The runways, designers and fashion week events nodding at art …
Simone Rocha is no stranger to mining Irish myths and legends for inspiration, as well as referencing contemporary artists and photographers as shown during her AW26 collection at London Fashion Week. Per the show notes, it opened “with a white pony, a mythological steed, sublimated to a white dress, of embroidered laces, some recycled, like recollections of collections past, itself a piece of histories. The show chases her tale. Rose tapestries and tweed tailoring seem to carry an imagined past with them, silhouettes recollect the 1920s or 1940s.”
Also on her moodboard: photographer Perry Ogden’s Pony Kids (1999), James Joyce’s Ulysses and Jack Butler Yeats’ painting Tír na nÓg which all translated to an equestrian-inspired collection with lots of dressage ribbons, rosettes and bows. Rocha said that she wanted the collection to be “like a visceral feast” and it was – one for the eyes and mind.
Less esoteric was Richard Quinn’s AW26 collection, A Future Archive, a beautiful couture collection intended as future heirlooms.
Patrick McDowell’s AW 2026 collection, named The Gaze, continued his exploration of luxury and craft. It was inspired by the work of photographer George Platt Lynes, who is noted for his studies of ballet dancers. Elongated lines, softly structured tailoring, fluid body-aware shapes and delicate florals defined the collection. “George Platt Lynes’ understanding of form, proportion and elegance was the main reference for this collection, informing both the silhouettes of the looks and the craftsmanship behind them,” explained McDowell, who also collaborated with milliner Philip Treacy.
Originally designed and handknit on the Aran Islands as a water-repellent outer layer for the fisherman of Aran, the iconic Aran sweater = which contains around 100,000 stitches per piece – has been famously worn by celebrities including Taylor Swift, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and, most recently, Irish Olympians at Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Ahead of St Patrick’s Day, An Post has launched its charming new Aran Jumper stamp issue, designed by illustrator Sally Caulwell.
The acccessory of the season is a colourful umbrella (especially in this weather). Irish artist Clare O’Connor’s are made out of recycled water bottles, with hand-turned wooden handles and a double layered canopy. She has created six designs in the foldable style and three designs in the longstyle umbrella with paintings and stripes juxtaposed to brighten any wet day.
Rounding off London Fashion Week is Collect 2026, the contemporary craft and design fair at Somerset House from February 27 February to March 1. Flying the flag are 16 designer makers from Ireland including textile designer Mary Palmer, jewellery designer Seliena Coyle, glassmaker Andrea Spencer, and silversmith and furniture makers Zelouf & Bell.
Each maker was inspired by the rhythms of Four Seasons, the theme of this year’s DCCI exhibition for Collect. Spring’s renewal, summer’s abundance, autumn’s reflections and winter’s clarity appear as thematic threads rather than overt motifs, allowing the individuality of each work to come to the fore. Curator Julia Ravenscroft explains, “My aim is to create a deeply engaging experience that invites visitors to connect with the seasons in unexpected and surprising ways.”
