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The stars were aligned for Rixo co-founders Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey when they teamed up for a project as university students at the London College of Fashion. The pair realized they worked well together—and were both obsessed with vintage fashion. “At the time, it was very much the heyday of Zara, and all our uni friends were getting different outfits every week, and we were just going to vintage fairs the whole time,” Rix said.
After launching Rixo from the living room of their university housing, Rix and McCloskey made a name for themselves, designing their signature silhouettes in bold patterns that are perfect for upcoming summer travel.
For the latest episode of Who What Wear With Hillary Kerr, Rix sits down with Who What Wear’s editor in chief, Kat Collings, to share how they launched their brand, the dress that was their first best seller, and the Rixo pieces she’s packing in her suitcase on vacation.
For excerpts from their conversation, scroll below.
You started Rixo with your founder Orlagh McCloskey in your shared uni housing living room right out of fashion school. How did you two meet? What drew you to each other?
Orlagh and I met at university. We were studying at London College of Fashion, and it was the fashion management side. We had a four-year course, and one of those years was in industry. We did a project together—I think it was in year two or something—and we just worked really well together and we were both obsessed with vintage.
At the time, it was very much the heyday of Zara, and all our uni friends were getting different outfits every week, and we were just going to vintage fairs the whole time. I think our love for unique clothes kind of bonded us straight away, and then we lived together as well.
We set it up from my university living room. It was about six months after we graduated. We decided to go for it full time, which I think we didn’t really have a plan B. We just thought, “You know what? Let’s go for it.” A lot of people thought we needed more experience or to know people in the industry, but we kind of looked at it in a different way.
We thought, “Actually, we don’t have responsibilities. We don’t have a mortgage. We don’t have boyfriends. We don’t have kids. We’ve got nothing but passion, so let’s just chuck it into this.”
That’s how Rixo was formed.
Can you describe for me the first item that really took off?
It was probably a dress that was from our first collection. All those years back—nine years ago—it was our Camellia dress.
Orlagh and I, we had to produce all our first samples in London, and we knew we needed to get a pattern cutter. We met this pattern cutter, and we spent the whole weekend at his house, and we were notching all the patterns and doing all the pleating in the patterns with him to get it.
He said, “Look, girls. I can do the pattern cutting, but it’s gonna cost this much.” We were like, “We don’t have this much. What can we do?” And he said, “Well, if you wanna spend the weekend with me and help me do all the more boring mundane works.” Every time I see that dress now and all the pleats, I’m like, “God, we spent the whole weekend doing all those pleats.”
All of us—honestly no joke—all of us in his bedroom. I was in the living room, and he was in his kitchen doing [it] all. He was like a master pattern cutter. He’d done pattern cutting for John Galliano, and he was incredible, and we learned so much.
We’re still producing it now, nine years on. That dress holds a special place in my heart, and I think it takes Orlagh and I way back.
RIXO
Camellia in Goa Coral
Rixo is a spring-summer staple for weddings, vacations, event dressing. Can you give me a few examples of pieces that would be perfect for upcoming weddings and how you’d style them?
We’ve got this gorgeous dress called the Ossy. As soon as you look at it, it’s Rixo. It’s a very much Matisse-inspired print, and then it’s got little polka-dot sleeves. It’s 100% silk.
The mixed print straight away makes it Rixo. I’d then style it with one of our gorgeous either a vintage belt or one of our gold vintage-inspired belts.
We’ve actually just launched a gorgeous heel, and we’ve got it in black and red and gold. I think that just completes the outfits really well.
RIXO
Ossy in Daisy Jacquard Slate Blue
In true Rixo style, probably a neck scarf of some description—whether it’s a vintage one or the similar print, definitely.
When you’re going to a wedding or dressing something up, I think for us, a neck scarf and then a gorgeous vintage gold belt is kind of what completes the look.
RIXO
Julien in Patchwork Blue
What about go-to vacation items? What should we be packing this summer that’s cute, easy to pack, versatile?
There’s a minidress that I am obsessed with, and I want it now. I can’t wait to pack it. It’s called our Bridgitte Mini Dress. It’s inspired by Brigitte Bardot. It’s a white cotton base with black polka dots on it. But again, it’s got layered on some of the Matisse kind of bright colored elements as well.
It feels really hand-painted. It feels very true to Rixo, but it’s just a gorgeous little mini that you could literally wear to the weekend, go for brunch, you could wear it to the office. You could wear it commuting or to the airport. It’s just one of those really cute minidresses, but it’s a real practical one that you could just put on with your sandals and then you’re done.
RIXO
Bridgitte in Flora Dot Ivory
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Next, get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of our Who What Wear 100 Beauty Awards.
