Lainey Keogh has often been referred to as the “undisputed queen of cashmere.” A native Dubliner, Lainey Keogh got her start working in the bedlam of haute couture: an experience that sharpened her taste as much as it dampened her spirit. She has since rejuvenated by escaping to the Wicklow Mountains, a lush landscape of wild heather and bilberry in the heart of eastern Ireland. Here, the natural splendor nurtures her studio and mind, providing an endless well of inspiration for her self-named line.
Lainey Keogh’s knits are indeed undisputed: one only needs to glance at her garments to recognize the rarity of their construction. To feel the fibers is akin to sinking one’s hands into soft moss—a cloudlike fleece achieved by Lainey Keogh’s unconventional handknitting approach.
Lainey Keogh describes her techniques as “break[ing] all the rules on felting.” By working the fibres by hand, she relaxes and tenses the yarn to achieve an unbelievably lofty finish. Working with a tight group of local home-knitters, her designs are slowly developed to innovate and preserve Irish crafting traditions.
Lainey Keogh’s inspiration reads like a library— an expansive palace of the mind gained from over 40 years in couture and a lifetime exploring the Irish countryside. Her motifs range from the shape of blooms in her mother’s garden and classical fashion details to sacred geometry and the spectral presence of rainbows. Lainey Keogh captures this melange in a process described as “coloring color with color,” felting cashmere in layers to enhance its natural essence and blend the tones in subtle and unique ways.
