NWRC lecturer and designer Aoife Harvey will present her new one-of-one collection as part of The Irish Edit showcase this Friday in Dublin City centre.
Aoife, founder of AH Designs, is set to showcase her latest collection, SECOND NATURE, at Ireland Fashion Week, as part of The Irish Edit showcase.
The 15-piece collection, designed and handmade by Aoife Harvey, celebrates one-of-one design, reclaimed textiles and the transformation of existing materials into contemporary fashion.
For Aoife, presenting SECOND NATURE at Ireland Fashion Week marks an exciting new chapter for AH Designs and an opportunity to bring her approach to sustainable Irish design to a wider audience.
“SECOND NATURE is about taking something that has already had a life and seeing the potential for what it can become next. Every piece has been made individually, so no two garments exist in the same way. To be able to present the collection as part of The Irish Edit at Ireland Fashion Week is incredibly exciting.”
At 27 Aoife has developed a distinctive design language centred around sustainability, craftsmanship and the transformation of existing textiles. Alongside running AH Designs, she works as a fashion lecturer, sharing her approach to design and making with the next generation of creatives.
A first-class Fashion and Textiles graduate, Aoife won BBC Northern Ireland’s A Stitch Through Time in 2023. Her work has since been presented both at home and internationally.
SECOND NATURE
SECOND NATURE continues Aoife’s fabric-first approach to design, transforming reclaimed and existing textiles through corsetry, patchwork, tailoring, ruching and quilting.
Across the collection, reclaimed denim, tweed, florals and contrasting textiles are reconstructed into corsets, patchworked denim, pussy-bow jackets, ruched skirts, dresses and statement outerwear.
The collection explores ideas of renewal, instinct and transformation — taking materials that have already lived one life and allowing them to take on another.
Each of the 15 garments has been individually designed and constructed by Aoife and exists only once. Every piece is archived as 001/001, reflecting AH Designs focus on individuality and considered production rather than repetition.
Standout designs include the Ireland Patchwork Corset, reclaimed tweed tailoring, patchworked denim and the Gold Quilted Trench Coat.
For Aoife, sustainability is not an addition to the design process but something embedded within it. SECOND NATURE reflects a belief that existing and discarded materials can become desirable, contemporary and lasting through thoughtful design and craftsmanship.
