Sybil Connolly recalls how a red flannel petticoat worn by a Connemara woman inspired her first international fashion collection.
Sybil Connolly was the first Irish woman designer to become successful internationally and was known for her use of Irish fabrics. Jackie Kennedy wore one of her pleated linen dresses in her official White House portrait. Sybil was born in Wales in 1921 and trained in London before coming home to work for Richard Alan during Second World War.
In this TV interview from ‘Hindsight’, Sybil tells Emer O’Kelly how it all began. She had been asked to present a collection to the Philadelphia Fashion Group and had chosen an Irish theme. She went to Connemara for inspiration, where she saw a woman wearing a traditional red flannel petticoat. She bought a bolt of the same fabric from the local shop and made it into a quilted evening skirt, which was a huge success at the fashion show.
Title: |
Sybil Connolly Interview |
Clip Duration: |
00:02:35 |
Material Type: |
Video |
Clip Title: |
“It All Began with a Red Petticoat” |
Series Title: |
Hindsight |
Information: |
‘Hindsight’ was an eight-part series of half-hour interviews with major figures in Irish public life. It was presented by Emer O’Kelly. It was broadcast on Monday nights from 18 July 1994 to 5 September 1994. |
Local Keywords: |
Fashion, Fashion designers, Clothing industry, Rag trade, Irish fabrics, Linen, Flannel, Sybil Connolly, Jackie Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Richard Alan, Emer O'Kelly, Hindsight, Philadelphia Fashion Group |
Coverage: |
Ireland |
Genre: |
Factual |
Topic: |
Lifestyle and Consumerism |
Provider: |
RTÉ |
Contributor(s): |
Emer O'Kelly (Presenter) |
Publisher: |
RTÉ |
First Broadcast Channel: |
RTÉ One |
Production Year: |
1994 |
Country of Production: |
Ireland |
Original Identifier: |
01D01903 |
IPR Restrictions: |
Rights Reserved - Free Access |
Rights, Terms and Conditions: |
Copyright RTÉ. This material may not be replicated in any form or manner without the prior express permission of RTÉ. Any form of reproduction in print, television, video, multimedia, web site or other electronic media or any form of dissemination for commercial or non-commercial use must be licensed by the RTÉ Archives.
If you wish to licence video or audio clips, still images or text, or would like further guidance please contact us. RTÉ Archives are committed to respecting the copyright of others and have attempted to source and credit the copyright owners of all material used here. RTÉ would like to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified here so that the necessary corrections can be made. If you feel your copyright has not been respected please contact us. |
Item Type: |
part/extract |
Colour: |
Colour |
Sound: |
Mono |
Aspect Ratio: |
4:3 |
Language: |
English (eng) |
Original Language: |
English (eng) |
