Liz Quin and Carolyn Donnelly - now 25 years in business - outsell all other Irish designers in the home market. Deirdre McQuillan meets two very hands-on businesswomen
"If we had been two men we would have conquered Europe more quickly," says Liz Quin of Quin & Donnelly, a partnership that this year celebrates 25 years in business. "Both of us have families - I have two school-going children, Carolyn has three - and that has held us back, but we don't regret anything." Quin & Donnelly now outsell all other Irish designers in the home market, and this year their retail turnover in the UK and Ireland will amount to about €10 million. For the past two seasons their collections have also been growing substantially: the current range features about 200 items and five deliveries a season.
The current collection - which has been photographed near their homes, in Howth, Co Dublin - is typical of their well-honed style, sharpened from years of experience. Typical are the unusual fabrics, such as colourful brocade taffeta, used for a summer coat, marled linen for a shapely jacket or fine knitted silk for a shrug edged with beads. Everything shows care for detail.
They source their fabrics from the companies used by Calvin Klein, Paul Smith and John Galliano, they say, although with Quin & Donnelly prices half those of international labels', they can offer tempting alternatives. "We are hands-on designers. We take three weeks to choose cloth, and we decide on everything down to the last detail, unlike the big companies into mass production with big design teams," says Donnelly.
A continuous reinvention of the suit is an ongoing concern, with many customers coming twice a year and buying four or five suits. "Suits are still important, but the old rules don't apply. You can wear the jacket with something else and make everything look a lot less formal. It's all about soft dressing, comfort and layering with jewellery."
They have just completed their winter 2005 collection, with the same simple lines but with very opulent and ornate fabrics, such as tweed and brocades, embellished with beading, embroidery, lace and fake fur.
They had a coup last year when a girl wearing one of their red raincoats was photographed kissing Prince Harry after a polo match - the images featured in all the British newspapers - but it is their link with House of Fraser that has really put them on the map in the UK. Having started with a trial collection just over a year and a half ago, they are now into their third season with the UK retailer, which stocks them in 22 of its outlets. "House of Fraser has really given us a retail platform," says Donnelly. "And we were ready for it," adds Quin.
Each brings their own strength to the partnership. "Carolyn was always particularly interested in knitwear, whereas I bring a more commercial eye to things, but although we may have had disagreements it has never been anything major, because we are very equal, both women with families and similar stresses," says Quin.
One of their biggest selling items was a flared and fitted evening skirt in crushed embroidered taffeta. "We cut 200 to begin with, and we have done repeat orders every season for the past five or six years," says Quin. Another favourite is a cotton T-shirt with linen, poplin, silk or taffeta cuffs, which has reappeared again and again for a decade in various guises.
Future plans include trying to break into the French market; they are due to have talks with leading French department stores soon and intend to show in Paris. "We just want to start selling the same product to more people," says Donnelly. "After all these years I still have the enthusiasm for working. It took us a long time getting financial partners, so the success is well-earned. We have worked very hard for it. And the wonderful thing about this business is that it doesn't stand still."