I walk down the street and all I see is leopard print, tartan and stripes.
It’s all about fast fashion trends, something that will last for a season and then will be thrown out by the masses or stuffed at the back of closets for a year or two.
Hey, there’s nothing wrong in keeping with the trends, if you really love something your wearing, that’s great, even if it is for a short period of time. Some of my favourite outfits have been to a festival or a ball and I can’t get much wear out of those outfits on a daily basis.
Lately though, I’ve been working on that. I try to buy things that will last – that are timeless. I’ve come to realise, I’ve pretty much been doing this without realising, I still wear the same shirts to work that I wore to college when I was 18. I tend to buy one or two pieces that fit into the trend of the season and mix and match them with what I’ve already got and it works for me.
Thing is, the pieces I’ve had for a few years have probably seen their day. My jeans have holes and my tops have lost their colour.
I’ve been doing a lot of research as of late and I’ve decided to add these kind of pieces back to my wardrobe, ones that will last and that I’ll love just as much years after buying. What I’ve been most interested in during this time however, is Irish companies. Instead of picking up something that’s been made in China or Vietnam, I want to support my own.
For this reason, I’ve created “Irish Made”, a weekly series that will shine the spotlight on an Irish company.
I’ve looked at jewellery, at watches and now it’s time to get down to business – apparel.
Enter, Jill & Gill – A savage illustration and print studio run by two boss ladies.
Jill and Gill paired up back in 2016 after collaborating on a print commission together. Since then they’ve worked on projects for James Vincent McMorrow, Currabinny, Smirnoff, Repeal project, Jameson and Brown Thomas.
The best part however, is that the pair are now selling stand-out apparel.
This collection of garments was created to represent aspirational women through illustration, print and style.
Jill is a sketch artist and Gillian is a print maker, neither can do the other’s job but together they make a unique product that’s instantly recognisable.
The t-shirts and crew neck jumpers are bright, bold and super eye-catching. You couldn’t pass someone on the street wearing this without having a peak and a smile.
The images are hand draw, then turned into screen prints and transferred onto the clothes.
The garments are really well made and ethically sourced. They have been created under the brand’s ethos to be fashion conscious and timeless.
The girls said they hope for customers to “invest in our apparels journey not just our designs”
Some of their boss ladies include:
Grace Jones
Debbie Harry
Anna Wintour
And Kate Moss:
(My personal fave)
This really is a cool brand, different from anything else I’ve seen, especially in the Irish market.
I can tell these girls are going to go far.
There’s a Jill & Gill Pop-Up Shop running in Dublin at the moment if you want to check out their clothes for yourself. It will be running until September 15th in Hang Tough Gallery.
If you’re not around that area and you want to learn more about them, you can visit their website here.
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