Irish Design Spotlight: Cleo Prickett

Tell us about you and your brand
Cleo Prickett is an Irish fashion brand dedicated to creating original versatile clothing, with a focus on contemporary tailoring. Every garment is designed and pattern cut by me using innovative tailoring techniques allowing garments to be worn in different ways. Each piece combines luxury sustainable fabrics with contemporary design and bold tailoring with the ethos of creating beautiful clothing, that is sustainable and designed to last – both in durability and timelessness.  

What is your mission?
To create luxury forward-thinking clothing that is sustainably and ethically produced, while keeping my price point in the realms of affordable.  

Did you always know you wanted to be a designer?
From about age of around 15/16, I was leaning towards being a fashion designer. I did keep my mind open to art and other design roots but I just loved the whole process of fashion and clothing construction. So by about 19, I was pretty tunnel visioned about what I wanted to do. 

What kind of items do you stock?
I offer a selection of contemporary tailored pieces: from slightly oversized men’s jackets for women to your everyday ultimate in comfort and style, our crop trousers to effortlessly cool shapes in linen for dresses as well as fancier styles such as our signature jacket which takes days to make due to it’s sculpted shape and artisan cutting process.  

What new brands or items are on your radar?
Anything from MM6/ Maison Margiela. I love what John Galliano is doing with the brand – lots of beautiful deconstructed surrealist tailoring! My stockist, Beautiful South, stocks MM6 and every time I’m in there, I am drawn to their pieces. 

Was money/funding a concern when starting out?
It was, but I used what is called a bootstrapping method where you have little to no budget, just your ideas and product. Any money you make, you just feed back into the business. It’s a harder and slower route to take but I am glad I did this way, as it pushes you to make very conscious decisions about your brand and work. Starting with a huge budget at the beginning sounds like the dream but I think it can mean you are more careless with what you’re putting out as a brand.  

Best business advice you’ve gotten
Be prepared to feel a bit crazy for the first couple of years of running your own business as it’s a bit like casting yourself out into space – you have nothing to tether you to begin with but then you find your path if you stick with it and stay true to what you trying to do.

Favourite fashion/design accounts you follow
Ellery, a French fashion brand. I love their photoshoots and clothes! I also love Inner  Island’s account. They specialise in stunning jewellery made in Ireland and have a great Instagram presence. 

Best fashion purchase
I have a summer coat from Roland Mouret, a brand I worked for for a few years. It’s cut to perfection with beautiful detail and fabrication – it makes me feel so good when I wear it.

Other Irish brands you love
Capulet & Montague and Tidings, they are also my friends so I am a little biased but I  think they are both incredible designers. 

Most useful learning since setting up a business
Put on your seat belt as it’s a rollercoaster!  

Proudest moment so far
Buying a lovely property in the Liberties that will house me and my studio, where I will manufacture Cleo Prickett clothing and take appointments with customers. Stay tuned for the launch!  

I want my brand to be remembered for… beautiful shapes and beautiful fabrics, made in a sustainable and ethical way.  

If I could have anyone wear my designs it would be… Issa Rae, Sharon Horgan or Phoebe Waller-Bridge. I love all three women’s killer combination of being able to write as well as perform in their amazing TV shows. They are all so funny as well as being super stylish. Idols!

Imagery courtesy Cleo Prickett