WEAVING: FIADH DURHAM, CO KERRY
» “I grew up in a very creative environment. My parents were both musicians and always cared about being connected to language, music, nature and art. They were from Cork and Dublin city originally but moved the family to Kerry to foster those values. My mother used to do a bit of weaving and painting, so it was a creative environment and me and my three siblings were always encouraged to explore that creativity.
“To this day, I take inspiration from the land and the sea, and all I see around me here in west Kerry. There is endless inspiration here. “Fashion design was something that I dreamed about from a very young age, like so many kids. I went to study in NCAD in Dublin with the idea to do fashion but then it turned out it was the making of the cloth rather than the actual garments that grabbed me. I specialised in textile design and weaving, and when I finished studying, one of the things that I wanted to do was hone my skills in the craft itself.
“I was interested in the harmony between keeping this ancient craft going and bringing it into a modern sphere through the use of colour and design.
“My grandmothers on both sides sewed and made their own clothes, so that appreciation for natural materials and things that are made to last was passed down to me through the generations. That’s something I care a lot about now, the quality in the craftsmanship and longevity. I think, and this doesn’t just apply to clothing, that an appreciation for things that are made to last is something we’re losing. I want to create something that people can use for a really long time.
“I started Fiadh Woven Design eight years ago and it grew very much step by step. There wasn’t a big plan. We’ve a team of six now and everything has been expanding at a healthy rate. I don’t want it to get too big — to keep the quality at what it is, the size ... right now is pretty ideal.
“We’ve a shop in Dingle and we get quite a long tourist season when direct sales are high. Once that season is over, we go straight into Christmas prep and online sales, and there’s festivals throughout the year. We’re stocking other shops around the country now too, so there’s three different panels that we’re selling through.
“I’d like to focus more on my handwoven products and launching exclusive, limitededition ranges of things like throws, moving into another creative and textile art space. That’s where I see us growing.
“Feedback from customers that have been coming back for years is what I’m proudest of. I’m so happy when a person comes into the shop and they’re still wearing a scarf they bought five years ago. I just get such joy sharing what I love with other people and that being appreciated.” fiadh.ie