Any pre-conceived notions of what sustainable fashion entails (a sea of t-shirts in shades of porridge, for starters) are instantly quashed by Aisling Duffy.
Her penchant for printed textiles can be traced back to her BA days in NCAD; thereafter, she upped sticks to the Edinburgh School of Art for a Masters in Textile Design. A move to London would later follow, spending her formative years in the city with a small-scale, vintage-textile company that courted attention at Premiere Vision (a renowned textile trade show in Paris). Their decision to close down freed up Duffy to set up her own label, first honing her sewing, hand-embroidering and pattern-cutting prowess before winning a coveted studio space with Cockpit Arts, an East London magnet for creative thinkers and makers.
She may have sold textiles to multi-continental clients, but Duffy’s creations (all in keeping with sustainable codes) reveal a vibrant connection to the home terrain: those familiar with Early Christian Art will recognise the Irish torcs and chalices dotted across her designs, all re-envisaged in electrifying hues.
Keep an eye out for her luxury reclaimed vintage line, which has more than a sprinkle of Meadham Kirchhoff-style whimsy, and a series of sustainable scarves and bags debuting later this year. Circular fashion has never been so colour-bursting.
Words: Amelia O’Mahony-Brady
