Meet the Designer: Keira Thorley

Feature by Lindsay West | 17 Jun 2008

As Keira Thorley of up-and-coming label, Keira, will tell you, the collections have a lot of love sewn in: "I want women to feel like these photos. The clothes are tailored to try and make you feel great." Glasgow born, and Edinburgh trained (by way of a stint at London's Central St Martins', in the same class as one Christopher Kane, no less) Keira now works full time from her Edinburgh studio, currently preparing for a trade show in Paris. Specializing in tactile fabrics in classic cuts, accented by handmade leather accessories, Keira draws her inspiration from a pool of iconic muses. "I love Marilyn Monroe, and I've got Coco Chanel on my wall at all times. Plus Shirley Manson," she explains, "She's got so much soul. I've always wanted to design something for her. I'd love to make her a leather jacket!" With an online store in the works, and expansion plans for '09, the future looks busy and bright for the Keira brand. But its designer insists on keeping her philosophy pure: "It's a luxury to be able to do what I do, and it's a pleasure to be able to make people feel great. I just want to keep doing it!"