Photography by Leyla Ní Choimín
This Belfast designer makes one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by traditional Irish culture
Grace Ní Mhealláin is just under a year in business, and has already had her designs worn on stage at Glastonbury, with some customers noting that nabbing a piece from her limited runs is harder than securing Taylor Swift tickets. Giving recycled materials a new lease of life, Grace’s designs pull from her grá for Irish language and culture.
Is mise Grace Ní Mhealláin, and I’m from Belfast! I run my business from my home studio and have been doing so for just under a year now. I’m a very proud Gaeilgeoir, and my designs are influenced by traditional Irish culture. Everything I make is one-of-a-kind and completed from start to finish by me. I originally began designing T-shirts and outfits for myself and my friends, and I would upload the occasional TikTok where I would be wearing one of my pieces. I got really lucky in October 2024 when one of them did really well, and it encouraged me to get my website up and running.
The ethos
I started my business using completely recycled materials, and that has stuck. I think that within the fashion industry, it’s so easy to get caught up with designing and the excitement of manufacturing that a lot of designers forget the impact that the fashion industry has on our environment. Being sustainable is non-negotiable for me, and to be honest, it’s not that difficult. I use second-hand textiles like T-shirts, curtains and table cloths to make my garments, and they’re all easily sourced second-hand or as dead stock fabrics. Unless it’s completely ethically and sustainably done, mass production is not something I have an interest in. We already consume far too much as it is, and I think that by making upcycled and high-quality garments, it helps people think twice about what they’re buying.
I really did always want to be a designer. I used to make clothes for my Barbies out of kitchen roll, or I’d cut their jeans into shorts. I didn’t think it was a viable career for a while, especially being from Belfast, where there is a serious lack of funding for the arts. At the last minute, I declined a university place, and because of that, I had time to take up my hobbies again, one of those being practising my Irish and another was dusting off my sewing machine.
My bestsellers for a while were my upcycled T-shirts, which I’d make using second-hand T-shirts and patches from vintage Ireland tea towels or table cloths. I then embroidered words and phrases as Gaeilge, or painted Claddaghs onto them, and they are a big hit. I also make a lot of ‘going out’ tops, one of the most popular being inspired by traditional Irish dancing dresses with the sashes at the back. I think those are my personal favourites. I also source second-hand ponchos and embroider Claddaghs onto them, and for festival season this year, they have been selling really well.
The logistics
Because I’ve always sourced my fabrics second-hand or used textiles that I already had, it helped me worry a lot less about the cost of running a business. I am very lucky that there is an audience and a demographic who seem to love what I make, and who buy from my shop. The interest from this audience is what keeps me motivated and also helps to keep the business going, and I’m able to keep doing my hobby professionally.
One piece of business advice I got that I think about a lot is “don’t feel obligated to take every opportunity”, and that has really helped me avoid burnout, especially since beginning my business. Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful to be able to have these opportunities, and wish I could put all my energy into everything I want to do, but I want to make sure that everything I produce is of quality. It’s also for this reason that I only release a certain number of products at a time on my website.
Something I’ve found the most useful has been to trust myself and my ideas. I find it really hard to use patterns or to make them, which is partially why I only really make one of each item. So I like to experiment with different styles, or to make custom pieces for people, where I get to challenge myself. I am my own boss, and so it’s my responsibility not only to get the work done, but also to come up with new concepts. So I’m slowly learning to give myself time and to try new things.
The brands to know
We’re so lucky now to have so many good options with Irish brands, I feel so spoilt for choice. A good friend of mine, whose name is Sadhbh, @seodrabeaga on Instagram, has a business where she makes Irish and Celtic jewellery. She has made fáinne óir and fáinne airgead necklaces, and I’m dying to get my hands on one. Ciara Darcy hand-beads gorgeous bags, Siobh’s Knits is absolutely incredible, I’m not from Dublin, but I can appreciate her DART hats. AMACH is also a class brand. The quality of their stuff is insane.
Aoife Gorman’s lino print T-shirts are unreal. Breezita sells the cutest earrings as Gaeilge, and to be very honest, I am obsessed with retro O’Neills. I love collecting the ‘90s and ‘00s jerseys. Gan Stró and Spicebag make insane jerseys, and I would like to have them all.
For fashion inspiration on Instagram, I think, like most of the North of Ireland, I’m obsessed with Aoife O Farrell. She’s such a diva. Anna Watson too, her outfits are so good. Myrne Collective sells vintage Irish clothing, and every single thing she sells goes immediately on my wish list.
My best fashion purchases are my Aran jumpers. I found them both in charity shops, and they are the warmest articles of clothing I have. Also, a good, well-fitting pair of jeans. I’m a sucker for artists’ merch too, so I live in my One Direction and Kneecap T-shirts.
The legacy
My proudest moment so far was making my formal dress. I’d say another was watching my website sell out for the first time. I had someone tell me that getting one of my pieces was harder than getting Taylor Swift tickets! There is a class group called Gurriers who have worn my T-shirts on stage at Glastonbury. That was really, really cool.
I want my brand to be remembered for being authentic. At the end of the day, sewing is still my hobby, and if I don’t keep it fun for myself, I’m scared of getting fed up with it. I try to get conversations going with the people who follow my accounts so that I can make stuff that people love. I’m so proud of being Irish and of my Irish culture, and am lucky enough to speak the language, so I love speaking to people and they tell me they’re starting to learn Irish, or emailing customers and having full conversations as Gaeilge. It’s such a breath of fresh air to have an audience of people who love the same things as me.
If I could have anyone wear my designs, it would honestly be literally anyone. I saw someone at my local pub wearing one of my Claddagh T-shirts, and I think about it all the time. A few of my friends have spotted people out and about in tops I’ve made. I’d love for my brand to be known locally so I can see people out and about wearing things. It always makes my day when customers send me photos of them in the tops, and I remember that they’re being sent to people who also love their language and their culture, and I think there’s so much community in that.
Follow Grace Ní Mhealláin @gracenimheallain
Photography by Leyla Ní Choimín
Makeup by @megrosiemakeup
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