Celia Birtwell

 Celia Birtwell was David Hockney's  muse.

 I love the colours and the simple motifs of the fabric designs.

One of Birtwell fabric designs and Clarks
fashion designs.

Celia Birtwell and Ossie Clark.

 Celia Birtwell  born in Bury and brought up in Prestwich  Manchester. At the age of 13years  Celia passed an exam to go to Salford Art School where she studied textiles. The school was part of Salford technical College in a Victorian building and overlooked the Georgian crescent called Peel Park. In 1959 she met the 16-year-old fashion designer Ossie Clarket in a coffee bar. Little did she know
from that meeting, how her life would change and she would become a very famous fabric designer who would marry Ossie Clark the fashion designer and become one of the most famous partnerships working in fashion in the 1960's.

One of Birtwell fabric designs.

They both went to live and work in London. Had two children. Eventually they opened a boutique called Quorum, on Kings Road, London.

 More designs by Celia and Ossie.

 Celia Birtwell had her fabric designs screen printed by a company in London. She always chose the fabrics she for printing. Often her designs would be printed on chiffon, silk, satin and crêpe.

Love the simple design.


 I  adore  Celia Birtwell's fabric designs they are very colourful large prints of flowers or leaves.
Celia was also well-known for her abstract prints which also were big and bold.  Her fabrics looked
fanastic made into fashion items. Many of her fabric designs were worn by the popstars of the 1960s.






 Celia is still designing fabrics, this time for the home. Shame really, because her fashion fabrics were absolutely  fabulous. The clothes made by Celia and Ossie command high prices in the vintage market. What I liked about her designs are, the simplicity and the colours she uses they are very striking and very, very desirable even today.