New Irish Design To Crush On

By Holly O'Neill
07th Apr 2016

The opening of the ?S? Collective? at Kildare Village sees a new home for Irish design showcasing the best of contemporary Irish fashion, lifestyle and craft from established and emerging designers.

The S? Collective takes its name from the Gaelic word s?, meaning ?treat of luxury?. S? Collective is part of the 2016 campaign ?From the Isle? by Kildare Village, bringing Irish design, talent and identity to a wider and international audience through a celebration of Irish fashion, design, food, craftsmanship, cultural outreach and events.

S? Collective features womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, accessories, and lifestyle items from designers using the latest creative technologies and makers who have been honing their skills for decades – all chosen by a panel of industry leaders.

The story of Irish design is told through its materials, through contemporary craft and through Irish fashion on a global scale today. S? Collective will tell these stories through a programme of exhibitions and installations, immersing guests in a world of imagery, texture and colour.?The inaugural exhibit, ?Irish Folk Furniture? (1 Mar to 1 May 2016), explores the craft and tradition of furniture made in Ireland through the Sundance award-winning documentary by Tony Donoghue and through selected pieces from The Store Yard, Portlaoise.

The S? Collective space has been imagined by Jennifer Chan and Jonathan Legge of design studio ChanLegge, for their first commercial project in Ireland. The set for the new boutique is based on a “vision of luxury experience, where raw edges meet refined moments.”