Full Name

Susannagh Grogan

Where were you born?

I was born in the UK to an Irish father and English mother

Where did you grow up?

I grew up on the family place in Wexford, total freedom lots of space, bliss

What was your first job?

My first ever job was as an assistant at Gimpel Fils Art Gallery in Bond street London before art college, my first Saturday job was answering the claims for the sun bingo in Wapping while at art college. My first design job was for a print design studio in London.

What got you interested in fashion?

I have always loved fashion and get this from my mother, we spent many happy days shopping in Dublin, she has great taste and is very generous - a winning combination for a daughter.

While growing up did you have a favourite fashion designer who you admired?

My school was very fashion conscious (and could have done with being more education conscious though Daphne Guinness went there too and she has done ok!) and I like most of us were very driven by the music of the time. Although I always admired classic and strong beauties like Lauren Bacall and Katherine Hepburn and have a love of beautiful tailoring trousers and jackets still.

Where did you study fashion?

I studied at Wimbledon College of Art and then printed textiles at Chelsea College of Design in London.

Do you remember the first item you designed?

Not really but I remember a disastrous holiday project at art college where I totally missed the point and was so embarrassed. But my first commercial print design that I remember was for a shirt for Next years ago.

Where do you get your design inspiration?

So many places it’s hard to pin it down but I love florals, old fabric swatches, art exhibitions, and try to keep my eyes and mind open.

What have you designed and thought, I don’t like that?

I have done print design commissions and although not to my taste have had to get on with it, the customer is always right.

How did you start designing your own collection?

I have freelanced for a lot of my working career but often felt very restricted and felt I could stretch myself more. I designed and produced a small range of scarves in Oct 09 and sold out and from there kept going. It was a soft launch.

I can imagine it was a big financial risk, how did you cope?

I used a small amount of money tightly earmarked for something else and then when I sold that range I could afford to pay it back and produce the next range.

How does having your own label differ from working for a large corporation?

Working for myself the freedom is incredible and the work is much tougher and more varied. I have had to pull on all my experiences and get on with things that wouldn’t be my strong point. However I would never have had so much control over many decisions and obviously the risks are higher. Having freelanced I am, luckily, used to the discipline of working alone.

What is the best perk in being a designer?

Being creative and doing what I love.

Where can the public buy your clothing items?

Stockists include: Brown Thomas, Juju Greystones, Les Jumelles Galway and I have an online shop scarf.ie where you can see other local & international stockists there

What’s your favourite design you have designed?

The next one I finish and am happy with.

What is a typical day in the life of Susannagh Grogan?

Chaotic morning getting my son up and to school. Then its anybody’s guess, it varies a lot.Sometimes it’s dealing with the admin side of things and a great deal of multi tasking. The favourite typical day is when I am designing a print and it is coming together.

What’s the most insulting thing anyone has said to you about your work?

‘Those flowers look like donuts’ my first boss who went on to give me so much invaluable experience.

Who would we know who is famous, has paid you the biggest compliment about your work and what did they say?

Genuinely anyone who really gets what I am doing and loves one of my scarves enough to part with their hard earned cash compliments me.

What are your favourite types of clothes & colours you like to wear yourself?
 

I would love to be classically well dressed with a few well chosen beautiful pieces but the magpie in me cannot resist sometimes. But ultimately a beautifully cut jacket, trousers and accessories always look smart. I have learnt what suits me, I dress up well... but don’t always!

Are there other designers out there whose designs you admire, explain?

I love Mary Katrantzou and Dries Van Noten for their use of prints - I get really excited when I see a print I admire. I also admire the Irish designers like those in the Council of Irish Designers working hard and keeping going in these times.

If you had the opportunity to design a piece for anyone in the world today, who would you choose and what would you design for them, style and colours?

Difficult one .... it would be great to see someone I really admire wearing one of my scarves maybe one of the above. I have to design in my style and then if someone likes it they’ll wear it.

So what can we expect to see from Susannagh Grogan for the future?

I will continue to improve on my scarf collection and am very keen to increase on my overseas stockists. And then we’ll see... I have many ideas.

In your opinion, what does it take to become a good designer?

Perseverance and hard work.