Pattern by Orla Kiely

 All Photographs found in Pattern.

I poured through this lovely book by Orla Kiely called Pattern as soon as I got it home and since I've
been totally inspired by the BYW e-course I'm currently taking, I thought it might be a good idea to parallel how other successful creative's work and how they are influenced to keep creating fresh and new ideas into the world.  Orla Kiely is one such influential designer with a hugely successful global brand that started out with handbags and has since expanded to include accessories, travel & homeware (you might have seen some at Target), and a womenswear line.  Despite how big her brand has grown in size, it was refreshing to read that her ideas come from practicing new ways of learning to see the world around her. By discovering what you gravitate towards in shape, colors, moods, and themes, you start to develop a confidence in your own preferences which trains your eye to be a more critical editor.

"Inspiration is always the beginning of the design process. Next comes the research phase, where you delve into it all in more detail, gathering information of various kinds and trying out ideas in sketches and drawings." I've included just a few of my favorite patterns and photos from this book, but it truly is a great visual resource of inspiration and a wealth of information about building and sustaining a brand with new ideas that have a lasting impact.