The 44th annual Showcase event launched at the RDS this weekend, with buyers from 26 countries coming to check out what Irish designers and makers have in store
We were delighted to have the opportunity to meet with Irish designers exhibiting at Showcase 2020, a brilliant trade-only event to demonstrate the breadth of design talent Ireland has to offer.
We saw lots of familiar faces, including Irish Made Awards 2019 overall winner Arran Street East, who won a stand at Showcase as part of their prize package. We also had the chance to discover exciting brands and new releases from our favourites.
The showcase runs until Wednesday, and is a brilliant networking opportunity for makers to meet with potential buyers and stockists. Of course, it’s also a great way to spot coming trends and exciting new buys for the year ahead!
Here are some of the products we loved at this year’s show, many of which had a focus on sustainability:
Arran Street East
Arran Street East debuted new pendant lights in a variety of colours at Showcase, as well as adorable espresso cups.
Field Day
Field Day has released new seed bombs, filled with five native Irish wildflower seed varieties.
Bold Bunny
Bold Bunny’s made a strong commitment to helping the environment. Not only are the cards made from eucalyptus fibre and recycled envelopes, the brand no longer packages the cards in single use plastic, making the swap to biodegradable cello bags.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse unveiled a new puffa jacket in olive green, that is created with a filling made from recycled plastic bottles.
Irish Linen House
Irish Linen House is really shaking up their offering with elegant new pieces in a chic palette of cream and grey. The wreath design is particularly stunning.
Lainey K
Lainey K has introduced a line of framed quotes that would make a gorgeous gift, and the new ice cream design is very sweet.
Aoife Ireland
Aoife’s latest designs include an Irish tweed suit, in a distinctive shade of pink, and a stunning cream blouse in the softest fabric with stunning button detail on the cuffs.
Rowena Sheen
This stunning jewellery brand caught our eye at GIFTED craft fair in the RDS, and it really is ahead of the curve in terms of traceability and sustainability. Every piece at Rowena’s stand at showcase came from the same tree, an Irish yew in Limerick. Her father is a beekeeper so she has an unlimited supply of Burren wildflower beeswax to seal and protect the wood and bring out the beauty in the grain. She even uses scraps of silk she has kept from her time as a costume designer to buff the wood, as she finds it gives the best sheen, and making use of what would otherwise be waste material.
Hey Bulldog Design
These cute accessories for the home include wall clocks, egg cups and planters, each is made by hand in a vibrant colour palette using Ecocem (low carbon cement) and eco resin for a sustainable and environmentally friendly product.
A highlight of the show was the premiere of the inspirational short fashion film, Só. Created to celebrate the beauty and relevance of Irish-made textiles, accessories and apparel, the film was commissioned by Design & Crafts Council Ireland and directed by acclaimed fashion photographer Boo George with art direction by Paula Hughes. Created with the intention of raising the profile of luxurious Irish made textiles, accessories and apparel, ‘Só’ in the Irish language is pronounced ‘sow’ and refers to ‘comfort’, ‘luxury’ or ‘ease’. The film follows a young couple as they travel around Ireland and weaves the beauty of the Irish landscape with the incredible Irish fashion design it inspires.
