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Róisín Gartland: ‘I had just enough money left to buy one roll of leather, there was no room for mistakes’

Róisín Gartland: ‘I had just enough money left to buy one roll of leather, there was no room for mistakes’


by Sarah Finnan
30th Jan 2025

A master of her craft with an incredible eye for detail, Róisín Gartland is an interdisciplinary artist, award-winning designer and Ireland’s leading leather specialist. Launching her eponymous brand in the late 80s, her practice is synonymous with innovation and supreme craftsmanship – establishing her as an important voice in Irish design.

My mission is to remain fearlessly independent. 

My brand is an interdisciplinary and multifaceted blend of fine art and design with a special focus on leather.

I carry a small but diverse collection of apparel that includes many one-off pieces. 

I also stock bags and gloves and I make small gifting items such as key fobs and card purses from my offcuts, minimising waste. 

I always knew I wanted to be a designer. 

I wasn’t interested in dolls as a child, except to take them apart to see how they went together, but from the earliest age, I can recall being curious about all types of materials, handling tools and solving puzzles.

I was delighted to see the DIFW (Dublin Independent Fashion Week) group perform such a great showcase during Design Week. 

It was wonderful to see designers supporting each other and refreshing to see the break from traditional norms. 

Funding was a huge concern when I started out in 1987. 

I had a £1,000 loan and after purchasing the necessary equipment I had just enough money left to buy one roll of leather, there was no room for mistakes! I designed and made a jacket and skirt. From those samples, I sold eight more pieces and onwards it went in snowball fashion during my first year while the studio formed and began to develop.

Once I had gotten off the ground, I was fortunate to have been supported by the IDA.

They connected me to an exceptional business mentor, Joan Lawlor, (the first female managing director in Ireland and the founder of Ballet International). She taught me the language of business. She also gave me the skills necessary to run a successful business which I was able to put into practice immediately through direct application. That knowledge and those skills are what underpin my ability to run and maintain my studio to this day. 

I’m stimulated by sublime timeless design across the disciplines. 

Two special mentions though have to be Hermès for their dedication to superb craftsmanship and unshakable individuality and Vitra Design Museum for their impressive collections.

Cashmere has become an investment choice in the last few years and I try to add one good piece to my collection each year.

I particularly love Castanea, Lainey Keogh and Madigan brands. I also found a Marithé et François Girbaud store in Paris in the early 2000s and fell in love with the new techniques and technologies they were using then to cut and assemble clothing. I invested in a few of those pieces – I still love and wear them to this day. 

The most useful thing I’ve learned since setting up a business is to take calculated risks. 

Ask lots of questions and stand over the decisions you make.

My proudest moment so far? There are three moments that are interlinked in a way. 

The first two involve experiencing the transition in my work from fashion to art and seeing my first wearable art piece (made in 2012) hanging in a gallery space as part of The Accidental Keeper exhibition at The Model Sligo. The other is creating the costume for Tremble Tremble, Jesse Jones’ multifaceted film installation representing Ireland at the 57th Venice Biennale. That was another proud moment. Seeing the entirety of the work at the Venice Biennale in 2017 and again at the Guggenheim in Bilbao in 2020 were two very special moments that followed.

I would like my brand to be remembered for its ability to be several things at one time and for its timelessness

I love working with individuals whether they are known or unknown.

Róisín Gartland’s designs are stocked in Havana in Dublin alongside Comme des Garcons, Rick Owens, Haider Ackermann, Junya Watanabe and Simone Rocha. Her work is held in several public and private collections including the National Museum of Ireland Decorative Arts & History. Róisín is a registered Mentor with the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. She facilitates workshops for the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street and at her Design Tower studio.

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