Sustainable, personal, inherently Irish: Meet Ireland’s next generation of designers

The fashion industry is a notoriously hard one to crack, especially as a designer. Most hone in on their craft for years and years before taking the plunge and starting their own labels, or going in-house for other brands and designers.

As a country, we have some incredible fashion exports. From designers such as Simone Rocha, Róisín Pierce and JW Anderson, there is so much talent that goes unrecognised in general Irish society.

Something I really admire about Ireland’s creative industry, however, is how welcoming it is to new talent. This is something I have experienced first-hand when I started my career and it is something I will always try and pay forward when possible.

Early in my career, I got the opportunity to work with and style some pieces from some incredible young designers including Lia Cowan, Caoimhe Murphy and Gabrielle Malone. After befriending some of these designers, I got an insight into just how deserved every shred of success they get is.

Each year I look forward to June – because of the glorious Leaving Cert weather, and the beautiful debut graduate and undergraduate collections from design students across Ireland. This year was no different. Across the country, I spotted so much budding talent from the Limerick School of Art and Design to The Grafton Academy to Sallynoggin College of Further Education and The Belfast School of Art.

What I love most about student collections is that the designers get a year to focus on the inspirations behind their collections and put so much love and work into each of their pieces. Behind every designer’s collections, whether they be established designers or students, there are always so many incredible personal references hidden within the pieces, something you won’t find on the high street.

In recent years, the focus on sustainability within graduate collections has really grown legs. Each of the designers I spoke to below has incorporated sustainability into their designs and business modules in some shape or form, whether that be through the use of scrap fabrics, unconventional materials or made-to-order pieces.

This year I was particularly inspired. I wanted to go back to my roots and showcase some of the amazing talent leaving through college doors this summer, so I put together an editorial with a stellar team, the images from which you can see below. I also sat down with three of the designers featured and spoke with them individually about taking their first steps into the fashion industry.

Here’s what they had to say about their debut collections:

Aoife Harvey

Coat – Aoife Harvey, Belfast School of Art; Skirt – Emma Byrne, Limerick School of Art and Design; Boots – Primark; Earrings –  Mango

Firstly, I sat down with Belfast Native Aoife Harvey, a recent graduate from The Belfast School of Art. Aoife’s collection was the first to catch my eye. Her material choices and techniques are really what pulled me in. Aoife’s graduate collection is a showcase of how we can transform the top four textile wastes – leather, plastic, metal and upholstery – into fabulous waste-to-wardrobe clothing.

Two Piece – Aoife Harvey, Belfast School of Art

Gold Bottle Cap Dress – Aoife Harvey, Belfast School of Art and Design; Bodysuit – H&M; Shoes – Primark; Earrings – Betty & Biddy

Harvey brought her 12-piece collection to life using historical mending methods like quilting, patchwork and repurposing bottle caps and gold hardware. Her search for material is her favourite part of the design process she tells me. “This part of the process really ignites my creativity,” she admits. Aoife’s journey is just beginning as she showcased her debut collection at Northern Fashion Week in June 2023. 

Conor O’Brien

Shirt – Conor O’Brien, National College of Art and Design; Black Trousers – Conor O‘Brien, National College of Art and Design; Tartan Overskirt – Laura Mulligan, Sallynoggin College of Further Education; Shoes – Topshop via ASOS; Earrings – Betty and Biddy

Conor is a recent graduate from NCAD. He tells me that his relationship with fashion has been “tumultuous and hostile at times.” As somebody who never found comfort shopping on the high street and isn’t necessarily trend-driven, he labels his work and personal style as “timeless” and “classic”. As an outside observer, I would also interpret it as gender-fluid.

Jumper – Conor O’Brien, National College of Art and Design; Overskirt – Emma Byrne, Limerick School of Art and Design; Underskirt – Lia Cowan; Earrings – Mango; Boots – Primark

Over the years, Conor has become known for his neutral palette and beautiful, modern approach to knitwear. His design process is not as straightforward or glamorous as it may seem, he tells me, and there are so many obstacles you can come across. “It’s an extensive and collaborative process in which you have to sometimes compromise your own ideas for the sake of a team.” Listed as one of this year’s Irish Times ‘Ones to Watch’, Conor cites Christian Dior, Meryl Streep and Zsa Zsa Gabor as just some of his inspirations. In his words, he finds inspiration in “interesting, intelligent characters with a panache for style and a depth to them.”

His new collection titled ‘Cara Coirp’ – which is an Irish translation for ‘Friend of the Body’ – is inspired by his difficult relationship with clothing and his struggles with body dysmorphia from a young age. His aim with this collection is to change what it means to wear “flattering” clothing, with billowing silhouettes and sculptural knitwear. I have no doubt that we will be hearing Conor’s name for years to come. You can shop a selection of Conor’s pieces on his website.

Emily Hartnett

Two Piece: Emily Hartnett, Grafton Academy; Shoes: Topshop via ASOS; Fishnets: Tights Dept Stephen’s Green

Emily recently graduated from her final year of fashion design at The Grafton Academy. What I loved most about Emily’s work was her use of patterns, textures and pops of colour – such as green and red – to tie her collection together in an understated way.

Like many designers before her, Emily didn’t always consider a career in fashion – she actually studied science for two years before deciding it was not something she wanted to pursue. She needed a more creative outlet. “I had to get creative as a young girl in order to find clothing to fit me”, she tells me, admitting that she’s loved fashion from a very young age. This inevitably helped her to discover her love of design. 

Her second-year collection is inspired by the reconceptualisation of traditional Irish fabrics and textiles into modern designs, in the most sustainable way possible. Her goal as a designer is to advocate for and help reduce our carbon footprint when it comes to fashion, whether that be by shopping sustainable design, sharing clothes or shopping second-hand.

Photography by Johnny McMillan. Styling by Adam Walsh, Morgan The Agency and Emma Lucey. Hair and make-up by Sue Brophy.  Model is Camilla, Not Another Agency.