Fashion celebrating the goddess in every woman, every day

Irish fashion designer, Natalie B Coleman is all about ensuring women are seen properly

Actress and activist Jeanne Ní Áinle pictured in a ruched tulle dress embellished with Swarovski crystals — from the Natalie B Coleman Collection 2020. Pictures: Bríd O'Donovan

Amidst the hand-flocked wallpapers and hardwood flooring in the Museum of Literature Ireland, a diverse group of Irish women posture regally in elegant, silk taffeta and smocked tulle creations inscribed with delicate hand-embroidered or printed symbols and details. The women are wearing custom-made designs from ‘Sister / Mother / Goddess’, the latest collection by Irish fashion designer Natalie B Coleman.

In Coleman’s eyes, these women are goddesses. When we call a few weeks after the shoot she is emphatic about the role these women play not only in their chosen field but on a human level. They include gallerist, Rachel Thomas; businesswoman, Andrea Horan; musician, Tolü
Makay; wellness gurus — mother and sisters, Suzanne, Rachel and Kate Gaffey; former assistant to a government minister, Eta Connolly; doula, Lorna Coleman; and actress Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle. Words such as ‘truthful’, ‘intelligent’, ‘kind’, and ‘gorgeous’ repeatedly come up.