Pat McDonagh

Patricia (Pat) McDonagh (17 March 1934 – 31 May 2014) was a British fashion designer who became an important figure in Canadian fashion. She promoted the then-unknown model Twiggy and she designed costumes for The Beatles. McDonagh also designed costumes for Diana Rigg, as Emma Peel, in The Avengers.

Early life McDonagh was born in Harpurhey, Manchester, England on St. Patrick's Day 17 March 1934, the eldest of four children in a family of Irish origins. Her mother instilled a strong perfectionist tendency into her children. McDonagh later said "[she] never praised us". and began designing clothes. She was particularly known for creating "glamorous garments showcasing innovation in textile techniques" and her glamorous evening wear found favour with the social elite of Toronto's fund-raising circuit. Her creations were worn by Cher and Ella Fitzgerald. She went on to open a factory, the product of which was known as the Re-Establishment range, to a meeting with the fashion editor of the Canadian newspaper The Star, but the editor did not believe that Twiggy was a model as she was too thin and had a haircut and beret typical in Canada of the mentally disabled. Before she was well known, Twiggy had modelled for McDonagh in England and helped out in the stockroom.

Near the end of her life, she spoke of a simple dress worn by the central character in the 1927 film Metropolis which had inspired her. She said she had used the same basic shape in every one of her collections in one form or another.

Personal life McDonagh married the television director David Main (then working for Granada Television)