Alyson Walsh on the new Celia Birtwell book

Celia Birtwell’s book

feels totally Celia Birtwell.

More of a family album than a traditional fashion tome, it maps out the legendary designer’s amazing career and bohemian life with a fabulous collection of archive prints, fashion sketches

and fascinating personal photos.

Written by Dominic Lutyens, I found the text to be warm and friendly and a perfect reflection of Birtwell’s personality.

This is not a gossipy kiss-and-tell memoir about her life with Ossie Clark in the 1970s - the pair made some of the most glamorous chiffon dresses, ever.

Worn by the likes of Bianca Jagger, Jane Birkin and Keith Richards – their famously difficult relationship is smoothly glossed over in the book. No, the main focus here (and so it should be!) is the 70-year-old designer’s impressive, half-century-spanning career.

Maybe it’s because I’m a northener, but my favourite bit is the section on Birtwell’s relationship with lifelong friend (and best man at her wedding to Clark) David Hockney. 

I loved looking at unseen photos, reading about their time spent together and taking a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the popular painting Mr & Mrs Clark and Percy (The couple’s cat’s real name was Blanche - who knew?!)

Hockney says, ‘ I always thought her fashion sketches were very good. She’s a very good artist. Her designs are always like her – lively.’

And that’s the perfect way to describe this book. A lively portrayal of Celia Birtwell’s life crammed full of personal anecdotes, lovely snapshots and some very good sketches.

(C) Alyson Walsh.

Our guest bloggers has a very lovely and interesting blog where she regularly writes at:

http://thatsnotmyage.blogspot.com/