Ali Nixon

Designed in Ireland. Inspired by Nature.

This world moves fast. But, you can choose to stop. In Ireland, we embrace slowness, subtlety and the senses; we listen, feel and touch the land around us. Take the muted simplicity, order and honesty of the Murmur design collection. And create your own quiet harmony.

Inspired by the beautiful Irish landscape, Murmur AW20 is a soft feminine collection, composed of subtle pattern and colours considered to unite with the natural world around us. Crafted from natural organic textures with subtle embroidery detailing. The soft patterns and soothing colour hues create an ambience that is both calm and inviting.

Creating the beautiful, comes from exploring and discovering. The creative team behind Murmur embarked on an inspiration trip along Strangford lough on the eastern side of Northern Ireland. Collecting, collating, painting and curating, exploring the wild rocky headlands and sheltered beaches, to the traditional stone build dwellings, mixed woodlands, wildlife and wildflowers. The journey along the rugged coastline guiding discovery and inspiration.

In these uncertain times with such a daily bombardment of media coverage it’s so easy to let our minds wander into negative unrest.

To help keep a healthy mind during these unprecedented times we have brought together some tips to maintain self care as we endeavor to move through the next period of our lives with restriction on so many social activities. Let’s stay connected, stay well and together we can weather the storm.

10 Minute Daily Mindfulness

Enlivened design, fresh for S/S 20 the new Helena Springfield Copenhagen collection taps into the beauty of Scandinavian design to present a collection influenced by graphic pattern and soft colour harmonies, all nature inspired. This new Copenhagen collective brings together fresh liveable designs perfect for modern day living.

LIV (LEFT)

‘Liv’ meaning ‘Life’ in Swedish is a sweet spirited stylised leaf pattern, on a crisp white base. The all-over leaf pattern repeats in pops of blush pink, chartreuse and grey, the subtle reverse of a small scale circular geometric design adds understated harmony to the overall collection.

SHOP LIV

ARKEN (RIGHT)

Suitably named after the Arken Museum of Modern Art near Copenhagen this modern design displays a large abstract mid-century pattern in blush pink and contemporary grey tones. The understated reverse with a dashed line pattern adds intricacy.

SHOP ARKEN

For the SS20 Bedeck of Belfast photography we embarked on a four-day shoot at Ormiston House, Belfast. A period property built in 1867, in a Scottish-Baronial style with crow-stepped gables, a bartizan turret and gargoyles.

Full of charm and history, Ormiston was built for James Combe (a Scots born iron founder and linen manufacturer of Combe Barbour) with the property later bought by shipbuilder Sir Edward Harland (Harland & Wolfe) and soon after acquired by his business partner William Pirrie the chairman and architect at Harland & Wolfe, who oversaw the build of the Titanic. He also served as Lord Mayor of Belfast between 1896 and 1898. Harland & Wolff later came into sole ownership of the property, selling it in 1928 to Campbell College, who maintained ownership of it until the mid-1970s.

A turret feature looking outward to the shipyard on Belfast’s lough, was originally used by Harland & Pirrie to keep watch on incoming ships. The feature is still in use, giving panoramic views over Belfast.

Today, following a four-year renovation project by its new owners, Ormiston has been restored to its former glory. A characterful property, brimming with historical detail, yet brought up to date with a modern aesthetic. Ormiston provided the perfect backdrop and historical touches for shooting our new Bedeck of Belfast SS20 collection.

The new SS20

Chloe Ballard, a graduate designer currently on our design placement programme, embarked on a trip to Xiamen, China in November 2019 to compete in the world final of the International Design Competition held by the Society of Dyers and Colourists.

After winning the Irish heat, judged in part by Julie Hall, Chloe travelled to the Xiamen Academy of Art and Design representing Ireland and taking part in a four-day seminar and international conference on ‘Colouring the Future’ along with cultural and industry visits.

The final was judged by an international panel of fashion and textile creatives who awarded Chloe second place. All works were based on a ‘Colour and Nature’ theme. Congratulations to Chloe for doing so well on such a global stage.