Page 336 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

334  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

Given the Irish experience of wet Icons, with a wide range of
weather, warm and waterproof sartorial memorabilia, including
clothes are generally of good a dress that was worn by Audrey
quality, from waxed jackets and Hepburn as Holly Golightly in
duffel coats to sheepskin jackets. the film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Knitwear is on sale all over
Ireland. Avoca Handweavers
and Blarney Woollen Mills are Fashion
the best-known outlets. Good Irish design has seen enormous
buys include embroidered success across the world.
sweaters and waistcoats as well Conservatively cut tweed and
as hand-woven shawls, hats, linen suits con tinue to be
caps and scarves. models of classic good taste,
Donegal tweed is a byword though young designers are
for quality, and is noted for its increasingly experimental.
texture, tension and subtle Some designers, such as
colours (originally produced by Simone Rocha and Una Burke,
Old sign for the linen department at a dyes made from lichens and have eschewed traditional Irish
former Brown Thomas store minerals). Tweed caps, scarves, textiles and forged fresh styles
ties and suits are sold in outlets in new materials.
Linen such as Magee of Donegal. At Brown Thomas on Dublin’s
Damask linen was brought to Grafton Street and in many
Armagh by Huguenot refugees small boutiques, you will find
fleeing French per secution Jewellery clothes designed by the best
during the late 17th century. In its golden age, Celtic Irish designers, including
As a result, Belfast became the metalwork was the pride of J. W. Anderson, Heidi Higgins
world’s linen capital. Ulster is still Ireland (see pp36–9), and many and Mary Grant. The Kilkenny
the place for linen, with sheets contemporary craftspeople shops located around the
and double-damask table linen are still inspired by traditional country stock a range of ladies’
on sale in Belfast – at Smyth’s Celtic designs. Handcrafted or fashion by Irish designers.
Irish Linen, for example – factory-made silver, gold and About an hour’s drive from
and in other towns. Linen, ceramic jewel lery is produced Dublin, Kildare Outlet Village
embroidered by hand, is made in a variety of designs. The has over 80 designer homeware
in Donegal. Linen-making can Claddagh ring from Galway is and fashion stores, including the
be seen at Wellbrook Beetling the most famous Celtic design Irish designer Louise Kennedy,
Mill (see p272). – the lovers’ symbol of two Gucci and Armani.
hands cradling a crowned Ladies’ fashion and the
heart. Cahalan Jewellers in hot test trends can be found in
Knitwear and Tweed County Galway is one of the O’Donnell’s in Limerick, while in
Aran sweaters are sold all over most renowned and has a Northern ireland, there are
Ireland, particularly in County huge range of unique Irish and many out lets of Clockwork
Galway and on the Aran Islands antique jewellery. For heraldic Orange and Fosters.
themselves. One of Ireland’s jewellery, try James Murtagh For budget clothing, Dunnes
best buys, these oiled, off-white Jewellers in County Mayo. Stores and Penneys have bran-
sweaters used to be handed One of Ireland’s most famous ches throughout the Republic
down through generations of silver manufacturers, and Northern Ireland. Clothing
Aran fishermen. Legend has it Newbridge Silverware and shoe sizes are identical to
that each family used its own produces everything from British fittings. The main streets
motifs. If a fisherman died at sea cutlery to designer jewellery. of the big cities are lined with
and his body was unidentifiable, The Visitor Center sells all their British and European fashion
his family could recognize him designs and products, as well as outlets, including H&M, Zara,
by his sweater. housing a Museum of Style Warehouse and Topshop.

Selection of hand-knitted sweaters at a craft shop in Dingle

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