Lou Brennan
Ireland
Lou Brennan
Lou graduated as the first ever MA student in Fashion and Textiles at NCAD, in Dublin, over 20 years ago. Having worked in numerous studios around the world from London, Dublin, where she was the textile manager for John Rocha, to New York and Lyon in France, she established her own studio in London in 1999, after acquiring Zandra Rhodes own print table.
Whilst working as a freelance designer Lou was also a visiting lecturer at various colleges, namely the London College of Fashion and the University of Brighton. Lou has sold her designs to well known names such as Donna Karan, Alberta Ferretti, Giorgio Armani and Dolce Gabbana to name a few, as well as seeing her work on the pages of Vogue and many other international titles.
As well as winning many awards, such as for ‘Innovative Fabrics, with the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), Lou has also produced fabrics for both Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan that are now in the V&A archives.
Since returning to Ireland, Lou has continued to diversify and as well as printed textiles, she creates hand embroidered pieces for clients and from time to time runs workshops covering many textile disciplines.
Having a deep love for Irish Textiles, Lou is often reminded of the textile history all around her. From the Woollen Mills in nearby Foxford to the Lace Schools and Linen Mills, now long gone. It is her ambition to write a book on this subject as she believes the contribution made by Ireland,to the world of Textiles, is often underrepresented.
An unsung hero, in great part, is Francis Nixon, who is often credited as the ‘Father of Modern Day Printing, ‘ yet few acknowledge his contribution and his epitaph reads, ‘ the first to perfect copperplate printing,’ in Dublin in 1752.
Portfolio
Awards
Design Ireland 'Mayo scarf' selected for EDIT at Showcase.
'Mayo' silk scarf featured in the Só Fashion Film by Boo George
Sunday Independent - HOME EDIT - 17 May 2020.
Showcase Ireland / DCCoI
Highly Commended - Fashion Category - Best Product Awards 2019
Network Ireland - Mayo
Regional Finalist - Arts Category - Businesswoman of the Year Awards 2019
Royal Society of Arts (RSA)
Winner of Fashion Fabrics Category
Sir Frank Warner Memorial Medal
Sir Ernest Goodale Memorial Award
RSA Travel Bursary Award
Smirnoff Fashion Competition
1st runner up
Irish Heart Foundation Fashion
finalist
Taispeantas na Sionnaine
Fashion show finalist
Marks and Spencer
Winner of Children’s clothing competition
Commendation for Dissertation "Irish Emigration to America"
University of Brighton Library
Publications
'The Lost Garden' Kate Kerrigan - Front Cover 'Frances' lilac scarf. (Mar 2020)
'Newstalk Radio' Object of Design - Róisín Murphy (14 Feb 2020)
The Gloss Magazine - Feb 2020 - ' Classic Blue'
The Gloss Magazine - March 2019
'Movers and Shakers'
Irish Times (9 Feb 2019) - Saturday Magazine
Deirdre McQuillan - 'A designer in a league of her own'
Irish Times Saturday Magazine (19 Jan 2019) 'Kathleen' purple and green silk scarf on the cover.
Irish Times
Deirdre McQuillan - Illustration for 'The Dress' - House of Zeus - Kate Kerrigan.
Western People
Interview on Homewares range - 'Unsung Heroes'
Irish Times
Ian Galvin - Guest Fashion Editor - 'Pick of the new crop'
Irish Independent
A study in style - Kathleen O’Callaghan
Irish Times
'Hello Lou' Interview with Robert O’Byrne (can be viewed online)
Irish Tatler
Article on The Irish Heart Foundation Fashion Show with Illustration
Textiles and New Technology (pg.29)
Handpainted fabric for Alexander McQueen Fashion Show 1994
Evening Herald
'Lou’s Gown'
Daily Telegraph
Interview with Hilary Alexander (Fashion Director) re. Electroplated fabrics.
TV/Media
Louise Leverett - Film/Video Director
“Rock the Tribes” - The Dress Illustration
RTE - The Late Late Show - Smirnoff Fashion Show Finalist
BBC The Clothes Show
Live Interview at Graduate Fashion Week with Jeff Banks and Caryn Franklin.
Fashion show film - ‘Fì’ - Scarves selected for the film.
Exhibitions
Savage Beauty - V&A Museum - London.2015.
Catwalk pieces for Alexander McQueen.
Radical Fashion - V&A Museum - London 1997.
Catwalk pieces for Hussein Chalayan and now in the museum’s archives
‘The Way we Wore - Fabric and Form.’ Irish Fashion since 1950.
Curated by Elizabeth Mc Crum.(1996)