About the Designer
The Interview
Tell us a bit about your A/W 2014 Collection ‘These Altered Lands’.
As always, texture and surface detail comes tends to dominate in my collections, with ‘These Altered Lands’ The brass ripple element works alongside print and textured knitwear. This collection takes its inspiration from tidal movements and coastal erosion focusing on tucking and rippling to mirror the push and pull, the structure and breakdown.
What inspires you when creating a new collection?
Since moving back to the West of Ireland to set up my studio, the Atlantic has acted as my escapism and inspiration but I find inspiration everywhere. I love to travel and draw on those experiences often. I am fascinated with alternative materials and the processes of forming and shaping. I enjoy exploring new ways to work with and apply these alternative materials to garments and accessories.
Would you say that there are growing opportunities for creative people in Ireland?
For creative people as a whole, yes. 2015 will see the ‘Year of Design’ feature many Irish designers across all disciplines and showcase an array of new and established talent.
The Design and Crafts Council continue to promote Design here and encourage the engagement of different designers and craftspeople through exhibitions, product development clinics and talks, which help in growing and nurturing the collective creativity.
I have been very fortunate to feature in the Create project, a showcasing and retailing opportunity for Irish designers hosted by Brown Thomas of the Selfridges Group. It is a brilliant platform for emerging designers and year after year provides great exposure to Irish designers.
The Council of Irish Fashion Designers continues to grow, this is encouraging for Irish Fashion, as more designers choose to establish their labels here they will be in a position to enrich their local communities and the Irish economy.
What have been the highlights of your career to date?
Being invited to have my collection feature as part of the International Design Collective at the Volvo Ocean Race 2012. It was my first show outside of college and was exciting to meet with other from around the world. Being awarded both the Irish Designer of the Year Award and Innovation Award 2014 earlier this year was certainly a highlight.
Where do you hope to be in next five years?
I hope to build the label in Ireland and expand to more international stockists. I love collaborating with other artists and photographers so I hope to keep those creative projects on going as the label expands more commercially over the next 5 years.
With your career to date, your work has gotten a lot of exposure. Do you have any advice for design graduates?
Jump at every opportunity! In fashion they don’t always come knocking so seek them out. Enter competitions, exhibit your work, build a strong online portfolio and always have images available for press and publications.
Do you have any exciting projects coming up?
I’m looking forward to 2015 as the Year of Design, I’ll be showcasing my new collection at a number of venues, there are lots of ideas swirling around at the moment so I’m looking forward to teasing some of them out. I’m going to Iceland next week, so that’ll be a nice few days of thinking time.
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A/W 2014 ‘These Altered Lands
Here is a sneak peak of Rebecca’s ‘These Altered Lands’ Collection. Shoot credits: Stills from film by Iskah Studios; Models; Barbara Bedarnek and Edel Quinn. To find out more about Rebecca’s previous work, achievements and upcoming collections click here, to follow her on Facebook click here. LJD x