Fresh out of IADT college, Oran Aurelio has already worked with an array of Irish talent, from styling Elaine Crowley for magazines to designing The Traitors cloak worn by Siobhan McSweeney and even dreaming up CMAT’s iconic dress that she wore on the cover of her latest album.
Speaking with RSVP Live, Oran tells all, from his go-to spots for shopping, his ultimate inspiration, and how he turned a Dublin neon sign into a scarf.
Your name is Oran O’Reilly, where does Aurelio come from?
“There was a dressmaker already called Oran O’Reilly, so my name is Oran James, my confirmation name is Oran Aurelio, my mom’s great uncle’s name. My mom’s dad’s mother’s family came from Italy to Dublin. I took Aurelio as my confirmation name, so it was either going to be Oran James or Oran Aurelio. It’s kind of like O’Reilly.”
I know you said your original goal was to become a playwright; in a way, you have become one for fashion. Given that, what story does CMAT’s dress tell you from her third album cover that you designed? Where did that even come from?
“Doing a collection, you’re trying to tell a story, you’re trying to create something, you’re doing it for a character, so it’s like ‘what would they wear, what would be in their wardrobe?’ But with fashion, they don’t have that story, so it’s like you’re choosing the person in your head and deciding what they should wear. But then, for commissions like that, her stylist, Katie Ruby McLaughlan, contacted me in college and asked would I like to be involved.
“It’s that fun, tight silhouettes, and tights and funk shoes, but I didn’t have any of that in stock, so I said I could make something.
“The 2000s pop star mood-board they sent me had Cheryl on it.” Oran went on to say the colour for the dress was between red and blue, which he then asked Katie for help with, ending up with the blue, which Oran associated with Abba, Riverdance and the Virgin Mary.
“It was collected, got it back a few weeks later, got a message saying it would be used for the album cover shoot and the music video as well. Finding out it was on the album cover, I was like ‘oh wow’, it was CMAT’s first time being on her own cover as well.”
“Once we decided on blue, that was it. Just before the album was released, I had the opportunity to make a second version of it, which was floor length with the big veil for these blow-up inflatables that were in shopping centres. That’s the most special piece I have. It’s stretch velvet, and then the back is this like lycra chiffon material, kind of odd, but it looks like water, which I love.”
Where does your fascination with Old Hollywood, medieval silhouettes and mid-century glamour come from?
It’s a terrible obsession, genuinely. Everything I do is referential. I’ve never mentioned her because I never want to compare myself to her, because she means that much to me, but at the end of the day, I think it’s Barbara Streisand. I could go on for 4 hours right now.
“I genuinely cannot describe it. Since I was so young, she’s always been my favourite. The more I design and the more I look into references, I realise I’ve always been referencing Barbara Streisand.
“I’ve always gravitated towards it, and I could never put my finger on it. I couldn’t do anything else. The more I do, the more I keep diving deeper and deeper into my Old Hollywood references.
“I never wanted to come across as pretentious because once it comes across as that, people aren’t going to enjoy it, if you sit down and watch Funny Girl, it’s the most beautiful, funny, sad thing, there’s nothing pretentious about it.
“The air of needing to reference something and everything being a reference is so saturated, people just enjoy what they enjoy, and it doesn’t have to be intellectual, you know. I love what I love. Sometimes I’m just picking brown because I like the colour brown.”
What does a personal shopping day for you look like?
“It’s such a cliché to say, but charity shops. My frustration, well, not frustration with vintage shops, is that everything is so curated and fabulous, but I want to find the odd or weird thing. Most days I wear a shirt, or a polo neck and a blazer, something over it and an overcoat. 90% of everything that I wear is from a charity shop in Dublin, whether it’s on Camden Street or Capel Street, mostly.
“I just love charity shopping, and it’s so fun, you never know what you’re going to get. That’s what is interesting about it, thinking ‘okay what’s the next thing I’m going to pull out?’ but I also love vintage shops like Om Diva and Lucys Lounge, they’re usually my go-to spots.”
Since you’re a self-taught designer, have you picked up any tips that might help people shopping second-hand or on sites like Vinted?
“The materials and the compositions of what things are made from is kind of essential in the way of like any kind of wool, cotton, silk; just look at the tag and see what the compositions are. There’s a time and a place for acrylic and polyester and everything, when it’s genuinely better for the garment and structure, but there’s nothing nicer than a pure cotton shirt or a silk or even a mohair sweater, or cashmere.
“Nothing is better than feeling a well-made garment made out of fabulous fabric. Putting that on your body is a treat for yourself.
“Always look at the cuffs of shirts, that’s how you can tell it’s going to be fun. When I go to a charity shop and go to the thrift section, I just scan all the cuffs. I love a cufflink shirt, and when anything has a double button hole, also a shoulder pad in a blazer, always.
“Don’t focus on what the actual label is. Everything that I have and cherish and keep, I couldn’t tell you the brand, it’s just random.
“Everything I’m putting on my body needs to at least be cotton. The wool industry in Ireland is so vibrant and alive, it keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.”
It must be lovely to work with homegrown talent as well as international artists.
“It always feels so special. There’s a shortened hand when you’re Irish; you don’t have to explain your references.
“There’s just a natural thing of working with these people, like with Siobhan Cullen, even if it’s through a stylist, you don’t need to explain as much. Any way I can support Irish talent in that sense, I adore.
“The Irish industry really needs to support and uphold these artists. There needs to be this symbiotic relationship, and I think the Irish industry is slowly turning to it, thank god.
“Every single focus on Ireland is a win for Ireland. Every industry gets to flourish and the focus on to Irish fashion has definitely been a wonderful one. Irish people are really good natural storytellers that I think when you’re telling this story through a garment, people with resonate with that.”
What made you turn the ‘Why Go Bald?’ sign, just off George’s Street, into a scarf?
“I was in the midst of working on my first collection, just after I finished college, and I was on the bus one day, and I saw the Why Go Bald? sign, I always adored it. I think it is most interesting, it’s funny, but it’s also a really cool sign.
“It was a sign erected in 1962, one of Dublin’s only vintage neon signs for a hair clinic which is still operating today, and I just fell in love with it. I contacted the owners of the clinic, asking if I could make something out of it.
“I wanted something that people could buy if they wanted, something really accessible because, unfortunately, gowns take so much time and fabric that it’s not accessible to everyone, also you can’t wear a big gown on the bus.
“Underneath the sign is this green plaque thing with red writing saying ‘universal hair clinic’, and I thought ‘that would make a perfect scarf.’ I kind of came up with the concept in a day, and I’m never usually like that.
“People were saying to me how much they loved the sign when they were young. My mum and dad remember that sign. It’s such a distinct concept and illustration where you could appreciate it without the context.”
If you had full creative control over one design for an artist, who would it be?
“I think Barbara Streisand. She is so malleable and adaptable, but she has her own certain thing. I can’t even think about that because it genuinely makes me feel ill, you know what I mean? I’ve never talked about it but I’ve gotten to the point where I listen to her audiobook, before that every time I tried to listen to it, I would start tearing up because I just love this woman, it’s so bad. I would die to do anything with her, to work with her.”
What is the most stylish street in Dublin, do you think?
“There’s Drury Street, where everyone who goes down it has their own personal style; there’s a specific look to that street, but everyone has their own spin on it. Whenever I’m on Dawson Street, yeah, I love sitting outside Bestseller having a sausage roll. I always see the chicest women pass by; actually, Dawson Street is the chicest, definitely. It’s in the middle of everywhere.”
Where do you do your fabric shopping in the city?
“I usually get my fabrics in The Fabric Counter in Stoneybatter. Then my fabrics and mostly my trims, I go to WM Trimmings on Capel Street, they’re my go-to places. And Guineys as well, my go-tos for any sewing things.”
“I buy all my fabric in Dublin. I never get stuff online. I genuinely love those places with all my heart.”
Are there any current trends that you are hating or loving?
“I love a sling back heel, and I love that they’re popular. I love a little kitten, a slingback, a little mule. I love polka dots, always been a polka dot fan, and stripes.
“Hating? So many people I know, their style isn’t necessarily what I’d gravitate towards, but it works for them so well, and that’s why I love it. I love an old, beaten shoe that’s been worn to death, but glued together 5 times, but that might not necessarily work on somebody else.
“I think the trend of individuality, I’m enjoying at the moment. I like that. I just love clothes, and I just love when people dress themselves, it’s fascinating.”
You’ve dressed Ireland AM star Elaine Crowley, how would you style Tommy Bowe?
“With menswear, there’s nothing chicer than a good slack, a loafer, a white shirt and a navy wool blazer. Looking to vintage mens silhouettes is so fascinating because nothing much has changed since the 40s in an actual categorical sense.
“That or a V-neck sweater and a vest, with a nice 501 bootcut and a nice pair of heavy brogues, menswear is classic, simple and refined.”
Any future trend predictions?
“I think we’re due a resurgence of the slogan or a logo tee. We’ve hit the point where we’re back to 2016. The white Gucci t-shirt or hype beast culture.
“I think skinny jeans in a different way, capris. We’re just at minimalism, and then we’re going to point back to logo-mania.”
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