Affectionately referred to as a “spinner of dreams”, Lainey Keogh’s dedication to craft and creative philosophy makes her one of the most beloved names in contemporary knitwear. Celebrities and working professionals alike swear by her pieces, with names on the list including Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Onassis, Charlize Theron and Naomi Campbell.
Lainey, the driving force behind her eponymous line of sumptuous cashmere, is the epitome of artisan wear. Since her launch in 1997, she has had an eye on hand-making, hand-knitting, and using only ethically sourced natural fibres and dyes. Each piece is individually made by locals in Ireland using Italian cashmere, preserving the history of traditional Irish weaving with every stitch.
“People are looking for modern romance- we’ve all had it with minimalism- and she provides a very modern way of having romantic clothes.”
Susy Menkes, International Herald Tribune
Her switch early on in her career from lab technician to designer was fortuitous, leading to an inspiring path of revolutionizing contemporary knitwear. Her accolades have been numerous. She is a recipient of the Prix de Coeur by Christian Lacroix in Monte Carlo, was then heralded as the “jewel in the crown” at London’s Fashion Week in 1998 by Vogue‘s Anna Harvey, and has had her most sophisticated hand-crafted textiles featured by Christian Dior haute couture. She has knitted an evening dress and coat ensemble as part of the 1997 Dress of the Year, and her work was featured on a set of Irish postage stamps commemorating contemporary, internationally-renowned Irish designers.
“What’s exciting about Lainey is that she’s always pushing the boundaries on what’s technically possible. She has been able to take knitwear into a new dimension by working with yarns technically as well as creatively.”
Hamish Bowels, US Vogue
A purveyor of the arts, her textile work has been featured in exhibits across the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the National Museum of Ireland in Bath.
A word that best encapsulates Lainey, her work, and her life is love. It is where she began, and what still drives her.
