Celia Birtwell X Joanie: Interview With Celia Birtwell

Celia Birtwell X Joanie is here! This brand-new fourteen piece limited collection features some of Celia's most iconic prints on show-stopping 1970s-inspired silhouettes.

Joanie’s Brand Manager, Lucy, sat down with ‘National Treasure’ Celia Birtwell for a cup of (strictly Yorkshire) tea, and to talk through the collection….

I know I’m a little biased here, but as someone who studied in the same institutions and who now lives a stone’s throw from your old stomping grounds, one thing I have loved is hearing about your formative years here in the North. Please can you tell our readers a little more about your early years in Manchester and Salford?

I had a very happy childhood in Salford and Manchester. From an early age, I was interested in the arts, although I had no idea how this would become part of my life. From the age of 14, I went to Salford Art School - which was something young people could do in those days! And I was obsessed, even then, with clothes. I would take my mum, a wonderful seamstress, to Kendall Milne’s in Manchester to show her the clothes I liked. She would come home and set-to with her machine and make a copy for me. I’m afraid that although it made me think deeply about how clothes look, I didn’t pick up any practical skills at all from my mother. My father was an estimating engineer in Oldham, but gardening was his passion, which he has passed on to me.

At a time when everything was very 'Swinging London' centric, what drew you personally to the capital?

After I left Salford Art School, they gave me a part-time job there, but I felt that this chapter of my life was rather over, and I needed to spread my wings. A friend of mine had moved to London’s Notting Hill, and she invited me to spend a summer holiday with her there. Once I arrived, I realised that this was the future for me.

And what keeps you here? We’ve worked on the collection in Notting Hill and Holland Park – why this part of London?

Notting Hill, and the area around it, was rather run down in the early sixties. It is full of beautiful Victorian houses that had become lost after being the centre of Rachman and other unscrupulous landlords’ empires. But the artists amongst us saw cheap interesting flats that were becoming available all over the area, and, as rental laws became more controlled, we had really elegant homes and only had to pay a pittance to live in them. To find that we got all that, and that it was next door to Portobello Road - my absolute favourite street in London - I realised I was here to stay.

You have a very cool circle of friends - how did you end up part of the 'in crowd?'

The unsung centre of London's '60s art movement was Henekey's pub on Portobello Road. Everyone who was anyone in London's art scene was there every Saturday – artists, designers, musicians – everyone. It was a melting pot for all of us free spirits. I met many people who became good friends of mine. Ossie loved to party, and people were drawn to his magnetism. However, when he got bored with someone, he would bring them home to me. Many of my current friends can be traced back to that period.

A certain Mr Hockney took these beautiful portrait pictures of you - it’s such an enduring relationship, a friendship that has stood the test of time, what is your secret?

I have known David since the early '70s. We seem to get on well and appreciate each other's humour. We always laughed together, which is a good basis for a friendship, and painting and drawing are what David does all the time, so it was inevitable that I would be his model on occasion. He liked the results, and I liked being painted by him and was, of course, flattered by the results. I never saw myself as a model, but I am delighted that he likes the way I look.

Your portrait by David Hockney (Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy) is the UK's number one selling art print. How does it feel to be a muse to the nation’s favourite artist?

It is a great honour, but in so many ways, after knowing David for such a long time, it is more normal for me than it might otherwise be. But to visit Tate Britain and see me staring down at myself is still a rather special - and slightly other-worldly - feeling.

Do you still have cats?

I haven’t had any cats for about ten years now, but there was always room in my home and life for them. My most famous was a white mother-and-son combo called Blanche and Percy. Blanche was a loving softy who wouldn’t ever leave me alone when I was in the house, whereas Percy was more aloof and contemptuous in the more traditional cat psyche. When David painted Ossie and me in the famous portrait, Blanche was there, always posing. I think she knew it was her chance at fame! But David thought Mr and Mrs Clark and Blanche didn’t have the correct ring to it, so it was her son who gained immortality.

I asked you to write a little about each of your prints for our collection (you can read these pearls of wisdom in each of the product descriptions), but which of your prints is your favourite?

I don’t really have a favourite print, as there is so much that goes alongside it. The clothing it’s on is always important, and memories of its past all come together to give me a real delight to see! For example, Mystic Daisy was one that I put together in a matter of minutes but has been one of my most successful. Jazz Flower, which has had several names over the years, also seems to be popular again now.

Your prints have such amazing names, and many of them have a musical connection - is that purposeful? Who are your favourites? What do you listen to now?

When I first started designing for Ossie, it was usual to use a numbering system for prints so that they could easily be cross-referenced. I found it more fun to use names, as that seemed more personal to me, which is how I see my work. When I finish a design or collection, I might come up with names influenced by the music I listened to when designing, places I had been to or wanted to go to, or something completely different that seemed inspirational at the time.

I think this collaboration is the perfect occasion wear collection for those sorts of events when you don’t quite know how posh to go! Have you any top tips for dressing to impress? I’m sure you’ve attended some pretty special parties over the years…

I have been to some fairly grand occasions, but I think that I have been tested most about what to wear when I’ve been to Glyndebourne! One is inspected closely whoever you are, but if you’re with David Hockney and known for your dress designs, you are rather expected to be interesting! And perfection can only be an ideal, never achieved, so I just try to get the balance of shape, colour, and comfort that I hope will be appreciated by others, whilst I surreptitiously judge them!

Colour is such a big part of your handwriting, do you have a favourite one or combination of?

I always have favourite colours and combinations that inspire me. They change all the time, but there is certainly a palette that I use, return to, and develop.

And do you have any colours or patterns that you can’t go near? Personally, I can’t go near purple - I’m scared of it, I find it really unlucky - and bananas, I hate those guys.

You’re right! I don’t like bananas, and I don’t often use purple. I recently read that bananas are a wonderful food, so I tried to eat one every day. That fad didn’t last long! And I think purple is a rather imperial colour and difficult for me to relate to. 

Do you still create - paint, draw, craft? Every time we talk, you’ve watched the next big series, film, or documentary long before I’ve managed to make time – how do you keep on top of everything?

I still paint my family’s birthday cards, and I like to draw and paint when inspiration calls, but I do confess that I do a little less than I used to. I have always needed a deadline to work to, so working with Joanie has been a very enjoyable period where I have drawn and painted and also looked through my old work and reimaged it for today’s women. I also still read a physical newspaper every day, so I get to see reviews of what’s on, what’s good, and what’s not to miss. I’m sure they can all be seen online, but I like the slightly serendipitous nature of what’s up for review, but seen through the eyes of people I have almost got to know by reading them every day.

Why Joanie? What made you want to work with our brand?

When I was approached by Joanie, I was delighted to find that an enthusiastic company, run by sharp and savvy women who knew their market, was interested in using my prints. We were able to sit down and discuss what sort of designs in which colours they thought would work best, and we discussed which clothes best suited which designs. It has been a very harmonious relationship, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working on the collection!

Shop the entire Celia Birtwell X Joanie collection now!