Daryl Kerrigan was born in Dublin, Ireland and studied fashion design at the National College of Art and Design, subsequently moving to New York in 1986. Her early years in the city were spent working in film, where she co- designed costumes for  features such as Jim Jarmusch’s “Mystery Train” and “My Cousin Vinny” starring Marisa Tomei.

In 1991, with no experience in the fashion industry, Daryl boldly set up shop in New York's East Village, with a production studio in back. In the evenings, friends would gather there before heading out to legendary nightclubs like The Palladium followed by " Save the Robots."

With herself and her friends as her muses, Daryl built her brand through word-of-mouth and standout pieces, designing clothing for musicians, performers, artists and  beloved drag queens. She also developed the Hip Hugger Bootleg Jean, which drew people like Sonic Youth front woman Kim Gordon, as well as A-list fashion editors and stylists,  earning Daryl cult status in fashion circles. These must-have jeans, along with her rock and roll-inspired collections, earned her the highly coveted CFDA Perry Ellis Award. Her signature pants and many other unique designs were soon in demand and widely copied all around the globe.

Daryl’s runway shows are legendary in fashion lore. To name a few, they've taken place: in an empty swimming pool, in the space now know as “Capitale” when it was a working bank, on the roof of Gordon Bunshaft’s Lever House, or on top of a flatbed truck in the Gagosian Gallery on 21st Street when it was a parking garage – Joey Ramone sat front row at this show as raucous Ramones tunes took the models down the runway from start to finish. The audience filed out pumping their fists and WWD gave the cover to Daryl K the following morning.

Daryl K's aesthetic fuses minimal modernist design with comfort and style,  her flattering fit and unique style has kept loyal customers spreading the word for over 25 years.