CREATE 2022: Showcasing some of Ireland’s top designers and brands

Ruth O’Connor previews some of the brands at this year’s CREATE with Brown Thomas

Sat, 02 Jul, 2022 - 02:00

Ruth O'Connor

Now in its 12th year, CREATE 2022 at Brown Thomas has become a barometer of the best of Irish fashion and design with its carefully edited annual presentation of the work of Ireland’s most talented designers and brands. This year is no exception, with an edit which sees everything from the creations of Sorcha O’Raghallaigh to the sustainable designs of Caoimhe Murphy; the linen garments of Kindred of Ireland to the innovative sustainable accessories of Aoife Lifestyle.

Here we have five of the 27 designers at CREATE to help you form the perfect outfit this summer season and beyond.

Katie Ann McGuigan

At this year’s CREATE, Irish luxury womenswear and print brand Katie Ann McGuigan will present her ninth seasonal collection. McGuigan’s designs blend “Irish heritage with the natural and social environment of the British Isles” while looking to interiors and furniture design for inspiration. Furniture and interiors are a constant thread through McGuigan’s creative vision, born of her upbringing around her family’s company Orior which makes truly extraordinary furniture and objects for the home.

The prints in McGuigan’s latest collection are beautiful and easy to wear and will be popular with those who love both contemporary design and vintage alike. McGuigan has looked back to British photography from the 1960s and 1970s, in the era before globalisation, and there are retro touches in this collection with a nod towards simpler times.

With her prints for this collection, the designer has drawn inspiration from British photographer Shirley Baker’s 1961- 1978 work Dog Show which candidly captured dog shows in working class areas of Greater Manchester. The result is a modern, wearable collection which is a glimpse of the past while being very much of today — timeless, classic, nostalgic, familiar, and effortless.

LANDA

Founded by Argentine-Italian (and Irish resident) Silvana Landa, LANDA is a four-year-old brand which creates beautiful and functional accessories with a focus on leather handbags and small leather goods. The brand is inspired by Landa’s Italian grandfather, a cobbler, who worked with leather in Argentina when she was a child.

LANDA bags are made in family-run factories from high-quality natural materials including leather, straw and cotton. The bags are finished with an eco-friendly apricot oil that gives them a luxurious look and feel, and are lined with an eco-suede microfibre material that is both lovely and practical as it is easily cleaned.

The brand is known for its classic colours with customer favourites being the taupe, tan and black designs. However, lovers of colour will not be disappointed with rich burgundy shades and military green also making an appearance, alongside powder pink and baby blue for those who favour pastel shades.

Exclusive to CREATE 2022 is a new day bag called ‘Castana’ available in dark green and taupe, and the ‘Tilia’ bag in a new black patent leather finish. The brand’s best-selling ‘Teca’ bag with plexi chain will also be available alongside LANDA’s really handy phone bags which are just perfect for summer whether you’re out for a walk or at a gig or festival.

Caroline Duffy

It’s less than a year since artist and printed textile designer Caroline Duffy went from working for big brands to working for herself. Having previously designed everything from clothing to home furnishings and bedlinen, she is quickly becoming known for her beautiful botanical and floral designs which are drawn from her exquisite floral paintings and influenced by the art nouveau period. Her joyful feminine designs feature vivid colour palettes enhanced by dark and bright backgrounds and are designed to uplift the wearer.

Duffy’s silk scarf collection at CREATE 2022 is a curated selection of timeless luxury pieces designed to be cherished for years and worn in multiple different ways. Always with an eye on ethics and sustainability, each scarf is printed on fine 100% silk fabric in Como, Italy and hand-rolled to create beautiful pieces that are like wearable art.

The designer’s new woven throw blankets, appearing at CREATE 2022, are the perfect weight to be used on the couch, over a bed, as a very luxurious picnic rug or to hang on the wall as art. The blankets are made with yarn that is made from 70% recycled cotton.

Melissa Curry

Melissa Curry is one of Ireland’s most celebrated jewellery designers. The designer has spent years travelling the world for inspiration, has been educated in Paris and has collaborated with some of the most iconic names in design including Swarovski, Conran, and Philippe Starck.

The pandemic represented a challenging time for Curry whose jewellery was sold by Virgin Atlantic. Now that people are travelling again, Curry is once again collaborating with Richard Branson and his team on Virgin’s Voyager Cruise Experience.

At CREATE 2022 Curry will present a capsule collection entitled ‘Fleurs’. In a nod to Coco Chanel, and a “celebration of the feminine spirit”, this chic collection draws on Curry’s Parisian influences to create beautiful monochrome pieces blending textured floral shapes with lustrous freshwater pearls. In typical Melissa Curry fashion, there will also be some of her colourful contemporary designs for those seeking a dash of ‘joie de vivre’.

Nicki Hoyne

Following on from the successful launch of her ankle boots and tassel flats, footwear designer Nicki Hoyne’s new designs will feature in CREATE 2022. Her new Mary Jane mules come in a range of textures and colours that are just perfect for summer, whether you’re attending a special event or simply want to bring some joy to your feet now you’re back in the office.

The designer has worked really hard to develop a range with ethics and sustainability at the fore. The pieces are designed to last and are made with 100% leather in Spain by skilled craftspeople from materials sourced as close to the factory as possible.

Showcasing at CREATE 2022, the new Mary Jane style combines the look of a mule with the practicality of a Mary Jane — the strap at the front making the shoe more secure and easier to wear. The new styles are available in five delicious colour combinations: teal suede with neon pink strap, red suede with purple strap, leopard print pony hair with black strap, silver glitter with teal strap and finally white paint splatter glitter with a black strap. Get your dancing shoes on!

CREATE 2022 will present the exceptional talent of 27 designers across ready-to-wear, handbags, accessories, jewellery, hats, shoes and ceramics. CREATE 2022 runs from Tuesday, July 5 to August 15 on Level 2 at Brown Thomas Dublin.