CREATE at Brown Thomas: The ones to watch in Irish fashion

Meet the new generation of Irish design talent, set to be showcased at CREATE at Brown Thomas.

Sat, 24 Jun, 2023 - 02:00

Annmarie O’Connor

It's back. Brown Thomas welcomes the return of CREATE 2023 — a celebration of Ireland’s next-generation design talent. Now in its 13th year, the annual platform presents 28 of the country’s newest and emerging makers across ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, millinery, jewellery and homewares.

“Selecting this year’s showcase of designers was such a privilege,” says Brown Thomas Arnotts fashion director, Shelly Corkery. “Every year we are blown away with the development of previous designers’ collections and discovering new brands. We’re thrilled to unveil this year’s line-up and continue to support Ireland’s most captivating talent.”

Mark July 6 in your diary for the debut of this year’s six-week CREATE exhibition. In the meantime, check out our sneak preview of our ones-to-watch and names-to-know.

Visit in-store from Thursday, July 6 to August 10 exclusively on Level 2 at Brown Thomas, Grafton Street

EJAY GRIFFIN

Limerick’s Ejay Griffin makes an exciting debut with her self-titled sustainable womenswear label.

Inspired by her interaction with community and nature, each design is artfully translated through the interplay of colours, prints and textiles.

Garments are carefully handmade-to-order in Ireland working with the finest Irish tweed, Irish woven plaid and locally sourced fabrics.

For CREATE 2023, Griffin interprets sustainability, culture and style through patchwork techniques, mixing and reusing new, deadstock and end-of-line materials.

The result? Luxury fashion with a low environmental impact.

ejaygriffin.com

JENNIFER SLATTERY

Known for sophisticated lines of Irish linen homewares, from delicately embroidered napkins to luxurious Irish linen tablecloths, textile designer Jennifer Slattery now presents her first collection of women’s clothing.

Designed and made in Dublin, the curated edit of timeless staples is made-to-order and created with linen sourced from Irish mills.

Expect super soft tumble-washed shirts, roomy dresses and limited-edition items featuring Slattery’s signature embroidery — a special touch for everyday heirlooms.

jenniferslattery.com

EVE O’REILLY

In continued partnership with the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), CREATE showcases this year’s Brown Thomas Designer to Watch €4,000 bursary prize winner, Eve O’Reilly.

Chosen by Shelly Corkery, O’Reilly’s collection, Blue Rinse, explores the intersection of ageing, style and media messaging through the lens of non-conformity.

Combining hand-drawn prints, photography, knits, screen-printing and embellishment, the capsule of over-the-top yet glamorous headpieces, dresses and outerwear, celebrate the beauty of life and growing older.

Insta @eve.oreilly

SHOCK OF GREY

Designer Sarah Carol Kelly delivers brighter days with vibrant jewellery line Shock of Grey.

Marrying uncompromising colours with unpredictable materials like birchwood; plywood, silicone, brass and clay; the range of quirky yet architectural earrings and necklaces are handcrafted at the brand’s Kilmainham studio.

For CREATE, Kelly has designed Megashock — the brand’s largest earring yet in flame red, citrus yellow and cobalt blue hues.

Signature pieces like the D Doodle, Fan and Megadrop also make an appearance in fresh colourways, with three brass hand-painted necklaces added to the mix.

shockofgrey.com

LAURA CHAMBERS

Launched in 2016, Laura Chambers is a feel-good cashmere brand hand-loomed in Dublin, using luxe Italian and Scottish yarn.

Classic in shape with a casual but modern design aesthetic, each garment is given a twist with unusual block colour combinations and small but individual details on cuffs or necklines.

The brand’s CREATE collection displays an elegant edit of seasonless cashmere featuring bold and subtle hues inspired by nature.

Don’t miss the bright pink belted coatigan, moss green and bright pink stripe tube skirt and oversized lavender sweater.

laura-chambers.com

HELEN HAYES

Irish designer Helen Hayes is masterful at handcrafting contemporary garments with traditional artisan techniques.

Combining simple silhouettes and intricate tactile finishes, each piece takes up to 70 hours to make and a lifetime to love.

For CREATE, Hayes’ ‘Fair Isle Flowers’ takes inspiration from one of her grandmother’s Fair Isle knitting patterns from the 1950s with the flower motif at its core.

Reflecting traditional colour combinations, items have been handcrafted in folded and manipulated ribbon; white shirts are double-layered hand-stitched with a knotted embroidery stitch.

helenhayes.ie

CAOIMHE MURPHY

Caoimhe Murphy makes an exciting return to CREATE following last year’s success.

Having worked under industry luminaries like Helen Cody, Simone Rocha and Sorcha O’Raghallaigh, her joyfully irreverent style and technical nous make her one to watch.

Natural materials like organic silks and cotton make a fitting canvas for her contemporary fabrication techniques with all pieces made by hand in Dublin.

This year’s collection evokes a sense of opulent fun through pretty prints and wearable silhouettes while rich jewel tones, like emerald and magenta, bask in sumptuous velvet, sequins and crystal embellishments.

caoimhemurphy.ie

CAROLINE DUFFY

Artist and designer Caroline Duffy has segued from designing fashion prints for major brands to launching her own label in 2020.

With a strong commitment to slow fashion, Duffy’s luxury silk kimonos, dresses and scarves are individually designed, printed on fine 100% silk and hand sewn in Ireland to create beautiful wearable art.

This year’s collection ‘Bloom into You’, demonstrates her adventurous use of colour and love of oversized hand-painted flowers, taking inspiration from growing up in the Irish countryside and her passion for art.

carolineduffydesigns.com

RASHHIIID

Rachel Maguire — a.k.a. Rashiiid — is the young Irish designer behind the iconic faux fur hats worn by stars like Doja Cat, Megan Fox and Ariana Grande.

Handmade in Ireland by Rashhiiid and her small team, each piece is created with a mission to push boundaries: encourage self-expression and human connection through the medium of fashion.

A popular part of last year’s CREATE: look forward to the addition of eye-catching handbags, jackets and full-length faux fur coats to her uniquely hirsute line.