Celia Birtwell

Celia Birtwell

Celia Birtwell, CBE (born 1941), is a British textile designer and fashion designer, known for her distinctive bold, romantic and feminine designs, which draw influences from Picasso, Matisse and from the classical world. She was well-known for her prints which epitomised the 1960s/70s. After a period away from the limelight she has returned to fashion

Interiors and furnishing fabric

After the break-up of her marriage, Birtwell continued in fashion, designing for the Radley label for a time, until in 1984 she set up a shop on Westbourne Park Road in Bayswater, selling fabrics for the home. Again she built up a reputation for innovative and witty design. Her first success came with her own take on a 16th-century animal print she called ‘Animal Solo’, followed later by the first, and much copied, white on white voile and muslin fabrics. These fabrics are now to be seen in many homes, hotels and public spaces, including Claridge's and The Lanesborough hotels in London, The Grand Hotel, Leeds, and the Dubai Hilton.
Recent work

Birtwell produced designs for French fashion house Cacharel while it was under the design direction of Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro.In 2005, it was announced that she would design clothing for the high street chain Topshop, beginning with Spring/Summer 2006. The four collections were a sell-out success.[In April 2008, Birthwell designed a limited collection for American fashion retailer Express. In 2008, Millets launched a camping and outdoor footwear and clothing range which she had designed. New lines were added to the range for Summer 2009. In 2010, she created a 25-piece collection for John Lewis.

Her book Celia Birtwell,[9] written with Dominic Lutyens, featuring photographs, fashion sketches and memoir, was published by Quadrille in 2011. 250 limited edition fabric covered box sets which included a signed copy of her book, and an exclusive silk scarf, were also produced.

Birtwell was the castaway on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 7 October 2012.