place in Northern Ireland later this year. She is a member of Craft NI, the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, the Crafts Council of England, and the Ulster Society of Women Artists. Her unique antique fashion cushions have been featured in the Financial Times, Antiques and Home Magazine, Haute Living Magazine, as well as on the cover of House Beautiful Magazine.

For more information on Katie Larmour and her work, go to: katielarmourdesign.com

ENDS

PRESS RELEASE:

WINTER 2017

KATIE LARMOUR DESIGN EXHIBITS IN PALM BEACH

Vintage couture and Irish Linen cushion designer, Katie Larmour, showcased her unique and hand-crafted silk scarf cushions at the prestigious Palm Beach Art, Antiques, and Design Show in Florida, in December 2017.

Katie was featured among the highly-curated group of just 27 acclaimed exhibitors, with remarkable collections from all corners of the globe, which offered interior designers, architects, high profile private collectors and elite attendees the opportunity to view and purchase her unique and stunning pieces.

Speaking before the event, Scott Diament, President and CEO of the Palm Beach Show Group, said: “We are excited to once again host internationally acclaimed art, antique, and jewellery dealers in Palm Beach.”

Recognised as one of America’s premier antiques shows, the event saw Katie exhibit with a collection of her exclusive and unique couture cushions, which are exquisitely made from rare vintage and antique designer silks of bold and beautiful patterns on the front, and traditional Irish Linen - from one of the last remaining active linen mills in Ireland - on the back.

Katie’s designs blend the old with the new, breathing new life into vintage and antique scarves from designers such as Schiaparelli, Nina Ricci, Balmain, Cartier, and Hermes, while also incorporating the classic natural, undyed oatmeal Irish Linen that has become a signature of her pieces.

Following the show, Katie’s cushions were featured in Haute Living magazine, and a selection of her vintage scarf cushions are now available through Butchoff Antiques in London, who are regarded as one of the UK’s finest antique shops, located on Kensington Church Street, just a stone’s throw away from Kensington Palace.

Examples of Katie’s opulent vintage scarf cushions on display include a Salvatore Ferragamo exotic print of zebras in a luscious jungle setting, a deep red Royal Tiger Hermes print, a flamboyant, tropical underwater Chloe print with bright coral and strings of pearls, a mouth-watering pineapple Liberty of London print, and a dazzling bejewelled gold and emerald panther Cartier print that was inspired by the iconic brooch created for the Duchess of Windsor, Wallace Simpson.

Speaking from her Design Studio in Belfast, she said: “I was delighted to be invited to take part in this year’s Palm Beach Art, Antiques, and Design Show, to have my designs recognised and on show on such an international stage is wonderful.”

For more information on Katie Larmour, go to katielarmour.com

Haute Living Article: http://hauteliving.com/2017/12/haute-weekend-happenings-december-16-17-2017/648648/?market=miami

ENDS

PRESS RELEASE:

SPRING 2017

KATIE LARMOUR IRISH LINEN COLLECTION ON SALE AT HEAL'S OF LONDON

Belfast-based vintage couture and Irish Linen cushion designer, Katie Larmour, has been commissioned to create three new designs to be showcased by Heal’s of London for Spring/Summer 2017.

Heal’s is the prestigious furniture chain that has been at the forefront of modern design in Britain for over 200 years, striking the perfect balance between innovation and traditional craftsmanship, while championing hand-crafted pieces and quality materials.

With a passion for quality craftsmanship herself, Katie’s Irish Linen cushions are a perfect fit for the upmarket store: as she says - “I am delighted to collaborate with such a highly respected and historical company. This collection is exclusive to Heal’s, so I looked for inspiration for the new designs within their own archive of period furniture, which is where I found the concept of minimalist shapes within an iconic desk which featured a harmonious design of diamond motifs and squares.”

Her luxurious and hand-crafted Irish Linen cushions caught the attention of one of the UK’s most prominent furniture stores following her appearance with the British European Design Group at New York Design Week 2016, and subsequently she was commissioned to create a three-piece exclusive cushion collection, which will be available from their Tottenham Court Road flagship store in London from mid-February.

Artisan-made by talented seamstresses in her design studio in Belfast - the home of Irish Linen - the cushions are filled with plush duck feathers and down, lined with organic cloth, stitched with natural thread and secured with hidden zip dress closures.

Listed on the official website of the Irish Linen Guild as a certified ‘trusted and recommended’ purveyor of Irish Linen goods, Katie sources her Irish Linen from one of the last remaining active linen mills in Ireland.

“I’m passionate about celebrating Irish Linen, keeping this wonderful textile alive, and showcasing its unique qualities. Each cushion we create has a precious and individual beauty, which is complemented by the rawness of the pure Irish Linen texture.”

The designs by Katie have a fresh neutral palate, combining classic, pristine white, and natural, undyed oatmeal-toned linen, that has become a hallmark signature of her pieces. The style and structure is contemporary patchwork, which uses whole pieces of fabric for the geometric block shapes, maintaining clean lines and eliminating unnecessary seams, where possible.

Incorporating Irish Linen in her designs was a simple decision for Katie. She said:

“Irish Linen has always been around me – from my childhood in Northern Ireland right through to the present day. At the start of the 18th century my forebears in the Larmour family came to Ireland with a great influx of French Huguenots who brought with them their new tools, techniques, and artisan skills to firmly establish the linen industry in Northern Ireland, and see it rise to a become a world leader in textiles. This is the tradition to which I am adding my particular vision. In a world of ‘throw-away’ fashion, my aim is to contribute to, and promote, high quality craftsmanship and sustainable living, which makes traditional Irish Linen the perfect fit for our brand.”

“My inspiration is a mixture of the Arts & Crafts movement, Modernism, and Dutch De Stijl. The simple, even minimalist, approach to the patchwork patterning can be seen as a reflection of Ireland’s rich tapestry of patchwork-like farmland.”

Katie’s custom cushions were selected for Heal’s Spring/Summer 2017 trends photo shoot, and were published in the store’s catalogue, as well as being featured in a variety of lifestyle magazines. Subsequently, one of her Irish Linen cushions for Heal’s appeared on the cover of House Beautiful magazine.

For more information on Katie Larmour, go to katielarmour.com

ENDS

PRESS RELEASE:

SPRING 2016

KATIE LARMOUR DESIGN JOINS AMERICA'S PREMIER ANTIQUES EMPORIUM

From May 2016, Belfast-based vintage couture cushion designer, Katie Larmour, is making her work available on New York’s luxury online marketplace, 1stdibs. Known for curating an exclusive collection of rare and beautiful objects in furniture, fashion, fine art, and jewellery, 1stdibs connects the world’s most respected dealers and makers with sophisticated collectors, who share in the pursuit of beautiful design.

As the only 1stdibs seller from Northern Ireland, Katie is joining the ranks of some of the world’s top interior designers, such as Kelly Wearstler, by selling to an elite client base through the 1stdibs online global marketplace website.

Their slogan, ‘the most beautiful things on earth’, perfectly encapsulates Katie’s exquisite designs, which are created by repurposing vintage and antique designer scarves, and turning them into stunning cushions that are backed by traditional Irish Linen, produced by one of the last remaining operational linen factories in Ireland. It was no doubt due to its unique concept and innovative approach to design, that her work was selected to join this prestigious website.

Katie’s passion for antiques began over ten years ago, when she was studying Fine & Applied Art at the University of Ulster School of Art and Design in Belfast, followed by time spent working in both the Ulster Museum and Ross’s Auction House. From humble beginnings buying and selling antiques and collectibles privately on a small scale, she has launched her own design studio, and is now listed as a recognised and verified antiques dealer on one of the most important antiques showplaces in the world.

Her bespoke and highly desirable cushion designs along with an array of her antique collectibles, will be featured among some amazing and diverse pieces from other traders, such as an extravagant 19th Century Louis XV style 30-light chandelier with a dazzling £250,000 price tag, a flamboyant pink rose quartz Italian hand-carved bathtub, an extraordinary bed of Egyptian King Farouk’s and a fascinating dinosaur skull.

Speaking about the exciting development for her business, Katie said: “I am delighted to be joining a well-known and respected antiques marketplace, with such a varied and global audience. I took the opportunity to visit their showroom whilst I was at New York Design Week, and it was clear that 1stdibs is the perfect outlet for my vintage and antique pieces.”

An example of Katie’s work includes a stunning vintage Dior silk scarf, which has been turned into a beautiful cushion, illustrating a picturesque woodland scene with an assortment of pheasants in an exotic foliage of kaleidoscopic colours.

Katie’s design and skill takes beautiful and rare designer scarves, and breathes new life into them, turning them into opulent and desirable couture cushions. The exquisitely hand-crafted home furnishings are a work of art in themselves, as well as being functional, enhancing any interior be it traditional or contemporary.

For more information of Katie Larmour, go to katielarmour.com

To view Katie’s items on the 1stdibs marketplace, go to https://www.1stdibs.com/dealers/katie-larmour-design-ireland

ENDS

PRESS RELEASE:

WINTER 2015

KATIE LARMOUR DESIGN TO EXHIBT WITH THE BRITISH EUROPEAN DESIGN GROUP AT NEW YORK DESIGN WEEK

Vintage couture and Irish Linen cushion designer, Katie Larmour, has been selected to exhibit at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at New York Design Week, with the British European Design Group (BEDG) in May 2016.

BEDG has a 25-year history of introducing, promoting, and nurturing UK creative industries in preparation for export, and Katie will be among excellent company, showcasing her designs alongside 35 other hand-picked ‘up-and-coming’ UK-based talents.

The highlight of the trade mission, which will be supported by UK Trade and Investment, is hosting a booth at the 28th International Contemporary Furniture Fair. As North America’s largest annual luxury contemporary interiors trade show, sprawling over 165,000 square feet of exhibition space, Katie’s luxurious hand-crafted Irish Linen cushions will be placed firmly on a respected, and international stage, exhibiting alongside other young design talents, as well as established and prominent UK designers such as Tom Dixon and renowned international manufacturers.

Speaking about her selection for the event, Katie said: “I am thrilled to have been selected to represent the British European Design Group at the forthcoming international tradeshow in Spring 2016. This event brings together various brands, designers, and architects from all over the world to celebrate a particular passion for interiors. I am delighted to have the opportunity to showcase what I have to offer.”

Artisan-made by talented seamstresses in her design studio in Belfast - the home of Irish Linen - the cushions are filled with plush duck feathers and down, lined with organic cotton, secured with hidden zip dress closures and are hand finished. The undyed oatmeal-toned Irish Linen which is the natural colour of the flax plant itself, and is a hallmark signature in Katie’s work, features throughout the collection.

“I am passionate about celebrating Irish Linen internationally, keeping this wonderful textile alive, and showcasing its unique qualities”, says Katie, adding, “Each cushion we create has a precious and individual beauty, which is complemented by the rawness of the pure Irish Linen texture.”

Before finding out that she had been selected for a place at the exhibition with her all-linen cushions, Katie specialised in creating unique ‘couture cushions’, repurposing antique and vintage silk designer scarves for the front, and using beautiful Irish Linen for the back, but this event presented a different challenge.

“My couture cushions are one-of-a-kind, so I had to create a new concept that could be marketed wholesale and internationally”, explained Katie; ‘I wanted to keep the ethos of my brand, which is hand-crafted and limited edition batch-production, as opposed to mass produced or factory produced for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, I have designed a new Irish Linen collection that complements my couture cushions, and I can’t wait to see the response they receive in New York.”

Katie Larmour is already a member of: Craft NI, the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, the Crafts Council of England and the Ulster Society of Women Artists.

For more information on Katie Larmour, go to katielarmour.com

ENDS

PRESS RELEASE:

SUMMER 2014

KATIE LARMOUR LAUNCHES LUXURY IRISH LINEN BRAND IN BELFAST

Vintage couture and Irish Linen cushion designer, Katie Larmour, has launched her own Design Studio in Belfast. A Fine & Applied Art graduate of the University of Ulster Belfast School of Art and Design, Katie worked as an art and antiques dealer for eight years after her graduation, before pursuing her lifelong dream of setting up her own design studio.

In Katie’s new venture, she specialises in creating luxurious and one-of-a-kind couture cushions, which are exquisitely made by breathing new life into vintage and antique silk designer scarves, repurposing them as cushions with traditional Irish Linen backs. Speaking about her unique design concept Katie said:

“While traveling on a fabric buying trip to India, I found that I was surrounded by a spectacular array of various fabrics, but I realised that I had the most glorious one back home, right on my doorstep. It made sense to celebrate something local to me, especially when Irish Linen has so many beautiful and appealing qualities.

“The silk scarves I use to create my designs are very special, from 15 year old vintage pieces to 90 year old antiques, and many of the scarves that I acquire have unusual patterns or rare colourways. I’ve always loved to mix old with new, where contrasting elements can complement each other in beautiful and fascinating ways.”

Although Katie has taken inspiration from her travels, she is keen to establish her hand-crafted cushions as a Northern Ireland brand.

She added: “It’s really important to me that the cushions are actually made in Northern Ireland. In the last year I’ve travelled quite a bit, from North America to South America, and from Europe to Asia, researching and purchasing some fantastic fabrics that I am incorporating into my debut collection, which features exceptional scarves from such luxury designers as Balenciaga, Schiaparelli, Nina Ricci, Balmain, Cartier, and Hermes, but for the backings I have sourced my linen from one of the last remaining active mills in Ireland.

“Now that I have built up a stock of silks and Irish Linen I am working on building the business. Up until now I have been selling privately through word-of-mouth, but I feel I’m ready to take it a step further.”

The launch of her design studio is a natural progression for Katie, who has been a presenter, model, designer, and now entrepreneur, in an industry she is passionate about.

“I have a background in curating and selling antiques, which has proven to be useful for my new business venture, and I have always been creative, so bringing the two together developed organically.

“There is a definite correlation between fashion, art, and interiors, as it’s all about aesthetics, and cushions are the perfect canvas to make a statement. With this collection I’m combining everything that I’m passionate about - my love of art, fashion, travel, and antiques.”

Since debuting her vintage scarf and Irish Linen cushion collection, they have already been featured in Antiques and Home Magazine.

For more information on Katie Larmour, go to katielarmour.com

ENDS