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FLYING THE FLAG For all the eye-opening discourse
encircling fast-fashion forums and circular-fashion seminars, bringing ample benefits to everyday clothing consumers/former high-street devotees, costume design initially seemed to get the short end of the stick. A space where stage or screen designers could track down socially-conscious suppliers was simply non-existent – an ironic statement given that, as Sinead O’Sullivan states, “costume designers make or buy more clothes per job than the average person will wear in a lifetime”. O’Sullivan set her sights on garment construction from a young age, studying French and Drama in TCD (with a prophetic major in costume) before cutting her teeth in RADA’s post-grad department, delving into costume design from her new London base. An impactful stint with Jacqueline Durran commenced after college, during which she aided a myriad of high-calibre productions: Beauty and the Beast, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, Mr Turner, Macbeth. As O’Sullivan became increasingly immersed in this field, she was invariably exposed to the dubious ethics of textile production – the only solution to her industry guilt was to shake up the system. Thus, the Costume Directory was established: an open resource with game-changing properties, where information and ideas on ethical sourcing and waste-minimising (to name but two key topics) are continually shared and added to. 2019’s projects are plentiful as ever, but of particular note is This Way Up, a Channel 4 series for which she just wrapped filming – a quarter of the costume budget was spent in charity shops. @thecostumedirectory Sinead O’Sullivan visiting Damj Bahi, a weaver in Bhujodi, Gujurat, India FLYING THE FLAG II 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. @aislingduffydesigns ARCADE ATTIRE Having first charmed Thomas Street with its assemblage of vintage treasures, Betty Bojangles has just opened a second shop in George’s Street Arcade, where Connemara Marble jewels sit alongside old-school Dior. Their clothing customisation service is also worth noting – the most sustainable way to spice up your threads. @bettybojanglesdublin Save the Date… Thursday 18th, when Louisa Jane will launch her web-shop with a showroom spectacle in Atelier Maser: colour skeptics, prepare to be converted. 6-9pm; louisajanedesign.com 19