Kirsty Boskemper-Irwin

KIRSTY BOSKEMPER-IRWIN

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
#BOSWOMEN

Each collection is carefully curated with inspiration stemming from Kirsty's frequent explorations. It’s easy to see the influence of her favourite cities & its people entwined into each range. A certain mood is encapsulated in her designs whether it be the energy from a bustling city like New York, the coastal freedom of LA or the alluring romance from the streets of Paris. Growing the #BOSwomen community is what led Kirsty here. The BOSKEMPER lifestyle emotes creativity & a sense of empowerment for its movement of women.

There is not much this wonder woman can’t do. Meet Kirsty, our incredibly talented & inspiring Head Designer, Creative Director, foodie, cat mum & wine lover. She is the brains behind BOSKEMPER, a modern womenswear label that is infused with her personal ethos of effortlessness & worldly adventure. With 10 years of experience in the industry, this self-taught designer brings a balance of sophisticated femininity, with dark accords & a nod to her personal style.

Tell us what you do.
Creative Director & Head Designer at BOSKEMPER.

What do you love most about being a woman in your area of business?
Women are so intuitive & nurturing… I think those are really nice qualities in a working environment. Being a woman in business, I love helping & lifting others up. I have personally received so much support from our community & there’s nothing better than women supporting women in my opinion!

What did you dream of becoming when you were younger?
I spent all my spare time as child drawing & painting. From a very young age I started to draw the female form & would sketch clothing of what I wanted to wear to, say, casual day at school. I obviously had no idea at the time what this meant, but I guess I wanted to be a fashion designer… I just didn’t know it yet.

What advice would you give aspiring females wanting to get into your field?
Don’t expect to sleep much haha! My advice would be, make sure you really LOVE it! The hours are long & it can be an emotional rollercoasters; low lows & high highs. But there is nothing else I would rather do!

What’s the lesson that took you the longest to unlearn?
Starting a business from scratch means you do EVERYTHING… you have to perform every job. So I think I had a hard time letting go of somethings as I have hired employees. I had to learn to not be in control of every aspect.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?
Travel!!! I am completely obsessed with immersing myself in new cultures; trying new foods, looking at the fabrics the people wear, the colours of the flora & fauna, etc. It is so visually stimulating, which is why each BOS collection is based on a destination I have traveled to.

Something people don’t know about you?
I sometimes talk to my cat & say, “if you can talk Lola, now would be a good time to tell me. I promise I won’t tell anyone”… I am still unsuccessful in a response.

Best piece of career advice you ever received?
Don’t ever be afraid to ask questions!

What’s on your bedside table?
My favourite candles, Aesop hand cream (best right before sleep every night), my matching bracelets I got with my sister when travelling & a polaroid of my amour.

How would you describe your style?
I’ve always found this quite hard. But I guess it is effortless with dark accords & a hint of sexy.

Worst fashion moment in life?
You remember DaDa Pants right!? Yeah… enough said!

Where do you go for cocktail hour?
Siglo, Johnny’s Greenroom or Bijou. You really must visit them all immediately!

Best hidden gem in Melbourne?
Bar Margot is one of my fave hidden gems in Melbourne. It is quite literally hidden, as there’s no signage out the front & it’s located in the basement. It is a late night Parisian-style brasserie that serves AMAZING cocktails & French comfort food… not to mention they have THE best playlist.

What’s your top 5 Melbourne must visits restaurants?
Tipo 00, Lupino, The European, France Soir & Aka Siro. For the record, that was really hard to pick just 5!

Best pub?
Marquis of Lorne… get their fish burger in your mouth!

What BOSKEMPER pieces are on high rotation?
Ok, I will try not to make this an essay! I wear the Nara Blazer over pretty much everything these days. Everyone needs a cropped blazer in their lives! I’ve also worn the Sanza Top to death, because it is so easy to dress up or just wear with jeans. Lastly, the new Island Shorts are my go-to’s for Spring at the moment.

Favourite BOSKEMPER piece?
Oh man! That is like choosing a favourite child (it’s ok mum, I know I am).

Kirsty wears our Lee Knit Top in Orchid, Laneway Skirt in Patent Noir, Banksia Shirt Dress in Pebble, Lillico Dress in Sage, Hyams Dress in Noir, Iris Trench in Copper & Melbourne Top in Orchid.

Follow more of our journey on Kirsty's Instagram at @bykirstyirwin