Noble Daughters is a sustainable fashion brand that creates unique accessories using salvaged antique and vintage textiles, as well as dead-stock fabrics. Its product range includes bags, hair accessories and capes/collars. All pieces are created using high-quality surplus fabrics in natural fibres, and showcase craft elements such as embroidery, appliqué, quilting and hand-painting.
Irish landscapes, antique textiles and modern abstract art all serve as recurring inspiration in its designs. Creating products through Noble Daughters is a way of using interesting materials and re-purposing them to bring beautiful accessories to a wider audience that understands the value of craft, quality and provenance.
A day at the studio varies wildly depending on whether I’m having a design day or a less exciting admin day.
Design days usually involve rummaging through piles of old fabrics, layering and piecing shapes and colours together. Seeing what palettes and textures work in harmony. Sampling new styles for bag designs. Hand-beading hair pieces, hand-painting fabrics. Because I use primarily old textiles, there’s often a lot of unpicking garments, shredding and cutting, and then carefully piecing new things back together.
At the moment I’m researching Asafo flags from Ghana and looking at ways of creating similar textile pieces with strong visual imagery, but translated on to functional bags. A lot of my work references abstract & textile art and I spend a lot of time researching ways to merge the practices of craft, textile art and functional design.
Of course there is always lots of admin to take care of. Sorting and packing orders, emails, accounting. Less glamorous but very necessary.
Ask for help when starting out. People are usually so willing to pass on helpful information in this field. You won't have all of the skills or information at the beginning so learn from those who do. Stay true to your vision for your designs but remember they must be commercially viable otherwise there is no business. It helps to LOVE what you do.
Edel Kelly
I live and work in Donegal on the North west Coast and I’m endlessly inspired by the landscape around me. Waking up to hear the Atlantic bashing outside your door awakens the senses. There’s a gigantic variety of terrain here from rocky outcrops to flora covered mountains and wild blue seas. It provides the perfect backdrop for my designs.
I collect antique furniture, homewares and textiles. One of my most treasured items is a carved oak Belgian tapestry throne dating c.1880. It’s quite the centrepiece but also practical and makes a good reading chair.
What advice would you give someone who is considering career in design?
Ask for help when starting out. People are usually so willing to pass on helpful information in this field. You won’t have all of the skills or information at the beginning so learn from those who do. Stay true to your vision for your designs but remember they must be commercially viable otherwise there is no business. It helps to LOVE what you do.
What’s your favourite time of the day?
9am, making to-do lists at the studio for a productive day ahead. And 9pm when I’m nestling into my sofa to switch off and watch a nice film or some tv!
How do you switch off?
Blustery beach walks or a glass of wine and a film.
What’s the first thing you do when you leave studio?
