Katie Gallagher

Summary

Kathryn Marie "'Katie" Gallagher (August 15, 1986 – July 23, 2022) was an American fashion designer and founder of her own brand in New York City. Gallagher's designs were featured in Vogue Italia, Elle, Interview magazine, and Refinery 29 magazines. Refinery 29 identified as one of six designers to watch. In January 2010, Gallagher was named as a semi-finalist in the 2009/2010 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation search for emerging fashion designers.

Katie Gallagher
Katie Gallagher portrait (2012)
Born(1986-08-15)August 15, 1986
DiedJuly 23, 2022(2022-07-23) (aged 35)
NationalityAmerican
EducationRhode Island School of Design
LabelKatie Gallagher

Early life and education edit

Katie Gallagher was born in western Pennsylvania and spent her early childhood there. About her youth, Gallagher said, "I never wore shoes, and I hated wearing clothes (but always wore my cat on my head)!"[1] From seventh grade through high school, she lived in State College, Pennsylvania, and taught herself to sew.[2][3] She shopped for vintage clothes, and altered them on a little Singer sewing machine.[1]

Gallagher declared apparel design as her major after her freshman year at the Rhode Island School of Design.[4] Her first apparel design project at RISD was a dress fabricated from springs she made herself.[5] Gallagher interned for Anna Sui during the summer following her sophomore year, and for threeASFOUR between her junior and senior years and also during winter break in her senior year.[4][dead link] Her senior thesis project was a collection entirely in black. The collection included tailored dresses, silk and leather jackets, and detailing that included silver chains and ruffles.[6] The work that Gallagher produced at RISD attracted the attention of fashion magazines including Interview magazine and Vogue Italia, and buyers from fashion boutiques SEVEN New York in New York and I.T in Hong Kong.[6][better source needed] Magazine editors began to interview Gallagher during her senior year.[6][dead link] Katie Gallagher graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Apparel Design degree in May, 2009.[citation needed]

Career edit

Gallagher moved to New York City and established "Katie Gallagher". She moved to the Chinatown area of Manhattan. Gallagher began work on her SS10 (spring/summer 2010) collection in anticipation of showing the apparel at New York Fashion Week in September 2009. She made sketches and paintings to establish the design for the line prior to fabrication. The SS10 collection, entitled "Veil", was well received by the press.[7] She submitted photos of the line to the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation for consideration in their 2009/2010 search for emerging designers. In January 2010, Gallagher was notified that she was a semi-finalist in the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation 2009/2010 search.[citation needed]

Gallagher presented collections for SS10, AW10, SS11, AW11, SS12, and AW12 at New York Fashion Week. Her SS10 collection was called "darkly futuristic, sleek" in Refinery 29.[7] "The Heart of the Woods and What I Found There", her AW10 collection, featured "dark layered separates, with flashes of cream, grey and green".[8][failed verification] Considered "sporty yet aggressive", Gallagher's SS11 collection, "Arena", was inspired by athletics, in particular running.[9] "Gris-Gris", her AW11 collection named after the voodoo talisman bag, featured "grays and blacks, asymmetries and paradoxical volumes", and "heavily blackened eyes, and a cyborg-esque eye detail".[10][11] In discussing her SS12 collection, "Red Red Blood", Gallagher specified that it was, "Not the blood of nightmares of brutality, but the blood that's sanguine, living and the brightest red."[12] Detailing included makeup inspired by the bloodstream, and hair inspired by the heart.[12] AW12 "Silent Soil" was inspired by the forest. The collection featured fabrics including boiled wool, shearling, leather, silk, and chiffon. Gallagher's "trademark" leggings were used in the collection, but not highlighted as in past shows.[13]

Selected designs from Katie Gallagher's work have been pulled, borrowed for editorial shoots, by Daphne Guinness, and on a continuing basis by Lady Gaga's stylist, Nicola Formichetti.[5][14] The list of stockists for the Katie Gallagher line has grown to include high-end stores around the world.[15]

In explaining her method of designing, Gallagher said, "Everything I make starts with my paintings, which I've done every season prior to construction. I love to try to re-create a three-dimensional version of whatever I've drawn; it requires pretty unconventional pattern-making."[16]

On November 5, 2012, Gallagher launched the Katie by Katie Gallagher diffusion line of clothing that includes both separates and jewelry pieces.[17]

Death edit

Katie died unexpectedly at her home in New York City on July 23, 2022. On March 24, 2023, the NYPD announced that her death was ruled a homicide.[18]

Designer collections edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Julia Frakes "Designer Katie Gallagher to Present Her First Full Collection" PAPERMAG August 25, 2009
  2. ^ cwriteandtheride "In Fashion: Designer Katie Gallagher" the ride, wordpress.com November 22, 2009
  3. ^ Victoria Cohen "katie girl" Archived 2012-06-22 at the Wayback Machine Contributing Editor March 30, 2011
  4. ^ a b Ariella Gogol "Katie Gallagher on Monochrome and Models" Fashion Interview March 2, 2010
  5. ^ a b Molly Smith, Piera Gelardi "Designer Katie Gallagher Brings Her Style Home to NYC" My Style Refinery 29 March 25, 2010
  6. ^ a b c Deanne Yee "Katie Gallagher" Dossier Journal December 24, 2009
  7. ^ a b c Hayley Phelan "The Six New Designers to Watch Now" Refinery 29 October 5, 2009
  8. ^ "Designer Profile: Katie Gallagher" Dream Sequins December 31, 2009
  9. ^ "She did it again…Katie Gallagher::: Arena (Preview)" Strytllng September 15, 2010 2nd sentence
  10. ^ "Katie Gallagher's 'gris-gris' Autumn Winter 2011 collection" Morfae March 16, 2011 Archived May 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ a b Cynthia Anderson "Katie Gallagher thrills with Gris-Gris" Archived 2013-11-10 at the Wayback Machine Style Wylde February 14, 2011
  12. ^ a b c Rachel Scroggins "Katie Gallagher S/S 2012" The Greyest Ghost January 9, 2011
  13. ^ a b Lauren Gray "Katie Gallagher – Fall 2012 – On Silent Soil" Archived 2012-02-17 at the Wayback Machine modaCYCLE February 15, 2012
  14. ^ "Scintillating Start - Katie Gallagher 09 AP" "Where We Are" RISDxyz p 57
  15. ^ Allison Daniels "This Offbeat Designer Is A Huge Hit With Daphne Guinness and Nicola Formichetti" Refinery 29 Aug 15, 2012
  16. ^ Alexa Brazilian "New Designers: Katie Gallagher…The designer defies gravity with her technically wondrous spring collection" Elle February 10, 2010
  17. ^ Susan Williamson "Katie Gallagher's Line Brings Minimalist Pieces With Maximum Style" Refinery 29 November 2, 2012 retrieved November 22, 2012
  18. ^ Death of Acclaimed NYC Fashion Designer Who Dressed Gaga Ruled Homicide 8 Months Later
  19. ^ Katie Gallagher to Present Her First Full Collection IS MENTAL September 10, 2009
  20. ^ "Katie Gallagher AW10 Lookbook" Fashion Copious April 15, 2010
  21. ^ Carolyn Brennan "New York FW S/S 2011 Our Favorite Collections" Archived 2011-04-24 at the Wayback Machine METAL Magazine November 26, 2010
  22. ^ Lexi Nisita "Up Close And Personal At Katie Gallagher's Spring '13 Presentation" Refinery 29 September 7, 2012 retrieved September 8, 2012

External links edit

  • Official website