Cobbler’s Lane is a luxury slow-fashion ladies' wear brand based in Wexford. Set up by Monica Walsh, each piece is designed and made in Ireland with the aim being to create beautiful keepsakes people will want to keep in their wardrobes for years to come.
Cobbler’s Lane is a slow-fashion ladies’ wear brand.
I launched my first formal collection in early 2020, with the aim of creating timeless clothing that is designed to be loved, worn and passed on to the next generation. Our brand has become synonymous with bold prints, bright colours and flowing silhouettes. All of our pieces are designed and made here in Ireland.
Our mission is to create clothing that makes women feel confident while infusing their wardrobe with vibrant colours and prints.
Our aim as a slow-fashion brand is to create considered sustainable collections that are made locally.
I always knew I wanted to be a designer.
I actually recently discovered a notebook from primary school with some designs in it. I’m not sure they will make the cut for the next collection but it’s safe to say I had the fashion bug from a young age! My mam is a wonderful designer so I grew up in a very creative house; she made all of her clothes and mine when growing up. I remember sitting by the sewing machine with her, and playing with the fabric, imagining what it could become. Little did I know, 30 years later I would still be doing that same thing.
We stock a wide range of items from special occasion wear to day-to-day wear.
You will find dresses, jackets, tops, trousers and skirts with lots of colour and print, and the occasional black and white pieces for the people who don’t love a lot of colour. In recent collections, I have started to develop my own prints so you will see a lot of original prints across the website.
The 70s are a huge inspiration for my designs.
This may be a little off-topic, but I’m currently helping my sister decorate her recently renovated 70s bungalow. She wants to stay true to the 70s era, so I’ve been trawling for vintage furniture, and decor inspiration which is really fun. My degree is actually in interior design so it’s nice to see it’s getting some use. It’s fun to delve a little further into the design of that time period.
I have been self-funded from day one, so money has always been a big consideration.
It’s a big step to quit your job and chase a dream. You have to be careful that you spend money correctly, and you learn along the way (usually the hard way) what was worth the spend or not. It would be amazing to be able to throw money at every aspect of the business, but bootstrapping allows you to be creative and forces you to wear many hats which can actually be enjoyable at times.
The best advice I’ve ever received for business and life in general is from my dad. From a young age, he would always say, “don’t be a quitter”.
If I’ve had a challenging week of being a business owner, his words are always in the back of my mind. There are often days when I think, “wouldn’t life be easier if I just quit?”, but those days are usually followed by some of the best. The challenges, even though at the time seem like the end of the world, are usually the best lessons learnt.
I tend to wear a lot of Cobbler’s Lane pieces. Maybe selfishly I design items that I’m excited about and want to wear and this formula seems to be working for the brand so far which is great for me!
I’m really excited about the jackets and culottes from the upcoming collection; I have been wearing them all summer and I can’t wait for everyone to see them. Aside from Cobbler’s Lane, at the end of last winter, I found an amazing vintage coat that I’m really looking forward to wearing. I feel really glamorous as soon as I put it! You can never go wrong with a good coat, it ties the whole outfit together. I get lots of fashion/design inspiration online from people like Roxanne Parker, she is a huge advocate for sustainable fashion and Irish brands; Corina Gaffey, I love her bold use of print and colour; Ash McDonnell and Tech Powered Luxury for all her luxury brand and tech in fashion insights; Nicki Hoyne, I love how honest she is on the highs and lows of building a fashion brand.
There are so many inspiring Irish designers I love.
I could be here all day listing them out! To name a few, I love Miss She Got Knits, Nicki Hoyne, Ailish McElroy, August Night, My Name is Ted and Peelo. The Council of Irish Fashion Designers recently launched their AW24 show which is packed full of Irish talent, and it’s amazing to see it all in one place.
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!
Send the message, send the email, make the phone call – the worst thing that can happen is they say no. I have had so many opportunities unfold simply because I just went for it.
When I stop to think about the last five years of business, there are so many moments I’m proud of.
I love the community I’ve built and the connections I’ve made with customers and other people from the industry. When I started Cobbler’s Lane I had just moved back from Canada having lived there for 12 years, and knew no one in the industry. It’s amazing to see how fashion connects people. Another huge moment for me was winning the fashion award at the Irish Made Awards last year, it was a big turning point for me. As a person who suffers from imposter syndrome, it was validation that I did in fact belong in the industry.
I want my brand to be remembered for being elegant, fun, colourful and timeless.
I want women to see a Cobbler’s Lane dress in their wardrobe and remember a special occasion they wore it to or a day spent with loved ones. Honestly, the most exciting thing for me is spotting customers out and about wearing my designs. I always make a point of saying hello and having a little chat with them. As far as celebs go it would be such a thrill to see any of these ladies in Cobbler’s Lane – Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Middleton, and of course the queen of Galway, Nicola Coughlan.
Photography by Cobbler’s Lane.
Also Read
