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How I dress the part: Róisín Lafferty, founder and creative director of Kingston Lafferty Design
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To celebrate the launch of the Christian Louboutin accessories pop-up in Brown Thomas, we asked interior design talent, Róisín Lafferty, to pick her favourite pieces from the new collection and talk about how her wardrobe and creativity feed off each other.
Having founded Kingston Lafferty Design in 2010, Róisín Lafferty’s interior design work has been recognised around the world, and her distinct, boundary-pushing style is what characterises her projects.
With a career so focused on creativity, she sees what she wears as an integral part of this. “Everything depicts creativity,” Róisín explains, “and for me, that has to be deeper than just what we’re presenting to clients. So what you wear and how you present yourself is very much a continuation of that. In general, I love to be creative and to be playful and bold with everything that I’m wearing. I think of fashion as art.”
Fashion and interiors
Not only that, but she often gets ideas from the world of fashion in her designs, and vice versa. “I think they both impact each other. I take a lot of inspiration from catwalk shows, from the set design to the clothing. It’s the same kind of playfulness and an expression of creativity.”
A recent favourite piece is her Helen Cody coat she wears, left.
“I absolutely love it. I feel like I’m playing dress-up when I wear it. It has giant circular discs, which are shapes that we would use in our spaces all the time.
“It’s as deliberate as it is subconscious at this stage, but we tend to embrace the interior that we’re in. I like that, it’s almost like getting into character, you’re an extension of the interior space that you’ve created.”
Playful approach
In general, this playfulness is something she gravitates towards. “It’s something that’s shared in my personal style and my work. But it’s about getting the structure, the form, the shape right first. Then once you’re happy with that, it’s layering and being bold with colour. I love colour blocking in both interiors and fashion. It’s a good way to be playful as a grown-up – I love to wear sculptural jewellery and play with shoulder pads, volume and colour.”
When getting dressed, Róisín is conscious of how her clothes impact her mood. “When I’m choosing an outfit, I always think about how I want to feel. On the job, when things are serious and there are issues, that’s the day to put on the red lipstick, the high heels and the really colourful dress.
“When you wear playful clothes, you do feel better, people smile at you more and it improves your mood. I would say it with interiors as well. Don’t take it too seriously, be experimental.”
This desire for experimentation ensures that career-wise, she is always working on something different, with the team currently undertaking projects in Ireland, London, the UAE, and in the states, including Nashville, New York, and California; while she is particularly proud of the Wicklow farmhouse where our shoot was held.
“I think the diversity of style, location and context keeps us fresh,” Róisín says. “As a team, it keeps us very invested in what we’re doing. It’s about making each project its own visual story that keeps us all super excited and design obsessed.”
The power of shoes
Of the many prized items in Róisín’s wardrobe, she always comes back to shoes. “My shoe collection is my obsession. If things go well or I get something that I’ve been working hard towards, I reward myself with a designer pair of shoes.
My mom always taught me that, rather than spending a lot of money all the time, if it’s a special occasion, buy something that you will cherish. So, when I see my shoes, I remember what I was celebrating.”
Róisín’s playfulness comes to the fore when it comes to footwear. “Even if you are wearing a black or minimal dress, you can have wild shoes. I have a pair of Louboutins that are almost like Peter Pan ankle boots. They’re a fern green with Velcro straps. You feel amazing just putting them on. You can be wearing a serious outfit, but a playful or unexpected pair of shoes completely changes the feel of it.”
They’re not her only pair of Louboutins. “One of my fail-safes is a gorgeous pair of black leather shoes that I’ve probably had re-heeled five times, and the leather is lovely and soft now. I also got my business partner Becky my dream pair of Louboutins as a gift; they almost look like snow boots, they’re shiny bright red inflated ankle boots. She shares the same shoe obsession.”
Róisín was also a fan of the orange stilettos she wore for our shoot. “The pointier and higher the better for me, I love how they look.”
Knowing her style and what she likes has certainly paid dividends for Róisín’s career, with the studio going from success to success, and her work is very much in demand. “It feels like we’ve reached another level in terms of detailing and materiality,” she says. “We’re doing some beautiful work and people are embracing and trusting us with their homes. It’s amazing to get the freedom to properly polish our creativity and give them something unique.”
Róisín wears Sporty Kate pumps in orange calf leather, €745 and Loubi54 cream leather crossbody bag, €1,850.
Pick up the brand new issue of IMAGE Winter, on shelves now, to see the full shoot where we asked three seriously stylish Irish women, killing it across worlds of fashion, interior design and business, to share how they dress for success. The new Christian Louboutin accessories and kids collection pop-up is now open in Brown Thomas Dublin. Book an appointment to explore and shop the new collection with the help of an expert shopper.
Photography: Anthony Woods.
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