Louise Kennedy facts for kids

Louise Kennedy is a famous Irish fashion designer and businesswoman. People have called her the "uncrowned queen of Irish fashion" because of her amazing work. She is known for creating beautiful clothes and designs.

Louise Kennedy's Career Journey

Louise Kennedy studied fashion at the College of Marketing and Design in Dublin. She also went to the Grafton Academy. After her studies, she started her own business in 1983.

Designing for the President

In 1990, something very special happened. Mary Robinson, who was the first female president of Ireland, asked Louise to design an outfit for her inauguration. An inauguration is a special ceremony where a new leader officially takes office. Mary Robinson loved Louise's designs so much that she became a regular customer. She wore Louise Kennedy's clothes throughout her time as president and even after. Louise said this was very lucky for her. It brought a lot of attention and media coverage to her work. Many people in Ireland then discovered her designs and wanted to buy them.

Expanding Her Fashion Work

In the same year, 1990, Louise was chosen to show her designs at the London Designer Show. In the mid-1990s, she joined the British Fashion Council. This meant she could show her new collections at London Fashion Week twice a year. London Fashion Week is a very important event in the fashion world.

In 1997, Louise opened her main stores, called "flagship stores," in Dublin and London. A flagship store is the most important store for a brand. That same year, she designed uniforms for the flight staff of Aer Lingus, which is Ireland's airline. Since 1999, she has also designed beautiful glassware for Tipperary Crystal. She even worked with designer Marcus Notley on these projects since 2001.

New Designs and Collaborations

In 2009, Louise designed new robes for judges in the Irish Law Courts. These new robes were different from the old ones, which were based on traditional British styles. In 2011, Louise started offering custom-made wedding dresses. "Bespoke" means made specially for one person.

In 2013, her company celebrated its 30th anniversary. To mark this, she launched a line of special designer handbags. She made these bags with a British company called Tanner Krolle, which makes luxury leather goods.

Dressing Important People

In 2014, Louise Kennedy was one of the Irish designers chosen to create clothes for Sabina Higgins. Sabina is the wife of the current Irish President, Michael D. Higgins. They were going on a state visit to London. A state visit is a formal visit by a head of state to another country.

Most of the outfits were "ready-to-wear," meaning they were bought off the rack. But two special ball gowns were custom-made for state banquets. One of these beautiful gowns was designed by Louise Kennedy. The clothes were chosen to show off the best of Irish design. The Irish press praised the outfits a lot. The Irish Independent newspaper even wrote an article about Sabina wearing three different Louise Kennedy outfits in one day!

Besides Sabina Higgins and Mary Robinson, Louise has also dressed other important people. These include the wives of British Prime Ministers, Cherie Blair and Sarah Brown. Other famous clients are the Duchess of Edinburgh, actress Meryl Streep, TV presenter Kirsty Young, and singer Enya.

In December 2014, Louise joined a group of designers and businesspeople at 10 Downing Street in London. This event was part of the GREAT Britain campaign. This campaign promotes the United Kingdom as a great place to visit, study, or do business. Louise's role was to be an "ambassador" for this campaign.

Awards and Recognition

Louise Kennedy has won many awards throughout her career.

• She was named Irish Designer of the Year in 1989 and 1990.
• In 1992, she won a Fashion Oscar for the Best Irish Designer Collection.
• In 1994, she was the first female designer to receive an award for Outstanding Achievements in Fashion from the Irish Clothing Industry.
• For her achievements in Irish fashion, she was named Tipperary Person of the Year in 1992.
• She was also named Veuve Cliquot's Irish Businesswoman of the Year in both 2003 and 2004.
• In 2009, she became the first woman to be a "style envoy" for Mercedes-Benz.
• In 2014, The Irish Post gave Louise Kennedy a Company of the Year award.

Louise has been especially recognized for her suit and coat designs. She won specific awards for these in:

• 1985 (Best Irish Coat Collection)
• 1991 (Best Suit and Best Coat Award)
• 1993 (Best Coat and Suit Collection Designer of the Year)

In November 2014, her former university, the Dublin Institute of Technology, gave Louise an honorary PhD. This special degree recognized her success in business and culture.

On November 21, 2017, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) gave Louise Kennedy an honorary fellowship. This is the highest honor the RCPI can give. It is usually given to world leaders in medical science or people who have made a huge difference to society.