The Tweed Project
The Tweed Project is a Galway based slow fashion and lifestyle label, bridging the gap between traditional and contemporary Irish design. We asked founders Aoibheann MacNamara and Triona Lillis to introduce the company and tell us why they choose to use only Irish fabrics. Aoibheann has a background in arts administration and food, while Triona is a costume designer in the Irish TV and film industries.
What is The Tweed Project?
The Tweed Project creates handmade, one-off pieces that combine beautiful Irish fabrics with modern tailoring for a truly authentic expression of Irish design. We work from a small atelier in Galway and are proud to be part of The Slow Fashion movement where fabric, time and craft take priority over trends and fast consumer culture. Each piece is made to order and designed to last a lifetime.
Why is it important to you to use entirely Irish fabrics?
Because we love our indigenous Irish fabrics and want to celebrate and design with them in a contemporary way. Until recently, no one was doing that with tweed and linen. Nature and the land is a huge inspiration for us and our fabrics have a very strong root in the Irish landscape. It is a very natural, organic process. We are intrinsically Irish, with a global attitude and this reflects in everything we create.
What do you have coming up in 2020?
2020 is a very exciting year for us and for Galway, as the European Capital of Culture. We’ve just launched our new collection (Bog Lands) at Pitti (an international menswear event), which has been designed through the lens of the Aran Islands via New Mexico and Georgia O’Keeffe. Traditional wool jumpers are re-imagined for the 21st century, vintage tweed is revived with contemporary tailoring.
We take our commitment to sustainability and the environment one step further this season by working with Irish suppliers to source fabric already in circulation and re-using quality vintage pieces, rather than commissioning new fabrics.
For more information visit thetweedproject.com
