Street Art inspired debut fashion collection coming

It has always been a long standing ambition to develop a fashion knitwear collection. Sometimes we find our dream career late in life. This is what happened to me. I worked in the hotel industry for 22 years having studied in Shannon College of Hotel Management. I then studied Marketing and worked my way up the corporate ladder in senior management roles but I always had a strong “Itch” to study design. I took a chance and my boss at the time gave me that opportunity to study while maintaining my role. I was torn between my loyalty and safety of my old profession and that leap of faith to a new scary career!

Somehow I took that leap! Today I am proud to be in the background tweaking my first very small knitwear collection with my design theme! Even writing “Design theme” is mad, a year ago I was appointed a fashion mentor via my local LEO and she explained all that out to me! Thank you Aoife!! I have to mention I have been massively assisted along the way by a wonderful professional knitwear mentor. It would not have happened without her direction and guidance and constant belief that I can do this. I am lucky to have that knitwear angel, Liz, in my life. So is my first ever blog about my debut collection or taking a chance in life? I think it is a bit of both!

I earn very little money in comparison to my last career, I miss terribly the companionship of old colleagues and working in a busy people filled environment. I feel envious and my ego is a little bruised when I see great things develop in my old professional stomping ground. I even miss my bosses direction (always well intentioned ( : )) and all the pressure that comes with multiple deadlines. I find it hard too working remotely alone and trying to motivate myself constantly, even here now, I have spent a good chunk of the morning chatting to friends on the phone avoiding mundane spreadsheets but I look at my sample collection and I feel personal pride that I saw a drawing come out of my head, then come to life on my computer screen that I learnt (with great help!) and turned into a scarf after spending months testing the right yarn (soft fluffy but durable wool) That feels amazing! I made terrible costly mistakes in 2020 and seemed to do everything wrong instead of right. I am still not there yet.

So I hope you like my first blog. You will see me use this #UrbanAranCrowd. I plan to show this collection in July 2021.

Stay tuned for more!

Christine

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