Institution
Limerick School of Art and Design (LSAD)
Medium
Fashion
Graduation Year
Class of 2025
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Growing up in Ireland with a keen love for fashion and art, but also a deep love of my home and heritage, has meant that Irish culture and history have always been an integral part of my creative identity and process. Much like the Irish traditions of storytelling, designing with narrative and emotional intent is something I strive for in my work. This shines through in my graduate collection ‘Taoidí Dóchais’ (Tides of Hope) which is rooted in the rich, longstanding history of Irish emigration to America. This narrative is one that resonates deeply with themes of identity, resilience and transformation, inspired by my desire to connect with my cultural heritage and its emotional weight. In doing so, I could explore how displacement and adaptation shape both personal and collective identities. My objective was to create a collection that both evokes and commemorates the emotional turmoil and complex identity of the Irish immigrant experience. This collection translates the physically and emotionally challenging journey of emigration through silhouette, structure, fabric manipulation, and movement. I was drawn to contrasting forms to reflect the duality of identity experienced by immigrants and the tension between old and new, belonging and alienation. The silhouettes are both fluid and chaotic, structured yet fragmented and are manipulated to express the fragility, tension, and complexity of this experience. I chose to work with wool-blend suiting in this collection not only for its relevance in Irish heritage but its versatility in both tailoring and drapery. These materials allowed me to create garments that move between fluidity and structure, echoing the interchange of control and vulnerability. Central to my process was the use of laser cutting and engraving, both techniques enabled me to embed visual storytelling directly onto the fabric. I combined contemporary laser-cut lace and inscribed text, with contrasting drapery and tailoring, further expressing the emotional duality of the immigrant, whilst intertwining tradition with modern technology. Ultimately, this collection is a personal reflection of my Irish heritage, one which resonates deeply through my familial connections to New York and America. But most importantly It is a homage to the resilience, complexity, and enduring spirit of those who undertook this turbulent journey to America, which I have expressed through silhouettes, movement, and materiality. In all, it is a broader recognition of both the hardships and beauty that defined the Irish immigrant experience.
