WEARINGIRISH showcases top designers/brands from Ireland. In this series, meet the designers and hear their stories. Here Margaret chats with Aideen Bodkin. Visit aideenbodkin.com for more!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. The Aideen Bodkin label was established in 1999 to offer Irish women timeless, tailored contemporary style with a vintage twist. It was a career that chose me from a young age, having been influenced by the glamour of classic Hollywood films that I watched as a child with my mother and grandmother. WHAT WAS THE MOST DEFINING MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER? As a relatively new designer on the Irish market, I was chosen to design an outfit for the then Irish President Mary McAleese for her inauguration for her second term. The attention this outfit received from the public and media gave the label a huge boost, and the brand gained a loyal following. WHAT’S YOUR AMBITION FOR YOUR BRAND? I would like to see the brand gain a following in other markets, showing that Irish design can sit alongside and complement international labels.
WHERE DOES YOUR BRAND NAME COME FROM? My brand name is my given name, and the surname “Bodkin” coincidentally is a blunt needle used by tailors for sewing leather. YOUR DREAM COLLABORATION? I would love to collaborate with an Irish weaving company to reintroduce Irish handcrafts in a contemporary way to a worldwide audience. WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT THE WEARINGIRISH MOVEMENT? WearingIrish is a fantastic platform that presents the best of Irish design to a worldwide audience. HOW DOES A SENSE OF PLACE INFORM YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS— SPECIFICALLY IRELAND? A sense of place is part of the fabric of being an Irish person and is key to our culture. Irish designers understand the sense of occasion and family that is at the heart of many of our celebrations. We design clothes to suit the uniqueness of our culture and the several occasions that we celebrate. MOST COVETED ITEM IN YOUR COLLECTION? A great dress that can be worn to an event or dressed down for everyday wear. THREE THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Books, family, and friends.