Our trip to Ireland can be described as nothing but a dream. With a whole week of driving from town to town, taking in the sheer beauty of the country and meeting with the most incredible artisans along the way, we were in paradise.
From Dublin down to Wicklow, then up north to Banbridge, through the Mourne Mountains, and ALL the way to Donegal on the west coast, we covered some serious ground, pushing our 75 horsepower mini Corsa to its limits. The locals told us it was the best week of weather they’d had in three years, so we rolled down our windows, turned up the Irish folk tunes, and put the pedal-to-the-metal (which meant 40 mph for the Corsa). With every rolling green hill, storybook cottage, and herd of sheep, we couldn’t help but fall more and more in love with this place.
While this country’s landscape is simply breathtaking, the best part of the journey was meeting with the talented makers and artisans behind the collection. Each meeting followed a similar itinerary: a warm welcome (the Irish phrase, “the kettle is always warm” is famous for a reason), followed by coffee and crisps, tour of the workshop, and then the good stuff – the stories.
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With these stories, we learned about the artisan themselves, but more importantly, about the bigger picture of where Irish craft stands today.
Ireland is a small country, but it once had one of the world’s greatest craft cultures. That was until the industry took a huge hit. With the country’s recession and growing price competition from other regions, it’s been difficult for Irish craft to compete on the world stage. In light of this, our partners now all share a common goal - to revive their country’s craft culture.
With this collection, we are joining them in that endeavor. We are working with them to take the best of Ireland’s artisanal techniques and reinvent them in a modern way. From linen and tweed to timber and ceramics, this collection highlights their rich traditions.
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the beauty of this small country and its maker’s contributions to the world’s craft culture. Can’t wait to share the full collection when it lands on August 11. To preview and sign up for early access to the collection, click HERE.
P.S. All these stunning photos were taken by our partners in crime – Simon Mills & Lorna Milligan. Big thanks to these two for making this trip so amazing!