THE CRAFTS OF AGES

I first became enthralled by fashion when I discovered textile weavers who conjured rivers of colour to run the length of a warp and used inspiration from Irish landscapes to interrupt their flow, across wefts full of texture.From that starting point that I began to relish the work of other craftspeople too – potters, felt-makers, woodturners, basket-weavers and blacksmiths, people who preserve the crafts of ages.

To this day I can never resist the temptation to touch, to pick up the work of these artisans and to appreciate the true uniqueness and luxury of what they produce. Quality Irish craft should not have to sell alongside the cheapest, it should be appreciated alongside the best.
It would be such a travesty if our great craft skills were to become the lost legacies of future generations.
Recently on a visit to the Leitrim Design House in Carrick-on-Shannon I came across these wonderful scarves by the legendary weavers McNutts. Bursting with colour, in hues of wonder, they blend their natural textures with softness and comfort.