Mother of Reinvention
Designer Liz Quin gives her classic tailoring a modern twist for Avoca’s latest collection
I’M SIPPING coffee and having breakfast in the sun-drenched Fern Cafe at Avoca of Kilmacanoge early one morning, and it’s a blissful reprieve from my usual rushed pre-work regime.
I’m in good company too, chatting to award-winning designer Liz Quin, who is back on the fashion circuit with a debut collection for the store. ‘Avoca represents happiness,’ she tells me. ‘It’s a place you come to be excited; to buy pretty things.’
At the launch of the store’s annual SS18 edit, which took place last week, we are surrounded by pretty things. Quin’s 16-piece collection is whimsical and feminine — bright prints on dresses and skirts, tweed blazers and rainbow-coloured cashmere cardigans. This is ‘feelgood’ clothing.
‘I’ve always loved sweet, ladylike clothes,’ she admits. ‘But I also love structure and shape — at the end of the day no matter how beautiful a print is, the piece needs to fit properly.’
With over 30 design years under her belt — she previously ran Quin and Donnelly with her business partner Carolyn Donnelly (now creative style director for Dunnes Stores)— Quin knows a thing or two about dressing women.
Her main focus for SS18, she says, was honing a more modern silhouette with her own quintessential stamp on tailoring.
Blazers and trench coats are softly cut and narrow at the shoulders — Quin’s favourite piece is an Avoca Mill herringbone jacket with a modern twist — teamed with floaty tea dresses that have just the right amount of boho, yet are structured at the waist so you don’t get lost in the shape.
Flanking Quin’s collection are Dutch label Scotch & Soda and Scandi brands Samsoe and Samsoe and Mads Norgaard. I particularly love Samsoe and Samsoe’s hot pink pleated dress (€159) while new sustainable brand Thought’s organic cotton printed kimono (€94.95) will work perfectly paired with jeans.
Avoca does trinkets and accessories brilliantly, and this season is no different, with gorgeous silky printed scarves by the store’s creative director Ros Walshe that will instantly pep up any outfit.