The designer reflects on how a background in mechanical engineering shapes her knitwear, why she&rsquo;s expanding into wovens, and what presenting at New York Fashion Week means for her evolving brand.

Before she was building collections, Aisling Camps was building something else entirely. With a background in mechanical engineering, the designer approaches fashion with a technical mind&mdash;treating pattern-making as a form of problem-solving and optimization. Math, structure, and precision remain embedded in her process, informing the clean lines and thoughtful construction that define her work today.
Knitwear became the foundation of her brand almost by chance. What began as a practical career decision soon revealed itself as a true strength, allowing Camps to explore shape, texture, and movement in ways that felt both sensual and structured. This season, she expands that vision by introducing woven pieces alongside her signature knits, responding to feedback from buyers and embracing the opportunity to dress her woman from head to toe.
Grounded in a palette of lush greens and soft neutrals&mdash;shades she&rsquo;s long gravitated toward, inspired by nature rather than trends&mdash;Camps&rsquo; collections feel timeless rather than reactive. Now that she has successfully presented at New York Fashion Week, the milestone represents more than visibility. It&rsquo;s a testament to growth, resilience, and the steady evolution of a brand rooted in craftsmanship, care, and clarity of vision.

L'OFFICIEL: You began your career in mechanical engineering before pivoting to fashion. How does that technical background continue to inform the way you design today?
AISLING CAMPS: I work on machines almost every day, so my background in engineering definitely helps. Pattern making is quite technical and there&rsquo;s a lot of math involved&mdash;not as intense as engineering math, but it&rsquo;s there. The process feels very similar. It&rsquo;s about problem-solving and optimizing a design until it works in the most efficient and beautiful way possible.
LO: Knitwear is at the core of your brand. What initially drew you to that medium?
AC: It was actually a practical decision at the time. There were a lot of knitwear jobs on the market, and I seemed to have a natural knack for the craft. What started as practical quickly became something I genuinely loved working with.
LO: This collection introduces woven pieces alongside your signature knits. What sparked that evolution?
AC: It came from feedback from my showroom and buyers. I had been thinking about expanding into wovens for years, but now felt like the right moment. There was a need to tell a more complete story&mdash;an evolution toward dressing the woman from head to toe.
LO: You worked with a palette of lush greens and nudes this season. Were these colors trend-driven, or more about reinforcing your brand language? Do you consider trends at all?
AC: I don&rsquo;t really follow trends. My palette has always been rooted in neutrals with a pop color that changes from season to season. I&rsquo;ve always gravitated toward different shades of green. A lot of my designs are inspired by nature, so those tones feel very authentic to me.

LO: Are there any designers whose work has had a lasting influence on how you approach design and craftsmanship?
AC: Margiela, of course&mdash;I love the way they approach deconstructing garments. And Azzedine Ala&iuml;a&rsquo;s approach to knitwear was incredible. He made it feel sexy and unique, and he built his business on his own terms. That independence really resonates with me.
LO: This February marks your New York Fashion Week debut. What does this moment represent for you and the brand?
AC: It&rsquo;s a huge milestone. It&rsquo;s the first time we&rsquo;re engaging with our audience in this way on such a prestigious platform. I took a lot of detours to get here, so I&rsquo;m really proud of the growth my team and I have made to reach this point.
LO: What are you most excited for audiences to take away from your runway presentation?
AC: I&rsquo;m hoping that seeing the pieces live and in motion allows the audience to truly appreciate the level of craftsmanship, care, and detail in every piece. The versatility&mdash;the multiple ways to wear the garments&mdash;will be evident, and the quality will really shine through. I&rsquo;m excited to see the response.

Aisling Camps Brings Precision and Purpose to Her NYFW Debut

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