From treasured jewellery and glamorous shoes to houndstooth motifs and heritage heroes, these homegrown brands will make your autumn wardrobe picture perfect…
Grey and charcoal Hawthorn cocoon coat, €980; dove grey Diem blazer, €690; both The Landskein.
Cool Cover-ups: Wool coats and blazers really come into play this month, sending a piece (or two) from Dublin label The Landskein straight to the top of our wishlist. Founded by Anna Guerin in 2019, The Landskein is admired by fashion insiders for its elegant tweed and wool overcoats and jackets, distinguished by their relaxed silhouettes and sharp detailing. Guerin uses super-fine lambswool tweed woven in Kilgar, Donegal. www.thelandskein.com.
Serpent Balance drop earrings, £1,185stg; www.grainnemorton.co.uk.
Finders Keepers: Born and raised in Northern Ireland, jewellery designer Grainne Morton left home in the late 1980s to study at Edinburgh’s College of Art. This is where she became an avid collector of antiques and ephemera. Inspired by her vast pile of found items, Morton’s current jewellery collection is brimming with colourful one-of-a-kind pieces. www.grainnemorton.co.uk.
Irish Muse: Gabriela Hearst’s AW23 collection was inspired by Irish architect and furniture designer Eileen Gray’s spare, elegant design ethos.
Houndstooth Motifs: Palma tweed wool coat, €720, www.noema.ie
Matching Kate tweed wool dress,€595; www.noema.ie.
Treasure Hunting: Diamonds from Antwerp, sapphires from Paris, opals and tanzanites and aquamarines … Following in the footsteps of his father who made a similar journey in the 1960s, Boodles chairman Nicholas Wainwright’s trip around Europe is the inspiration for an exquisite 50-piece 2023 high jewellery called ‘A Family Journey: Around Europe in 10 Days’. In our fair city, Wainwright and the Boodles design team, led by head designer Rebecca Hawkins, looked to Georgian Dublin, the Book of Kells and our historic bridges to create something truly sublime: the Dublin ring, with its whopping 16.44 carat green tourmaline (above), was inspired by the arches and lamps on the Ha’penny Bridge – infinitely more elegant when cast in solid gold and diamonds. Enquiries via Boodles, 71 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. www.boodles.com
Green country check Sasha tweed jacket, €330; matching Enya culottes, €235. Light tan Tara herringbone tweed jacket, €345; matching Heidi wool waistcoat, €190; all by Jack Murphy.
Heritage Heroes: From small independent makers to heritage brands, Irish handcrafted fashion is enjoying a strong renaissance. One example is Dubliner Jack Murphy’s eponymous label, founded in the 1940s. Murphy’s son Michael and granddaughter Sarah are now at the helm of the family business. The company, formerly known for robust outwerwear, presents a collection of classic clothing in Irish tweed for men and women. www.jackmurphy.ie.
Art of Fashion: Playful print designer Clare O’Connor is well-known for silk scarves but she also has a covetable ready-to-wear resort selection of colourful print kimonos and dresses with a flattering fit and handy pockets. “They are designed to be worn for special occasions and holidays,” says the designer. www.clareoconnor.net.
Green mock-croc leather shoes, Nicki Hoyne, €225.
A Shoe-In: Irish footwear and handbag designer Nicki Hoyne won the coveted Best New Brand at the Drapers Footwear Awards 2023 (the leading authority on fashion retailing). Hoyne’s glamorous shoes and evening slippers are designed in Ireland and handmade in Spain. www.nickihoyne.com
Bling Rings: Young Irish designers and brands are making a name for themselves in the fine jewellery world. Sustainable brand Edge Only’s Scenes of a Graphic Nature collection is particularly impressive with impactful pieces wrought in solid gold, platinum and diamonds. Founded by radio DJ Jenny Huston (daughter of goldsmith and gemologist Jane Huston), Edge Only jewellery is made in Ireland using recycled precious metals hallmarked at Dublin Castle. www.edgeonly.com
Under Wonder: From Irish lingerie label Bon+Berg, expect longlasting wireless and non-padded bras and bralettes and classic knicks in micromodal, a fabric made from tree pulp fibres. In sizes XS-2XL. www.bonandberg.com.
One To Watch: Irish designer Kelly O’Rourke hand-makes pieces which celebrate femininity and female energy. The sleek Peitho red silk top, €260, is named after the Greek goddess of seduction. www.kellyorourke.com.
