The Irish knitwear designer opens her little black book …
As the founder and creative director of Urban Aran, an independent contemporary Irish knitwear brand, Christine Murphy’s style aligns with her collections that are influenced by street art and graffiti; balancing contemporary visuals with classic Irish Aran stitchwork. She’s also communications director for the Council of Irish Fashion Designers (CIFD), so it’s no surprise that she champions homegrown brands and boutiques.
“The most sentimental item in my wardrobe is a cobalt blue Marc Jacobs jacket, bought nearly ten years ago from Muse in Waterford. It’s a forever piece; the structure and zips are beautiful, and the colour is absolute magic. It’s reserved for special occasions, so much so that the store owner has offered to buy it back.”
“A recent purchase was a chunky, solid silver chain from Hannah McGrenera’s at Saw Framed in Cork; she makes jewellery, which blurs the line between function and art and is inspired by her background in ink drawing and calligraphy. I wear the chain with all my organic crew necks.”
“The most hardworking accessory I have is a turquoise vintage ring from The 59 Collective. The stone is so striking and pairs so well with my colourful knits that I never take it off.”
“I’ve had some incredible luck at Brown Thomas end-of-season sales. My favourites include a pair of Celine jeans reduced from over €1,000 to €200, and a stunning Dries Van Noten dress. During my four years participating in the Create at Brown Thomas, personal shopper Michelle Curtin was instrumental in helping me find designer bargains that perfectly complemented my own knitwear designs.”
“An investment piece was a hand-knit cashmere cardigan by Gabriela Hearst. Even though I found it on sale, it was a significant splurge – as a knitwear designer, I appreciate the extraordinary craftsmanship and luxury of the fibre.”
“For finding hidden gems, my go-to shops are the second-hand stores in Waterford City and Place Boutique outside Gorey. For homeware, Love Nest Studio Waterford themes your house for parties and events with lots of delicate touches. Millars Connemara and the boutique at Adare Manor both stock beautiful ceramics and accessories.”
“The least fashion item I have is a brown 100% baby alpaca jumper gifted to me 20 years ago by a friend visiting Peru. It isn’t fashionable in the trend sense, but it is incredibly soft, cosy and hard-working. It even inspired me to try sourcing alpaca for my own work.”
“I never leave home without a splash of Frédéric Malle’s Portrait of a Lady. I bought it when Parfumarija moved to The Westbury Mall in Dublin many years ago now. We hosted an event with the team in The Westbury when I worked as Director of Sales and Marketing. Marija from Parfumarija explained its provenance and I’ve worn it ever since.
“Dream pieces are linen items from Kindred Of Ireland, Jennifer Slattery and The Linen Shirt Company. I’m also a a fan of stylish flats – on my wishlist is a pair of YSL loafers.”
“The piece with a great backstory has to be my Urban Aran cropped bomber. Three years ago, I showed it in four colours at a trade show in Paris. On the very first morning, the key sample was stolen from my stand. I was devastated, but the organisers told me to be flattered as they suspected another designer brand had taken it to “reference” the pattern. The irony? The design features the Urban Aran initials enlarged so much that they become abstract. I thought, well, that would not be a clever design to copy with my brand initials all over their design!”
Need to know: CIFD AW27 collections premier on September 3 and Christine’s new collection launches on September 5. She will be participating in Fashion Conversations at Design Week Dublin on September 20. Christine was the recipient of the inaugural BMW Future Entrepreneur Programme, winning the award for innovation in 2025.