Homespun: The Best Of Irish Fashion For Autumn/Winter

Field notes on Irish fashion …

Main image; Magee CEO Rosy Temple, creative director Charlotte Temple, and Max the springer spaniel, post morning dip.

At the end of summer, I had the pleasure of being invited by the Temple family on an overnight immersive trip to visit their heritage fashion brand, Magee 1866 in Donegal. It proved to be a journey into the heart of Irish craftsmanship. Alongside a select group of fashion journalists, stylists, and industry insiders, we departed Dublin and arrived in picturesque Donegal Town just a few hours later. There, in historic Donegal Castle, we previewed Magee’s AW25 collection, a range of timeless, easy-to-wear coats, jackets and knitwear with a fashionable heritage appeal. My standouts from the presentation were the oversized navy Sophie herringbone tweed coat and a preppy unlined tweed blazer called the Carlotta, worn on the day by creative director Charlotte Temple.

After lunch, CEO of Magee Weaving, Patrick Temple, walked us to the Magee weaving mill, the beating heart of this fifth-generation label. It was such a thrill to hear the rhythmic clatter of looms (manual and machine) with the scent of wool in the air. From spinning raw wool into yarn to creating intricate, luxurious tweeds, every step of the process is impressively hands-on; seeing the fabric come to life in such a meticulous, human way deepened my appreciation for each metre.

We concluded the day with a magical dinner at Lough Eske Castle, where the table was dressed in swathes of biscuit-coloured Magee linen. The following morning, after a quick dip in the sea (not for the faint-hearted!), we made our way to the Temple family’s “Field of Dreams”. Living up to its name, the lush green field looks over the rugged coastline of Donegal bay, with Sligo in the distance. We were quietly introduced to Patrick’s flock of Cheviot sheep, offering us a real glimpse into Magee’s “field to fashion” process.

At a time when supply chain transparency is more of a buzzword than reality, this family-run label proves that heritage, quality, and sustainability can be built into the DNA of a fashion brand.

HOMESPUN: IRISH KNITS AND COATS FOR AUTUMN