4 Years of living & loving my redesigned life…

In 2022 I began the new year by reflecting on all the changes that have happened over the past 2 years, either by design or through circumstances beyond my control.

In March 2020 I made the tough business decision not to design a new collection of garments. This was the first time in 23 years that I hadn't spent every day thinking about my brand, my customers and my designs while happily wading though samples of beautiful fabrics. A life-changing decision which was influenced greatly by the effects the Covid 19 pandemic had on all businesses.

When I searched my soul, I realised that the time was right for me to press pause on this huge part of my life and look at different things I could do that would make me happy.

I faced down my fears and threw myself into learning new things.... I started slowly with a six week online course in Photoshop (which I put off learning properly for so long!!)....

Then in September 2021 it was time to move to a bigger learning experience, I immersed myself in a year long adventure, studying Design Thinking for Sustainability. On the surface this course combined two of my greatest passions Design and Sustainability but it gave me so much more. I became part of a group of highly motivated people who are re-imagining the world with less waste and more personal accountability.

I can honestly say that some decisions, however difficult to make, release you by helping you to rediscover the things have been buried for so long. I am lucky to have always lived a life filled with creativity. The bonus is that I have been mentoring and teaching others how to harness their Creativity and Design Thinking to help them build their businesses in a more sustainable way.

This may serve as a few words of encouragement for anyone who is stuck in a rut and afraid to make a change. Sometimes you have to listen to your inner-voice and follow the path less chosen.

In 2021-2022 I began another chapter of my redesigned life …I completed A Graduate Cert. in Digital Entrepreneurship.

I always look forward to learning new things, education appeals to my curious nature and I am a person who likes a challenge.....and I look for opportunities to learn more about things that interest me.

I was fortunate to decide my own destiny when I became my own boss many years ago as a self employed designer. I had literally lived my dream and followed the career path that I had imagined at the age of 13.

Over the past few years, due mostly to the fallout from Covid 19, very many things changed for all of us. I realised that the time had come for me to make the most of the next chapter of my life and career. I needed change, and this change had to include all of the things that are part of who I am, including creativity, integrity, courage, curiosity and sustainability.

I brought with me all of the many lessons I learned throughout my career to date...some that have brought me great joy and others that have made me more resilient.

I took the opportunity to become a mentor and trainer to individuals, start-ups and micro enterprises (particularly in creative fields)

I receive as much as I give, from being in the position where I can help others through my learned experience.

So this is where up-skilling comes in....the world is constantly changing and in a very short space of time technology has all but taken over, making life more convenient and accessible for most.

Rather than resisting change I have decided to embrace it......

I believe that keeping an open-mindset and being challenged to learn new things/skills can result in a boost to inner confidence and emotional well-being....

I look forward to the new chapter and I hope it is as exciting as the previous ones!!!!

Gifting something different… (Copy)

The reason I am writing this is to put a seed of thought in the mind of others. Being aware of the impact of over-consumption, I made a decision to try to gift an experience or something I can make (or do) rather than buy for others. I appreciate that everyone likes to give and receive gifts especially at Christmas. Rather than adding to over-filled attics and cupboards, maybe we could consider creating an experience with friends and family that will become a lasting memory.....A day out, a meal together or a local adventure will all work and it helps local businesses and communities. Sometimes just doing something fun together is the best gift of all.

If you are buying a gift in the coming weeks, try to stop and think...

1. Will the person I am gifting this to use this more than a few times?

2. Is it something that will last, can it be reused, passed-on or recycled?

3. Do I know where and how this was made?

4. Can I buy something from a local maker for the same price?

5. Is this a better option than making something or enjoying an experience together instead?

Here is my story of a recent experience I planned with my sister and my best friend and it is something I will treasure forever....

To lessen my carbon footprint I have limited myself to one return flight a year so I try to consider my travel very carefully. For many years I have travelled for work and for pleasure but I never quite made it to one or two places that I had always wanted to visit since I was a child.

In 2021 I marked one of these places off my 'bucket' list as I was gifted a trip to Iceland and in October of that year I finally set off on my Icelandic Adventure.

I arrived in what can only be described as torrential rain...the kind that soaks you through as it falls, and bounces back up off the ground to drench you again from the feet up. Added to this, Iceland is definitely the windiest place I have ever been and I thought I was going to have a disaster of a visit.

However, the following day the rain held off and my adventure began. I had carefully planned my trip to include geysers, Thingvellir National Park, Black Beach, Kerid Crater, several waterfalls and the glacier that enters the sea at Diamond Beach.

Iceland didn't disappoint...it was magical (despite the hours driving from place to place)

The locals were very friendly and the scenery was spectacular...I even managed to catch a glimpse (through my camera lens) at the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.

The main thing that struck me was how little the natural landscape had been disrupted despite Iceland's huge tourism trade and secondly how far ahead the Icelanders are in terms of sustainability and environmentally aware practices.

Reykjavik is one of the most creative and colourful places I have visited, with a host of shops supporting local crafts and designers. The street art was quirky and colourful adding to the creative atmosphere of the city.

I hope to go back someday, after I get to the two other places I still want to visit!

Designing Consciously (Copy)

I have always believed that to design a garment for someone else to wear, while remaining true to your personal style and influences….a designer has to look at things from another person's point of view.

In my early career....

I worked for other companies and tried to bring a little of my style to their brands, but it was only when I started my own brand I felt I had the freedom to design with my own customer in mind.

I have always been a lover of colour and pattern and even through the many years when 'black was always the new black' in fashion circles I managed to introduce beautiful colour and vibrancy into my collections and survive!!

That was through having many like-minded women with a confidence to be themselves rather than following passing trends too slavishly.

My influences were a mixed bag of random things like travel, vintage style, old movies, art, culture and of course the many style- savvy women who supported me and other Irish Designers by buying our garments....for this I am truly grateful.

Things have changed......

We are facing an uncertain future and the fashion industry in particular which employs so many people globally has been under the spotlight in recent years for all the wrong reasons.

I watched a documentary film recently called "The True Cost" and honestly I can say that although I knew there were companies cutting corners to make money I was fortunate to never have been involved in any of these practices. If you are interested in fashion I would advise that you try to find this film and understand where your clothes come from. Another interesting documentary on Netflix is ‘Buy Now’ which unveils the tricks large corporations use to make you buy more than you will ever truly need.

My brand was a Designer Range and as such it was better quality, designed to last longer and I controlled what fabrics I used and what factories made the garments. I visited almost **every factory that made my garments and saw the conditions the workers worked in and I have a clear conscience about the sewing and manufacturing of my clothing.

For many years my fabrics were sourced at trade fairs in Italy and France and I worked directly with fabric mills that were very reputable. However, in recent years I felt pressure to produce some more affordable garments and the only way this could be done while guaranteeing the same quality was to use cheaper fabrics. I now realise that although I was buying from reputable agents in Europe I didn't really know where the fabrics were made and what damage this was causing to the environment.

**almost every factory excludes some factories that supplied elements of a uniform I designed for an airline.

So why this blog and why now......

I have always been environmentally conscious and have led a lifestyle that reflects this. However, like many others I have owned too much, I have driven a diesel car and travelled often with many airlines without thinking about the damage.

My experience through the Covid 19 pandemic allowed me to press the pause and reset button. I began to notice the bigger picture outside the vacuum of the career that I loved. I noticed nature again and how it was trying to heal itself from all the damage we inflicted on it.

• I vowed to try harder to lessen my personal impact and to try to influence those around me to do the same.

• I have used many hints & tips on living more sustainably....mainly to fly less, buy less but better, support local businesses and think about a products end-of-life cycle before you purchase it.

• I advocate for slow fashion, asking people to consider their choices- to choose Irish where possible, to spend a little more (less often), wear-keep-mend-recycle-pass on and treasure what you purchase.

• I ask everyone to think about the price you are being asked to pay for any item...does this reflect the true cost or is someone being kept in poverty

• I also ask everyone to look at the wealth of the owners of the bigger, most well known 'fast fashion' brands. If the price tags are so reasonable, yet the company owners are worth billions how can this be fair on the factories and workers that make the garments.

I am in no position to lecture others, nor do I intend to do so. I only ask that we collectively look at how we can find out more about the products we buy, and hold bigger companies responsible for the damage and inequity they cause.

Learning to let go...and how to live a different life.

What happens when you realise that the life you are leading no longer brings you happiness because one part of it, in my case my career, consumes all of your time and energy?

When one thing takes over and becomes all you focus on, eveything else slips down the ladder of importance. It is easy to forget to live a life of fulfillment when you are trying to hold so tightly to something you know you should release.....

The answer to my first question (for me) is a work in progress...which I am still trying to figure out two years after I decided to leave aside the career that I loved so much, which was no longer giving me a sense of joy.

What does one do, when dreams are achieved and success comes to you for doing one thing you are good at for many years? How can anyone just flip an imaginery switch and learn to be something else?

What happens when you realise that the life you are leading no longer brings you happiness because one part of it, in my case my career, consumes all of your time and energy?

When one thing takes over and becomes all you focus on, eveything else slips down the ladder of importance. It is easy to forget to live a life of fulfillment when you are trying to hold so tightly to something you know you should release.....

The answer to my first question (for me) is a work in progress...which I am still trying to figure out 4 years after I decided to leave aside the career that I loved so much, which was no longer giving me a sense of joy.

What does one do, when dreams are achieved and success comes to you for doing one thing you are good at for many years? How can anyone just flip an imaginary switch and learn to be something else?

My re-designed life may is just as busy (and a tad stressful) as it was in the past. But everyday I look forward to meeting new people and helping others, using some of the knowledge and skills I have gained. I now have time to rearrange my life, focusing on the things I put off for too long and I am happy to say that I can still learn something new every day.

There are some great courses available for people to re-train and upskill and it is a great opportunity to network and re-imagine a new path for yourself.

My biggest decision was to back myself and a new business idea connected to my past (as a designer), my present (as a concerned onlooker as the planet heats up and suffers), and the future of how we buy better when we shop online for clothing.

With the help of New Frontiers and Enterprise Ireland I am a year into my new startup StylAi limited and it’s first business brand Sizible…so watch this space!!!

How do we value creativity (Copy)

About 2 years ago, I had the pleasure of mentoring two groups of very talented craftspeople and designers which led me to ask myself about how we value creativity in terms of money.....???

I have been one of the lucky ones...(very little luck...sheer hard work and resilience)....able to establish and run design businesses that afforded me a decent salary and work that truly brought me joy over many years.

However, to achieve this, there is always a trade off ..and for me it was time, stress and knowing that my product may have to be more commercial than I would necessarily want it. This was my choice so that my product would appeal to a wider audience. I spent years designing garments with an end user in mind but always knew how to put a value on what I did and what I brought that was unique to my skills.

Historically, craft and design were well valued as were the many skills of designers, ateliers, skilled sewers, knitters, crafts people and artists of every variety....that was until the arrival of mass market production. Suddenly the goal became to convince the public to consume more, buy it cheaper and de-value the cost and input of skilled workers that made the product. After all it created jobs didn't it??

And this is the argument I still hear today about the virtual slave labour in mass-market fashion. It is as though keeping people in poverty so that some can buy an inexpensive dress (that will only be ever worn once) is a good thing because it might buy a few grains of rice for a struggling family.

Fast forward to today and I am left wondering why only a chosen few can make a decent wage from their art, skills and creativity....When did creative skills become something everyone wanted to possess but nobody wanted to pay properly for?

The truth is that the very top end brands still employ very gifted artisan craftspeople and pay them well...hence the price-tag on the labels which very few can afford.

What about all the other skilled craftspeople that I have encountered over many years that virtually work for free because they cannot ask for the true cost of their labour?

The irony to me is that so many people will buy something overpriced that has been endorsed by a celebrity. Most of the money paid for these products simply makes wealthy people richer.

My last blogpost asked people to think before they buy and to try to choose better where possible. I now seek to reinforce this by suggesting that we all consider buying products from some very gifted and skilled creative local people first when we are looking for something new in the coming months.

It may be simpler to take a trip to a large international store and buy things for this moment in time, but what about really making the effort to buy something to cherish....something you will adore now and in the future. What about taking the time to consider the creativity, skill and effort that went into making the object or garment that makes you feel happy. Why not look at the perfection and imperfections that make each piece individual, allowing you to know that you truly own one of a kind?

Finally if you still prefer to buy something mass produced or imported try to consider at least looking for fairtrade or fairchain so there is a little comfort in knowing that workers are paid for their skills.

#DCCI #CIFD #Fairtrade #Shoplocal