Designer Claire Garvey opened her boutique in Temple Bar two decades ago and it remains a local landmark to this day. Her first commission was a unique request – to design a dress that resembles a tree. With a bark-like corset and leafy skirt, she brought her customer’s vision to life.
Garvey is a highly accomplished designer with a first-class master’s degree in costume design from the esteemed VGIK University in Moscow. Over the years, she has garnered numerous awards and built a reputation for her vibrant, quirky and hand-made designs.
She is a favourite among many well-known figures, particularly in the music and film industries. Nile Rogers, the Grammy-award winning musician, wore Garvey’s designs to the Oscars, the X Factor, and at Elton John’s parties. Acclaimed actress Kimberley Davies, who will appear at the Trevor Nelson Soul Special at the Royal Albert Hall in December, and Derry Girls’ star Siobhán McSweeney, are also among her star-studded clientele.
Eimear Noone, the first woman who conducted at the Oscars in 2020, along with American rapper Dali Voodoo and the iconic singer Pink, have all showcased Garvey’s uniquely creative designs.
The details and individuality of every piece are the crux of Garvey’s approach. She mentioned, “Most of my clients seek something unique. Each piece I create is a one-of-a-kind, hand-made creation etched with labour of love.”
Her latest collection, coined ‘Stained Glass’, is made from thousands of recycled plastic lids, which have been meticulously cut and hand-coloured with organic stained-glass dye. This particular collection is influenced by the superior craftsmanship of renowned stained-glass artists Harry Clarke and Afewek Tekle from Ethiopia. Garvey takes inspiration from these artists to create her distinctive masterpieces.
Garvey reveals her intent to delve into the resemblances and disparities of different art traditions, to comprehend their ideologies and methodologies, and to infuse them within her fashion items. She wished to acknowledge their brilliance and emphasise their relevance for contemporary audiences within a culture-blended perspective, showing how discarded materials can be given new life. The photoshoot was conducted with the cooperation of an African crew, featuring Miss Universe Ireland and Leixlip law graduate, Aishak Akorede.
Much of Garvey’s display found here can be witnessed at her boutique at Temple Bar’s 6 Cow’s Lane, Dublin 8. She also rents out her creations for functions, envisioning accessibility for all to sport them.
To explore further, navigate to www.clairegarvey.com.
Model: Aishah Akorede, Miss Universe Ireland, aided by Arturas Gastiliuk and Malia Smith.
Photographer: Tessy Ehiguese of Tessy Media, linked at https://tessymedia.myportfolio.com.
Technical guide: Nikolay Lakovlev
Make-up by Facesvbyihuaku,
Shot location: Evans Doherty Studio.