Helen Steele, 34, is a rock singer turned artist. She has gained a legion of fans with her vibrant expressionist paintings, which sell from between €650 and €1,200. Her husband Stuart Steels runs artisan food company Silver Hill Foods and they have three children.
Helen Steele is widely regarded as one of Ireland's most promising artistic talents and her vividly coloured expressionist works have attracted praise from art critics both at home and abroad.
She may be hailed as the 'Next Big Thing' in Irish art but she has always stayed true to her 'Rock N Roll' roots. She has never been afraid to take risks in art or fashion and she's noted for her unconventional approach to both.
We caught up with the renowned painter to discuss art and its influence on the fashion world,
Q: As an artist you are obviously very visual - how does your creativity filter down to your wardrobe?
Helen Steele: Creativity is everywhere in my wardrobe, from the bold block colours of my clothes to the canvas painted cuffs that I make for myself and our kids!
Q: You are best known for your bright, bold colourful canvasses - do your wear much colour yourself?
HS: I used to wear a lot more colour and prints but, lately, I find myself drawn to blues and black. However, when I work my clothes get covered in paint especially when I am filming any performance art pieces - that's really messy. I own a Chicago county jail jumpsuit, which has three years paint on it. It's really warm during the winter but a real work out in the summer.
Q: Do you feel that many Irish women are afraid of colour in their wardrobes? How do you differ?
HS: I think Irish women dress very well and have a quirky way of putting things together which works very well. I like to dress for comfort but no longer have the luxury to plan what I wear, so it's a case of grab and run which works sometimes!
Q: What do you wear when you are working in the studio and how does it differ to your everyday attire?
HS: My studio is where I work and it's a converted duck hatchery that my husband very kindly let me use. In the studio, I wear clothes that are flexible and comfortable. For meetings and shows I use the grab and run theory.
Q: Who are your favourite fashion designers and why?
HS: Favourite designers? God where do I start?
Hussein Chalayan is probably the most directional of them all. Although I love Irish designer Joanne Hynes for her attention to detail. Another Irish designer who is incredibly talented is Tim Ryan. His knits are amazing and will take you anywhere.
Q: How would you describe your personal style?
HS: My personal style, I would say, is all about comfort and slightly masculine.
Q: What's the worst fashion mistake you've ever had?
HS: There have been soooo many. I think the races are a minefield to dress for.
I remember making a Chinese dress out of sack cloth and wearing silk trousers underneath, topped off with a hat with huge feather. Oh dear. I only realised the dress was totally transparent when it was pointed out to me about 5 hours into the day - and it was really cold.
Q: What's your favourite city to shop in and why?
HS: I think Dublin is a great city to shop in. It's a small city where there are great shops like Costume, Chica and Smock. For ground breaking clothing London is great.
Q: How has your personal style changed as you've grown older?
HS: Getting older sucks! It's harder to find what suits you without the creeping inner critic shouting: "You're too old for that!" I find that now, more so than before, I am more interested in comfortable, well tailored clothing. Fewer prints and patterns and more block colours.
Q: What's next for you?
HS: I have an exhibition with HF in Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, from 17th February to 2nd March. And a group show with Art Fusion galleries in Miami from the 11th of February until the 30th of March.
HELEN STEELE의 12 S/S 상품들은 곧 KWIN concept shop에서 만나보실 수 있습니다.
YOU CAN SEE 'HELEN STEELE' 12 S/S at KWIN concept shop.
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