WEARINGIRISH showcases top designers/brands from Ireland. In this series, meet the designers and hear their stories. Here Margaret chats with Karen and Ellen Yates. Visit tayloryates.com for more!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. Karen Yates: I worked for Jaeger, a company that made clothes for M&S and then, in the family design & print business before founding Taylor Yates. Ellen Yates: I’m still at university in Manchester. I return in September to complete my degree in Fashion Business Management, after a placement year working full-time at Taylor Yates.
WHAT WAS THE MOST DEFINING MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER? Karen: That’s a hard one to answer! Eighteen months after launch, we were invited by the British Fashion Council to London Fashion Week, which was amazing. We have had tremendous support from our friends and family; in the beginning, most of our sales were to people we knew. When we received our first online order from America—from someone we didn’t know—it was a true “wow” moment. WHAT’S YOUR AMBITION FOR YOUR BRAND? Karen: To be a British luxury brand, founded with a beautiful purpose—authentic, socially conscious, and sustainably focused. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THE HEART AND SOUL OF YOUR BRAND? Karen: To change lives and protect the planet by making beautiful things for people to love. WHERE DOES YOUR BRAND NAME COME FROM? Karen: It is the combination of my maiden name and married name. Also, Ellen’s full name is Ellen Taylor Yates, so the name serves as a tribute to the strong women that surrounded me growing up. WHO IS YOUR DREAM MUSE? WHY? Karen: Can we have two?! Emma Watson and Helen Mirren are our dream muses. We love how active they are in advocating for equality for women. They both live an “attitude, not age” philosophy, and we love both of their styles. WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT THE WEARINGIRISH MOVEMENT? Karen: We love what Margaret has achieved. Irish designers and brands are receiving valid recognition from the WearingIrish movement, and it allows brands to expand their audience in countries they might not otherwise have been able to reach. WHO DO YOU WANT TO WEAR IRISH? Karen: Everyone! TAKE US THROUGH YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS? Karen: We typically start with the shape. Since leather is soft, it enables us to create forms not often possible with standard leather. We love the development process. Colour also plays an important role. We have long debates about whether a shape or style will work in a specific colour. Sampling can be expensive, and as a small business, we sometimes have to go with our gut feel and trust our customers will like our pick! HOW DOES A SENSE OF PLACE INFORM YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS— SPECIFICALLY IRELAND? Karen: Our colour palette takes inspiration from Ireland’s stunning north coast, where we live. It is hard not to be influenced by the beauty of the country. The sea, the sky, and the land continually transform with the weather. WHAT DOES BEING IRISH MEAN TO YOU AND IN WHAT WAY HAS IT INFLUENCED YOUR CREATIONS? Karen: Ireland is all about being warm, friendly, and approachable; the Irish can be quite understated, too. MOST COVETED ITEM IN YOUR COLLECTION? Karen: The Tilly bag in petrol has been our most popular style, but the new Agnes bag in plum is becoming quite desirable among our customers. YOUR GO-TO STYLING TRICK? Karen: Use bronzer as eyeshadow and of course, add a Taylor Yates bag to your outfit. TELL US ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT I DIDN’T ASK. Karen: Taylor Yates is a business with a beautiful purpose. We want to build a company that gives back and supports young women from a young age. Currently, we are helping a group of local girls to launch their own business.