Meet Lia Cowan – the Irish fashion designer who dressed Nicola Coughlan

“Each and every working day a thing new occurs. It can be all really enjoyable.”

Final 12 months observed Irish fashion designer Lia Cowan win the inaugural Longines Irish Champions Younger Designer Award, so a collaboration with Nicola Coughlan, who was topped by Vogue as one of 2021’s most stylish gals, appears to be, if you will forgive the pun, only fitting.

The collaboration, Lia tells Her, came about right after she just despatched a DM to the actress’ stylist, Aimée Croysdill.

“I introduced the manufacturer and reported, ‘Look, if you’re ever seeking for something tailor made-manufactured for Nicola, I’m an Irish designer and it would be astounding if we could collaborate.'”

To Lia’s surprise, Aimée received back straight absent, and she received to get the job done on creating a placing and luxurious pink and red co-rd for the Bridgerton push tour. Nicola later on wore another 1 of Lia’s co-ords – this time in black and white – for S Manner Journal.

The seems flawlessly exhibit Lia’s exclusive design and style aesthetic, which she defines as “statement sculpture pieces’, a fashion theory that unquestionably stemmed from her early start out as a student of sculpture.

“I did sculpture in NCAD, that was my 1st journey into great art and style, and then I did education,” she states. “I finished up teaching art in a secondary school for three many years, but I just felt like one thing was missing and I wanted a thing else. I then did a PLC in fashion in Sallynoggin Faculty, just to see how I get on, and if it’s one thing I am interested in, and I was just obsessed.

“As before long as I started off, I was like, ‘This is it, I won’t be able to do just about anything else.'”

It may possibly be tricky to think, provided her accomplishment so significantly, but it is really only been a yr considering that she’s graduated.

“I’ve been learning as significantly as I can and trying to get as a lot practical experience as I can. I have been undertaking my have thing, doing the job on customized parts, and it’s just taken off. One particular option opens yet another door. It is certainly been a whirlwind, but it really is just been fantastic. Just about every day some thing new would seem to occur. It is really all really thrilling.”

Lia’s influences are also pretty very clear in her do the job.

“I adore the previous Commes des Garçons stuff,” she says. “There is just that combine of avant-garde, sculptural, but there is certainly this wearable facet to it as effectively. You can have these insane clothes but then tone them down with a jumper, and then instantly it can be really cool and wearable.”

She carries on: “I love Simone Rocha and Cecile Bahnsen as effectively. They are two folks I would switch to for silhouette. I adore that form of outsized glimpse, incredibly female and flirty.”

Reflecting on her initially calendar year on her have, Lia encourages other designers to be bold and place on their own out there.

“There are so quite a few individuals that I’ve contacted and they have gotten back to me. They may possibly not be expressing ‘Yes, absolutely,’ but individuals do get back again to you. Placing oneself out there is unquestionably a thing I would persuade other designers, or everyone really, to do. With social media, it is amazing how we can be in get in touch with with persons.”

Lia Cowan’s spring/summer season collection will come out this April.