Colin Burke’s Luxe New Knitwear Collection Is An Ode To High-Low Dressing
By Sarah Macken
Irish fashion designer Colin Burke embraces new shapes for his coveted knits for AW26 – and shares the cool ways in which his stylish cohort of fans are styling them now …
“I wanted to push the silhouette as much as I possibly could this time around,” Colin Burke says of his new collection which has dropped just in time for festive dressing. Expect plenty of familiar shapes – plus, a refreshing amount of newness. “For me, the excitement really comes through when I see a new shape forming and the silhouette changes, whilst maintaining identity as a brand,” the Galway-based designer says.
A key new silhouette is the Petrina, a tailored cardigan with a dramatic peplum waist. It was inspired by a jacket Colin’s grandmother wore when going on honeymoon. The new style eschews Burke’s signature gathered cuff for what he refers to as “jewellery sleeves”, a relaxed wrist that provides ample space for a cluster of mixed-metal bangles or a hero timepiece. An apt move, given the time of year.
Gold Roma crochet top, €975; www.colinburke.ie and at Havana.
Silver Petrina jacket, €1,995; www.colinburke.ie and at Havana.
Another new style, the Roma top, combines intricate lace crochet with floral appliqué. It’s the kind of piece that speaks to times past, but is updated with metallic lurex yarns which allow for instant zing. It can be teamed with a sheer camisole. Some pieces have been in development for six months, others take longer. Perhaps the most intricate of all is the Ostrich optic white Italian wool cardigan, which is hand-stitched with light cream ostrich feathers. Teamed with a tonal knitted skirt, it’s the most luxurious take on co-ord dressing we’ve seen for some time.
What is the coolest way to wear one of Burke’s knits now? According to the designer, it’s about low-effort, high-impact styling. “I like when someone dresses up and they don’t look like they’re really dressed up,” he says. The voluminous silhouette of his pieces pairs well with something slim on the bottom half, he advises. Think: great denim, a Simone Rocha slip dress, a Comme des Garçons skirt, or a pair of Rick Owens drawstring trousers. “If a client is going to an event, she might pair her jumper with tailored trousers,” he says.
Cream ostrich feather cardigan, €2,550; www.colinburke.ie and at Havana.
Silver Roma crochet top, €975; www.colinburke.ie and at Havana.
His cohort of fans are so devout, they go beyond simply being clients to become that elusive things all luxury brands are trying to capture – a community. Indeed, Burke’s first US stockist – a boutique called Timeless on Martha’s Vineyard – came about because the owner spotted his jumper in an airport and had to know where it was from. One of Burke’s first US customers is so high-profile he can’t name her in print. But, rest assured, she’s influential. “I often get calls and lovely messages or emails from clients who have bumped into somebody or met somebody and a whole conversation has started based on them wearing pieces. They may be in an airport or in London or just in their neighbourhood. The knits are conversation-starters,” he says.
Black lurex cardigan, €1,950; www.colinburke.ie; ring and earrings, from a selection; www.sundayfinestjewellery.com; both brands are available at Havana, Donnybrook.
Black Petrina long jacket, €2,495; www.colinburke.ie and at Havana.
This month, Colin Burke will be in store at Havana, Donnybrook on November 18 and 19 from 9.30am to 6pm daily, where he’ll be meeting customers, offering one-to-one consultations and selling one-off pieces. Burke will be joined by new Irish jewellery brand Sunday Finest. A recent addition to Havana, the brand’s covetable everyday diamonds – the Heirloom round drop earrings are firmly on our wish-list – are the perfect foil to Burke’s decadent knits. “It feels new and relevant,” Colin says of their pairing. “I can picture my customer wearing a lurex cardigan with those lovely pieces of jewellery on and she’s just dressing for herself on a Tuesday.” As relevant (and aspirational) as it gets, if you ask us.
Shoot credits: model, Abigia S at Morgan The Agency; casting, Paula Hughes; creative direction and photography, Tetyana Maryshko; styling, Colin Burke and Tetyana Maryshko, assisted by Shauna Monaghan; makeup artist, Shauna Keogh; hair, Sarah Mason; location, Bonham Quay, Galway; jewellery, Sunday Finest.
We may earn a commission if you buy through affiliate links on our site.
READ MORE: How ‘The Book Of Kells’ Inspired JJ Martin’s Latest Collection
