Timeline

Celia Birtwell was born near Manchester on 2 January. Her mother had worked as a seamstress and her father was an estimating engineer for textile machinery.

At 13, Celia began studying textiles and pottery in Salford. Artists John Piper and L. S. Lowry were important early influences.

Through her artist friend Mo McDermott, Celia met the young fashion designer Ossie Clark in Manchester.

Celia settled around Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove, joining a circle of Royal College of Art students and artists. Early jobs included wig dressing for the Aldwych Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

While working as a costumier at the RSC, encouragement from Anthony Powell and Hugh McKinnon led Celia back to textile design. She soon produced Op Art-inspired furnishing fabrics for Heal’s.

Living together in Notting Hill, Celia and Ossie recognised the potential of their combined talents. Quorum owner Alice Pollock commissioned them to create dress fabrics.

Celia and Ossie designed a mail-order paper dress for Nova magazine. Their reputation grew rapidly among musicians, actors and the international fashion set.

Celia and Ossie married at Kensington Registry Office with Kay Clark and David Hockney as witnesses. Celia wore Mystic Daisy, and their first son, Albert, was born that year.

David Hockney began the celebrated double portrait of Celia and Ossie, completing it the following year.

The couple’s theatrical catwalk show became a media sensation and helped redefine runway presentation. Their second son, George, was also born.

Their marriage ended after an increasingly difficult period, closing a defining personal chapter while leaving an enduring creative legacy.

Celia began working as a paid model for Hockney in Los Angeles, continuing for five years.

Celia returned to design through furnishing fabrics and opened her own shop. Little Animals became one of her most enduring prints.

A sell-out capsule collection brought Celia’s work to a new generation. Her family joined the business, and she received a Walpole Awards nomination for Best British Talent.

A third Topshop collection was followed by work with Habitat, Heal’s and Luxe Interiors. Elle Decoration recognised her contribution to fashion in the home.

Celia collaborated with Millets on tents and camping accessories, personally testing the range on a weekend outdoors.

Boots used the Mademoiselle print for beauty accessories, while Wild and Wolf developed gardening products and gifts drawn from the fashion archive.

John Lewis introduced a collection spanning fashion, accessories and homeware. A new Celia Birtwell website and online shop also launched.

Celia was appointed CBE for services to fashion, published a retrospective book, and returned to Decorex International with furnishing fabrics.

A Celia Birtwell Spring/Summer collection launched globally with Uniqlo.

Exclusive prints created for Maison Valentino appeared in its Pre-Fall and Autumn/Winter collections, including the Paris Fashion Week runway show.

The Funky Dragon design extended across Valentino’s Resort and menswear collections.

Celia continued working in fashion through National Portrait Gallery scarves and a Joanie Clothing collection, with plans to bring back her home ranges.

Celia Birtwell collaborated with Daniel Lee on Burberry’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, presented at London Fashion Week.