Aoife McNamara has designs on ethical fashion - made to last a lifetime
Aoife McNamara (middle) - leading the way in sustainable fashion.
Aoife McNamara’s designs feature in a pop-up store opening today at Kildare Village. Her collections will also be showcased as part of the Creative Spot Goes Virtual — a digital space designed to support creative design talent from across Europe.
McNamara’s latest collection employs traditional fabrics such as Irish tweeds and linens as well as innovative sustainable materials including PYRATEX — a fabric made from Atlantic seaweed. The collection is inspired by the Irish coastline and the underwater images of photographer, Ken O’Sullivan.
Alongside her latest collection, the pop-up at Kildare Village will play host to key pieces from previous collections such as her She Means Business and Go To Girl tops, alongside the work of other Irish creatives including Ken O’Sullivan and florist Niamh McNamara — who just happens to be the designer’s sister.
The highlight of the pop-up is Season 6 — McNamara’s latest collection. It includes jackets made with Irish tweed by Tipperary weavers, John Hanly: two-piece suits, wool coats, and shirts that tread a perfect line between dressy and casual.
While her clothes appear youthful and contemporary, there is also a strong element of tradition inherent in what McNamara does. “Tradition can be found in the fabrics I use,” she says. “I want to make clothes that are modern and fun — these are clothes that utilise traditional materials but with a modern cut. It’s about being able to mix the modern and the traditional because Ireland is embedded in everything I do — from my inspiration to working with Irish fabric suppliers.”
CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB
The colours in this latest collection were influenced by the work of Ken O’Sullivan, underwater photographer, filmmaker, and conservationist who readers will know from the stunning RTÉ One documentary series Ireland’s Deep Atlantic. “A lot of my inspiration came from Ken’s work — his images are incredible. It was about rediscovering and celebrating Ireland’s coastline,” says McNamara.
“I also work a lot with Clean Coasts and An Taisce on beach cleans around Clare, so some of my colour inspiration comes from the brightly coloured plastic that I’ve collected there — dolls, shoes, clothes — the sharp contrast of the muted colours of the coast with the bright pinks, oranges, and blues of the plastic.”
A graduate of Limerick School of Art & Design who has interned at Marc Jacobs, McNamara was due to study an MA in sustainable design in Australia when the pandemic hit. She says lockdown gave her time to examine her creative processes and to reassess her approach to business.
“Everything happened very quickly with my brand which is amazing and I’m grateful for that. However, lockdown meant that I was able to bring things back to what I love doing — designing, sourcing inspiration in nature — it changed my whole path in terms of how I wanted to lead my business and where I wanted to run it,” she says.
McNamara opened her shop in a bijou thatched cottage in Adare, Co Limerick, last Christmas. She says opening a retail store has allowed her to experience a different side to her business: “Meeting people in person, talking about the clothes, finding out what they find interesting and what they might alter in a garment… that one-to-one contact with customers is amazing,” she says.
Similarly, she will be on hand to meet customers for the duration of the pop-up at Kildare Village. “I think it’s really important for me to be there,” she says. “I am at the forefront of the brand and everything I do. There is a natural fit between what I do and what is sold at Kildare Village, and the customers of Kildare Village really trust them in terms of the brands they feature, so it’s a great opportunity for me to meet new customers.”
Her ambition as a designer is to offer people transparent, regenerative, and circular fashion. “For me it’s all about being a conscious consumer,” she says. “We are not going to stop wearing clothes but when you invest in key pieces from a brand like mine, you’re not only supporting the local economy and the individual designer, but you’re also buying clothes that are going to last a lifetime.”
McNamara says shopping more ethically and sustainably is about educating ourselves about why these things matter. “A lot of people buy a top for €20 but they don’t understand that the person who made it wasn’t paid properly, the fabrics will probably tear after a few months, and the product will probably end up in landfill. We are trying to be more than a fashion brand — we are trying to help our community understand what we are doing when we buy a more sustainable item of clothing.”
She admits that it is not always easy for people to understand the work that goes into a piece of clothing or to keep up to speed with the latest developments in sustainable materials. Her website does a good job of explaining her fabrics to customers and she hopes to run various events at her cottage store around themes of sustainability, wellness, and self-care.
“It is hard. If I examined other sectors I would have to educate myself too. I think it’s about people wanting to educate themselves about sustainable fashion,” she says. “I saw a gap in the market for affordable, sustainable garments. It’s not easy — there are huge costs involved in making clothes in Ireland but it is important for me to have people be able to buy my clothes.”
McNamara tends to produce her designs in limited numbers. “I love that element of exclusivity. Having a really special item that is only one of twenty is important to me and my customers,” she says. “Many of them like to shop with me because they know that they can go to an event and they won’t meet someone else wearing the same thing.”
Typical customers for McNamara include fashion-forward young women shopping for outfits for birthday parties and special occasions, as well as professional women looking for something a bit different for work. “I think it’s great that my customers are staying with me as my brand evolves. I have customers coming to me for their 21st birthday outfits and then coming back for graduation outfits… hopefully these women will become lifelong customers.”
She believes people are excited to dress up again but says that the pandemic has also perhaps given people the time and space to think a bit more about where their clothes come from.
“Increasingly people want to know more about what goes into a garment and they are realising that there should be more of an experience around buying an item of clothing — that it is not something disposable.”
- The Aoife McNamara pop-up store opens today at Kildare Village and runs for two weeks. The designer’s womenswear collections will also be available online as part of the Creative Spot Goes Virtual — a digital space showcasing the work of 17 European designers powered by the Bicester Village Shopping Collection’s Virtual Shopping platform as part of the collection’s commitment to supporting creative talent in the design industry.
- Kildare Village is open from 9am to 7pm with late opening until 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays.
Grown Clothing clothes don’t cost the earth - figuratively or literally. Their range of t-shirts and hoodies are made with materials such as organic cotton and recycled polyester blends. Their garments are Fair Wear and Peta approved and they plant one native tree in Ireland for every garment sold. Favourite pieces at the moment include the ‘Plant Medicine’ and ‘We Wish you Water’ tops. grown.ie
FéRí
FéRí is an Irish womenswear clothing brand designing vibrant jumpsuits, dresses, tops and more in a mix of organic fabrics, upcycled and deadstock fabric. Favourite pieces at the moment include the patchwork ‘Ruthie’ top made with Irish linen and reclaimed fabric patches. feri.ie
After Afore After make blouses, tops and skirts from recycled polyester - down to the very thread and labels - and biodegradable bioplastic buttons. Their digital printing technique utilises less water and energy than traditional printing methods. Favourite pieces in the current collection include the ‘Hope’ dress in violet. aforeafter.com
Aoife Lifestyle is an Irish accessories brand making backpacks, evening bags and totes from materials such as Econyl® regenerated nylon. Favourite pieces from the new collection include the vegan cactus leather clutch bags and the lightweight phone pouches. aoifelifestyle.com
- Model: Aine O’Gorman
- Make-up: FMN Studio
- Hair: Áine Corley
- Photographer: Hannah Cosgrove
- Shot on location at Studio 10, Wicklow St, Dublin 2.
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