The new wave of designers putting Ireland on the map

Journalist Victoria G. L. Brunton looks at some of the country's most prolific fashion designers, and the next wave of talent to put Ireland on the map.

According to the Princeton Review, the estimated odds of becoming an internationally famous designer are roughly 160,000:1.

The countries home to the worlds fashion capitals; Paris, Milan, London and New York, have populations between 60 and 300 million people, while the population of Ireland is just over seven million. I’m no statistician, but given those figures, the likelihood of becoming an internationally famous Irish designer seems close to impossible.

So, how and why is it that its Irish designers shaping the fashion industry today?

Firstly, let’s look at the creatives who justify that statement.

Jonathan Anderson, the Derry man behind his namesake label JW Anderson and the creative director of LVMH-owned luxury fashion house, Loewe. Just this week, the Irish creative was crowned Designer of the Year for the second year running at the British Fashion Council’s annual Fashion Awards – a ceremony in which he has collected some nine awards from, since winning the Emerging Talent Award for ready-to-wear in 2012.

Last year, in 2023, Anderson was awarded the CFDA's International Designer of the Year Award and recognised as GQ's Designer of the Year.

A recipient of the British Fashion Council’s Emerging Talent award in 2013, just one year after Anderson, Dublin-born Simone Rocha, daughter of celebrated designer John Rocha, won the award for British Womenswear Designer of the Year this week.

The award celebrates a "leading British womenswear designer or business who has consistently made a global impact with their innovative and creative designs, shaping the burgeoning international womenswear landscape". This award comes after Rocha presented her first couture collection as the guest designer for Jean Paul Gaultier’s runway collection earlier this year.

Creative Director of Alexander McQueen, a legacy British fashion house, Dubliner Seán McGirr, is a graduate of London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins, obtaining an MA in Fashion in 2014. Prior to assuming his role at McQueen in 2023, McGirr was Head of Ready-to-Wear at Anderson’s namesake label JW Anderson and previously held positions at Dries Van Noten, Burberry and other prestigious fashion brands.

Recipient of the Chanel Prix des Métiers d'Art for her sustainability efforts, Róisín Pierce is a womenswear designer who flies the flag of Irish craftsmanship like no other. Dublin-born, Galway-raised, Ireland is no further than a stitch away in any one of Pierces collections, consistently making references to our country’s relationships between religion, femininity and womanhood.

In April 2024, Vogue described Pierce as: "The Dublin-based creative –whose business card should perhaps read poetic storyteller, rather than designer – is captivated by historic tales of her country’s forbearers forging cottage industries from needlework during the famine."

If that isn’t an accolade to celebrate, what is?

With such a high calibre of talent in such a specific and highly competitive arena, you might assume that Ireland has astounding incentives in place. Unfortunately, in my opinion, that is far from the case.

1951 saw the Arts Act brought into legislation, intending to "stimulate public interest in the arts, promoting their knowledge, appreciation and practice."

While being a positive development for many creative industries, this statutory body defined 'the arts' as "painting, sculpture, architecture, music, the drama, literature, design in industry and the fine arts and applied arts" - fashion was neglected.

Since its enactment, the legislation has seen various revisions, most recently in 2003, but fashion has yet to find a place in this conversation, with designers being excluded from the Basic Income for the Arts.

Unfortunately, this has left many Irish fashion designers to emigrate in pursuit of success.

At the beginning of this month, I attended Dublin Independent Fashion Week – a weeklong event organised over the course of a year by a committee of independent designers, alongside their already demanding full-time jobs.

From Monday to Thursday, Fade Street Studios was transformed into a variety of worlds that powerfully captured the aesthetics of each brand; an otherworldly, folklore-inspired garden for Megan McGuigan’s Solstice by Seeking Judy, a euphoric, whimsical wonderland for Aisling Duffy, a contemporary, profoundly youthful and athletic set for Greg Hall’s Pellador and a richly cultural, disruptive and artistic showcase for Wahala by Tobi Balogun.

The week culminated in a two-day showroom packed with independent, sustainable Irish brands spanning from ready-to-wear to jewellery and accessories.

I was lucky enough to catch up with most of the designers behind these labels, and there were some clear shared sentiments; feelings of resentment and a longing to stay on Irish soil while they work.

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They also feel deeply empowered by one another, are deeply passionate about their work, and take a huge amount of inspiration from their heritage and their culture as Irish people.

This gifted group of designers are the next generation of Irish talent. I would love to see them supported, incentivised, and encouraged to flourish at home - before it’s too late.

If you missed out on this year's DIFW, there's good news: the collective will be selling their most recent creations in a pop-up shop this weekend, just in time for Christmas.

Head down to 3 Eustace Street from 12-8pm on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December to scoop up unique, sustainable and high-quality gifts from independent brands. Shop local and support Irish this festive season.