Ruth Connolly
Cleo Prickett: ‘Sometimes just a few minor adjustments can take a piece from not quite right, to absolutely perfect’
A true creative at heart, Cleo Prickett’s eponymous brand brings a fresh perspective to womenswear, with a focus on contemporary tailoring.
Some may struggle to find what their purpose in life is, but it was a quick decision for Irish womenswear designer and contemporary tailor Cleo Prickett, who says fashion was always the front-runner. “I knew what I wanted to do from a fairly young age,” she tells me.
Studying in Ballyfermot before doing a pattern-cutting course in Sallynoggin, it was then on to the London College of Fashion where she earned her degree in womenswear and design. After five years in the Big Smoke – and plenty of experience in high-end fashion – Cleo moved back to Ireland where she launched her self-titled label.
Now settled in a new-to-her studio in the historic heart of The Liberties – once a bustling hub for textile and garment manufacturing – it’s a fitting backdrop against which the designer plans to grow her brand even further.
“It’s been a journey getting here, and a goal of mine since I started my business in the Meath countryside,” she shares. “I wanted somewhere to use as a living space but also as a studio – I need a fairly big space to work from because I have all my machines.” Describing it as “kind of commercial” but also “very creative”, it’s a dual-purpose space that serves all Cleo’s needs. “I’m very happy,” she adds, admitting that she’s taken to calling it her “Barbie Dream House”.
While previously, she worked with a factory in Portobello, Cleo has since taken all production in-house with the plan being to design everything from her new base in Dublin 8. “It seems to be working for me,” she says of the transition. “I have a part-time seamstress who comes in every week, and between the two of us, we’re doing the majority of the production now. I also do all the pattern cutting and tailoring, too.” Building a team, however small, takes time, but growth is definitely on the horizon.
Having a dedicated place in which to welcome customers means that bespoke fittings are now part of the Cleo Prickett offering. “People come to me for what I call ‘bespoke measurements’, where they might need a change in the waist to hip measurement, or the hem, for example. Because I’m so hands-on with the production of the clothes, I can do that very easily. Sometimes just a few minor adjustments can take a piece from not quite right, to absolutely perfect.”
When it comes to new designs, inspiration comes in many forms. “I pull in ideas from everywhere – that might be a specific hue I’ve seen or a shape I like. It’s a big collage process, everything gets patchworked together to become a collection. It’s quite organic and free flowing.” Vintage clothing is another treasure trove for Cleo who believes there was “craft, or more of a human touch to older clothes”.
As for many designers, Alexander McQueen was a huge influence on Cleo growing up who credits him with fuelling her own creativity. “He was my first love. He was trained on Savile Row, so he was an amazing tailor, and he put that into all his collections. I really loved his fantastical side too – that theatrical element enmeshed with beautiful clothes.”
In contrast, Cleo Prickett creations are unfussy by the designer’s own admission; an Irish take on French girl chic. “I like to feel effortless in my clothes, unencumbered. I bring that into my designs, they are quite functional. I use fabrics like heavy wool, denim and linen from artisan mills in Ireland, the UK and wider Europe – they’re not precious so you can wear them every day. You don’t have to worry about staining as much as you would with, say, silk,” she explains. “I don’t want people to be afraid to wear my clothes.”
Predominantly a shape designer, the focus is on creating staple pieces that really work in your wardrobe. Sustainability is of course a factor too, which is why most styles can be worn in more than one way. In summer, wide-leg trousers with pop buttons to crop them were the out-and-out bestsellers, proving that buyers value versatility.
Choosing to release small, trans-seasonal collections rather than follow the latest fads, Cleo is somewhat indifferent to trends – they’re “grand, cool” she tells me. For her, it’s not about avoiding them altogether but rather, encouraging intentional shopping. “If I’m going to do something that is kind of trendy at the moment, I certainly would like to have my own take on it because otherwise, you’re just competing with the high street. I want to create things that are useful and not too opulent. My clothes and my designs are very much everyday wear – people wear them to special occasions too – but they’re designed to get a lot of use.
“I think the ‘buy less, choose well’ ethos is one of the best things you can do as a consumer at the moment. Sustainability is so complicated, and we haven’t really figured it out yet so investing in fewer things, but really good quality things, maybe from smaller, independent brands like mine is actually a meaningful, sustainable thing to do.”
As she puts it on her website, it’s about respect: “Respect for the art of making clothes, respect for sustainable production practices, respect for the many people and hands it takes to produce a beautiful well-made garment.”
Celebrating the brand’s sixth birthday this year, it’s been a steep learning curve for the Meath native, but she’s taken it all in her stride. “It’s hard running your own business,” she says. “I think it’s an emotional thing. When you work for a brand or a company, you’re not on your own; you have a team, and you don’t have this huge responsibility resting solely on you. It’s not personal whether you make money or not, whether something sells or not. It’s so personal when it’s your own business, especially when you’re the one creating the things you’re trying to sell.” Luckily, her family get it. “I have a really amazing support network. They all work themselves and run businesses – my brother’s a freelance photographer – so they’re all used to this kind of lifestyle. That’s probably how I’ve gotten through it.”
With the current climate proving to be increasingly difficult for local businesses – across all industries – the future is anyone’s guess. Cleo is optimistic though “I’m not in the way of trying to take over the world,” she laughs, “but I’d like to grow my brand. So, getting it to more people and getting more people to wear it and buy it is the ultimate goal.”
Photography by Ruth Connolly.
This article originally appeared in the Autumn 2024 issue of IMAGE. Have you thought about becoming an IMAGE subscriber? Our Print & Digital Magazine subscribers receive all four issues of IMAGE Magazine and two issues of IMAGE Interiors directly to their door along with digital access to all digital magazines and our full digital archive plus a gorgeous welcome gift worth €75 from Max Benjamin. Visit here to find out more about our IMAGE subscription packages.
