WearingIrish NYC 2018 supported by Bank of Ireland Announces Winning Designers

10 Irish Designers to Travel to New York for Showcase Event

WearingIrish NYC 2018, supported by Bank of Ireland, has announced the names of the successful designers who will be travelling to New York for a showcase program with the city’s fashion movers and shakers. Áine, Alison Conneely, Bláithín Ennis, DE BRUIR, Inner Island, Jennifer Rothwell, NATALIEBCOLEMAN, Sands and Hall, The Tweed Project and Triona will all travel to the US from 15th to the 17th May for this year’s programme.

  • Áine; Designed and manufactured on the Wild Atlantic Way, Aine knitwear incorporates colour and texture into natural fabrics to create simple shapes.
  • Alison Conneely; Encompassing the finest of Irish heritage, from Donegal tweed to Connemara lace, this womenswear brand encompasses all that is the finest of Irish heritage whilst being the forefront of modern design
  • Bláithín Ennis; Bláithín’s pieces are the result of innovative, exclusive techniques and craftsmanship using fine nylon braiding as her primary aesthetic, combined with mixtures of robust metals and delicate, sparkling crystal. Her award-winning creations represent the ‘unconventional’ in jewellery design
  • DE BRUIR; considered a modern classic, Kildare based DE BRUIR craft leather goods, combining wax cotton and leather and simple pared back construction techniques
  • Inner Island; Wexford based, Inner Island merges whispered sophistication and handcrafted artistry to create modern jewellery
  • Jennifer Rothwell; taking inspiration from the likes of Harry Clarke, Jennifer Rothwell is renowned for her iconic striking colourful prints, which pair innovative design with high quality
  • NATALIEBCOLEMAN has developed a modern Irishness in womenswear collections coupled with opulent fabrics, appliques, whimsical hand beaded and hand painted surface decoration
  • Sands and Hall; known for reinventing the cape and creating contemporary yet wearable, fashion forward, relevant pieces using honest materials with great provenance
  • The Tweed Project; Galway based company that combines beautiful Irish fabrics with modern tailoring for a truly authentic expression of Irish design
  • Triona; offering outerwear, knitwear and tailoring, this brand represents a strong feminine collection that combines Triona’s signature fabrics with classic contemporary shapes in the form of jackets, capes and coats

The winners will display their creations and meet consumers and influencers in the New York market over an intense 48 hour period. The curated event program will include panels of speakers from the New York fashion and business community as well as prominent members of the Irish diaspora.

In addition, Bank of Ireland’s dedicated teams in Ireland and the US, will help the designers to leverage off the connections made in New York to help them develop, grow and scale their business along with the opportunity to avail of desk and meeting space in the Bank’s Workbench facilities in New York, Dublin, Limerick, Kilkenny, Galway and Cork.

Commenting on the announcement, Francesca McDonagh, Group CEO at Bank of Ireland said, “We were absolutely overwhelmed with the quality of entries that we received. The talent and creativity among Irish designers is world-class and we are thrilled to be bringing these designers to an international audience. Congratulations to all the successful designers travelling to New York for this year’s showcase. Mentoring up and coming business and helping our customers to grow their businesses is really important to us at Bank of Ireland. We are looking forward to working with the group to help them to navigate their way through the US market and opening as many doors for them as possible. I would like to thank the team of judges and all at WearingIrish for their hard work in bringing this together.”

Speaking at the announcement Margaret Molloy, WearingIrish said, “Designers across the island of Ireland are producing world-class fashion, yet few people outside Ireland own a piece of Irish fashion or can name an Irish designer. I created the WearingIrish platform to change that reality. I’m appreciative, motivated, and validated by how this simple WearingIrish concept has mobilized many supporters – from companies to individuals – to add their voices, resources, and influence to the conversation. Ultimately, promoting fashion is a concrete way to demonstrate Ireland’s creativity and, when that happens, every designer, every Irish business and every Irish person is a winner.”

Partners supporting the event include the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through Ireland’s Consulate in New York, CIE Tours, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland, and Invest Northern Ireland. The panel of judges and advisors includes current and former merchants, executives, creative directors, and influencers from Bloomingdale’s, Gilt Groupe, Accessories Council, Victoria’s Secret, Stella & Dot, POPSUGAR, Theia, Kate Spade, Harvard University, Keds, and more.

For more information see www.wearingirish.com