Irish Designers Create at Brown Thomas

Create is Brown Thomas’ pop-up platform for showcasing, nurturing and mentoring young Irish design talent under the roof of the renowned store.

This is the third year of Brown Thomas successful Create programme providing a platform for emerging and established Irish designers to showcase their work in the store. Create was dreamt up by Brown Thomas’ Fashion Director, Shelly Corkery, to offer designers an audience and an outlet as well as practical sales advice from seasoned retailers. To put it into some perspective, JW Anderson got a headstart through the first Create event in 2012.

Create 2014 will feature the work of 15 designers, from the well established Helen Cody, who’s back designing in Ireland after a hiatus in the UK, and the knitwear master Derek Lawlor, whose CV includes collaborating with the Royal Ballet on costume. Another knitwear designer, Dublin’s Honor Fitzsimons is back at Create for the second year to launch her AW14 collection. Rebecca Marsden is another returning designer, whose innovative collections also featured as part of Create 2013 and 2012.

Like a complete pop-up designer shop, Create 2014 also features milliner Margaret O’Connor, handbag designer Lisa Ryder, colourful contemporary jewellery by Fiona Mulholland, KDK luxury scarves by sisters Keira and Dairine Kennedy, and more.

As well as new talent, this year’s installation includes a 40-piece archival exhibition from Ireland’s renowned designer Richard Lewis. The Drimnagh-born designer is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first collection with a retrospective of his work – some of which had to be borrowed back from their owners for the event – and his complete new collection for AW14 at Brown Thomas.

There’s something refreshing about the Create event, sitting between the commercial and artistic aspects of fashion, and that’s truly encouraging for Irish talent. Let’s give our designers a stage! The Create curtain goes up this Sunday 24th August 2014.

Create runs from 24th August until 27th September, 2014.