Niaobh Beatty’s brand began with a cardigan passed down from her grandfather — something worn repeatedly not just for warmth, but for the feeling and memories it carried. That idea now underpins NIAO: pieces designed to be lived in, kept, and passed down over time.
I grew up in Northern Ireland with a large Irish family on my mother’s side, and spent part of my childhood in New Zealand near where my father was born in Samoa. I’ve always lived close to both the coast and the countryside, which essentially meant I always had to have a jumper to hand.
Before starting NIAO, I spent a decade working in the tech industry, but I’ve always been surrounded by the craft of making. My family has four generations of seamstresses and tailoresses and I grew up watching my mother make wedding dresses, so it was always in the background.
The brand is a homage to a feeling I’ve carried since I was young, specifically tied to a very special Aran cardigan of my grandfather’s that was hand-knitted decades ago. I wanted to create something with that same heart. Pieces made with care, worn with love, and eventually passed down to someone else who’ll feel it too.
The ethos
Our approach always starts with how a woman actually lives in her clothes. My own day can move from the beach at sunrise with my daughter, to meetings, to the garden trying to rescue my roses, then straight to dinner with friends. I wanted to create pieces that move through all of those moments effortlessly, without compromising on comfort, beauty or quality.
But beyond the aesthetic side, NIAO was built from a very strong belief that clothing should be made with honesty and integrity. We’re not interested in sustainability as a marketing tool or greenwashing language. For us, using natural fibres, avoiding plastics and knowing exactly where things come from and how they are made should simply be the standard, especially in knitwear.
Everything we create is biodegradable and made using natural fibres such as Scottish lambswool, alpaca, merino, silk and cashmere. We deliberately avoid synthetic blends and mass-manufacturing shortcuts, even though it would make the product cheaper to produce. I think people are becoming much more aware now that many high street knitwear pieces, even expensive ones, are still heavily mixed with polyester or acrylic. That was never something I wanted for NIAO.
We’ve spent years building relationships with farmers, spinners and makers across Ireland and the UK, and the beginning of our supply chain is never more than one personal phone call away. That level of transparency and closeness is incredibly important to us.
Design-wise, nature is always my biggest source of inspiration. Irish knitwear has such a rich storytelling heritage, every Aran stitch traditionally held meaning and I’ve always loved that emotional connection to clothing. Some of my earliest designs came from painting flowers in my own garden, and that balance between craftsmanship, art and functionality still sits at the heart of everything we do.
Ultimately, I never wanted to create more disposable ‘things’. I wanted to build pieces people form attachments to, repair, keep for years and eventually pass on to someone else.
We stock forever pieces. Right now, that means jumpers, cardigans, and accessories using only natural fibres like Scottish superfine lambswool, Italian Cashwool, alpaca, merino wool, silk and cashmere blends. These are items designed to be kept, repaired, and worn for years. They aren’t just for one season; they are the pieces you’ll still be reaching for in a decade.
No, I fell into being a designer by accident really. Even though I grew up in a house full of fabric and loved collecting, I like to say I’ve lived many lives in my career but this one has to be my favourite. Design always followed me, whether I was running creative campaigns or making things for my daughter.
During maternity leave, I started picking up creative hobbies I hadn’t had time for in years, which led to design and pattern-making courses. I realized I wanted to recreate heritage pieces I loved, and create art-led pieces I simply couldn’t find. I fell in love with the whole process, from the initial moodboarding and colour theory right through to creating the finished piece.
The logistics
Naively, funding wasn’t a concern starting out. But reality quickly changed that. When I started designing, I discovered how little transparency actually exists in the luxury knitwear supply chain. Mass manufacturing and synthetic materials were never going to be the answer for NIAO, which meant designing slower, being more intentional, and accepting that our approach was going to cost more.
What I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, is that there are always things you can’t foresee, from trademark issues to machinery breakdowns. Because we work almost entirely with small local businesses, from our packaging to our product, there’s a depth of honesty in those relationships that cushions the difficult moments. That has been worth more than any cost-saving shortcut.
I’ve been lucky to receive a lot of great advice, but the one I always remind myself of is that you can’t connect the dots forward, only backwards. To me, that means clarity doesn’t usually come before you take a step; it comes through the action itself. Things often only make sense after the fact, so you have to trust the process while you’re in the middle of it.
The most useful learning since setting up a business has been to always ask for what you need, even if it feels uncomfortable at the time. It sounds simple, but it’s the thing that has always opened more doors for me. Ask your suppliers for better terms, ask to speak to the owner, or for a contract. Ask your customers what they value and how you can do better. Most people just don’t ask, but it can change the trajectory of your business.
The brands to know
I am considering some shoes from a fairly new brand called Lili Curia, and I also have my eye on some of Dior’s new botanical ready to wear pieces.
I love Northern Ireland based Marianne (SmythSisters) for her casual and easy style, and Julia Berolzheimer for her use of colour and prints.
My best fashion purchase would have to be a pair of my Gucci loafers. When I invest in something new, it usually has a personal achievement attached to it. I love the idea of passing them down to my daughter one day and telling her the story of what they represented. I always love a fun pair of shoes!
Kindred of Ireland’s new floral linen collection is beautiful; I love how rooted they are in their craft and values. I’m also a huge fan of everything Jonathan Anderson. I love his creative and fun approach to design.
The legacy
My proudest moment so far was when we first found a way to bring my peony drawings to life – taking an art-led sketch from my garden and turning it into a physical piece. The first time we knitted our peony cardigan in Somerset last year was such a proud moment for me.
I want my brand to be remembered for creating quiet luxury with personality. I want NIAO to be known for beautiful pieces that give the wearer a sense of quiet confidence and are rooted in intention.
If I could have anyone wear my designs it would be Olivia Dean. I absolutely adore her and would love to have her wear one of our pieces when she’s off duty. Her energy is so authentic and grounded.
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