My dear fashionistas, welcome to the fourth fashion story in a series of posts from Ireland on the Mr.M blog. This February will be dedicated to this unusual country in the heart of Western Europe, a country known for its greenest landscapes, St. Patrick’s Day, music, the famous Irish whiskey, but also for its extremely high quality wool. At the very beginning of today’s fashion story about Ériu, an iconic luxury Irish knitwear brand, I would like to thank the Enterprise Ireland team for the warm invitation to the 50th anniversary of the three-day Irish trade show Showcase Ireland and for making the collaboration with Irish fashion brands that you will have opportunities to see in fashion stories from Ireland.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Black Tie Chauffeur, a Dublin company that provides exclusive luxury chauffeured passenger services. This company enabled me to visit the Cliffs of Moher, which are among the most beautiful and impressive natural sights in Ireland. There will be a special travelogue about the Cliffs of Moher where you will get to know the localities in more detail, as well as the service of a private driver with whom you can quickly and with a high level of comfort and convenience enjoy the natural sights of Ireland.
With the selfless help of all the mentioned partners, fashion stories and travelogues from Ireland were created, which you will have the opportunity to read this February, and I sincerely hope that you will enjoy the new adventure. Today I will introduce some Irish brands that caught my attention during the Showcase Ireland trade show – Ériu and Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli.
If by any chance you missed reading the previous travelogue post about Showcase Ireland or you want to remind yourself of some interesting things, take the opportunity to visit the following LINK.
A brand that caught my eye during Showcase Ireland is Irish luxury knitwear brand Ériu who make clothing, accessories and other products from 100% Irish wool which has been selected for its unique qualities of softness, drape, shine and seam definition. The founders of this amazing brand are Ms. Zoë Daly and Mr. Lionel Mackey.
Ériu‘s story began with Mrs. Daly’s grandmother, Kitsy, who knitted all her life. It was her art, her craft, her soul. For her, knitting was a practical, useful thing, but also an expression of selfless and great love. When Mrs. Zoe’s daughter was born, right on Kitsy’s birthday, as luck would have it, she knitted her a blanket, her first baby blanket. This precious blanket is made from 100% soft and silky merino wool.
Ms Zoe has discovered a new community of small and sustainable farmers who are committed to restoring Ireland’s woolen tradition, a heritage of cottage industry. A concept based on new breeds of sheep, new blends of wool, new ways of renewing old skills. After she met Mr. Lionel Mackey, a farmer from Wicklow, who understood the reality of sheep farming, as well as the needs of the business, they decided to establish the Ériu brand, which took its name from the patron goddess of Ireland, the queen of fertility, sovereignty and abundance.
They wanted to create a fully sustainable process for making Irish wool blankets, where the material is sourced directly from farmers and local textile artisans are employed. “From farm to yarn” became their mantra, a new hope and eventually the slogan of this unusual brand. During Showcase Ireland I had the opportunity to meet the founders of the brand and get to know more about their work and divine products made from real Irish wool.
In today’s fashion story, I want to present you a Beige Lugh Sweater that perfectly fit into my outfit today. How did this sweater get its name? Lugh was a Celtic solar king, god of light and sun, who had many children, including the famous Celtic warrior Cu Chulin.
A dedicated protector of land and community, Lugh represents the warrior-masculine spirit of the Ériu brand’s mission to protect the nation’s heritage, champion natural resources and bring these skills back to Irish communities. This sweater is a unisex piece with a new vision of a contemporary approach to tradition, with subtle details (braids) and a comfortable hood. Lightweight and comfortable to wear, this beautiful sweater is handmade with love by dear Ann and Anne on their homemade knitting machines from home.
The jumper is made from Ériu‘s signature blend of 100% Irish wool yarns, which bring ancient heritage to life through a fair trade wool network across Ireland. This sweater is made in 6 basic colors: navy, pink, turquoise, beige, blue and camel.
If you want to stay updated and find out what new things Ériu, a luxury brand of Irish knitwear, has prepared for us, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
OUTFIT
Trench Coat: Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli
Sweater: Ériu
Trousers: Brunello Cucinelli
Sneakers: Dolce & Gabbana
Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli is a distinctive Irish brand whose tradition and love for rainwear spans nearly two centuries. You must be wondering what is the story of this extraordinary brand? Back in 1823, Mr. Charles Mackintosh patented his breakthrough invention in the form of an extraordinary waterproof fabric. His material has been used by a select few manufacturers to make special raincoats, using his patent 2 layer double cotton bonded with a rubber compound which is then further bonded with rubberised cotton. Later, in 1889, one of those manufacturers from Manchester expanded its operations to Ireland and in 1934 registered its Mackintosh manufacturing business.
The popularity of raincoats has led to them being exported to countries as far as the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. They were worn by men and women who appreciated their function and quality workmanship, however, complaints continued due to the unpleasant smell of the rubber and their tendency to melt in warmer temperatures and become very stiff during cooler temperatures. These raincoats were in such demand that they were also supplied as the official uniform raincoats to Irish government organisations such as the State Police, Military Police Airport Police, Army Officers, Prison Officers and other semi state organisations such as Irish Rail and the Post & Telegraph Service until the downturn in demand caused by the recession and availability cheaper synthetic waterproof materials.
The turning point for the brand was in 1983, when the company was bought by Francis Campelli, who solved all the above complaints and developed a fabric that is odorless and will not change its properties in extreme weather conditions. This fabric is a double cotton texture, with a high-tech breathable membrane sandwiched between 2 layers of cotton, it is breathable, waterproof, windproof, durable and has the added benefit of being dry cleanable and hand washable. For nearly 200 years, generations of artisans have produced these raincoats that have come to be known as ‘The Mack’.
The fabric used to make Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli raincoats is known as Double Texture Cotton. This material is made of 2 layers of fine quality cotton and one special layer of high-tech polyurethane waterproof breathable membrane. It is important to note that all 3 layers are connected by heat and pressure with a hidden waterproof membrane located in the center.
The fabric is pre-shrunk and lightly sanded to provide extra comfort to the touch. Also, this material is additionally coated with a moisture repellent finish to disperse rain. It is important to note that this material is silent unlike the others and does not cause excessive noises when rubbing. The fabric is waterproof, windproof, breathable and durable in general wear conditions.
The Mackintosh will hold its shape thanks to the construction of the seams and the bonded membrane that binds the 2 layers together. It will not become excessively rigid at low temperatures, nor will it melt during exposure to high temperatures. This fabric can be cleaned in a number of ways: dry clean, hand wash or machine wash, but machine wash is not recommended as the Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli team usually use wool linings that can shrink or leather belt buckles that would fall apart in the machine or other non-machine washable covers. It is important to note that after washing or the first season of wearing, the fabric of your raincoat will become a little softer.
As you are used to sharing maintenance tips for Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli raincoats, today I will try to share some additional maintenance tips with you. As for cleaning, the brand recommends Chemical or hand wash at 30° with soap flakes that should be rinsed well. After washing, hang the raincoat on a wide roomy hanger and dry naturally. If you decide to use an iron, then use a steam iron on low heat. After cleaning, reprime if necessary to maintain the shower-repellant finish. It is important to note that colors may lighten after cleaning.
Machine washing is not recommended, but the double-textured fabric used in Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli mackintoshes can actually be washed in a modern washing machine with a delicates or wool programme. The fabric will not shrink or delaminate, the color may change – lighten, but not more than when washing by hand. If the raincoat is machine washed, the pre-shrunk wool lining may still shrink and any genuine leather buckles may begin to fall apart. After a good rinse with plenty of cold water to remove any residue will ensure an even colour, this can be done using a shower head in the shower or bath, or even a garden hose if you have the option. After rinsing it is best to hang your Macintosh on a wide plastic hanger on the clothes dryer.
To maintain the beauty of your Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli raincoat, there is no need to iron or refinish the rainproof finish as the mackintosh will remain waterproof due to the hidden waterproof membrane, but leaks may occur at the stitching points if the rainproof finish is somehow damaged worn out. Iron the garment only from the inside, using a modern steam iron, which will have a Teflon backing to prevent the surface from shining. Remove all detachable items and iron separately. Pressure can be applied to any area where there is only one layer of fabric.
During ironing it is only necessary to use light pressure or no pressure at all on areas where there are folds or 2 layers of fabric. To restore the rain-resistant finish, you can purchase a product from specialized camping equipment stores and look for products that are used to repair cotton clothing and follow the instructions for proper use. To extend the life of your Macintosh, hang it to dry in a well-ventilated area and make sure it is completely dry before long-term storage.
In today’s story I present to you this unusual Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli yellow double breasted raincoat which is ideal for rainy and windy weather. A yellow raincoat is needed by every man during the autumn and winter period, and this raincoat can be worn on all occasions and has a special and elegant charm. It is important to note that this raincoat is extremely light and I liked this interesting colour.
If you want to stay updated and find out what new products Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli, a luxury Irish rainwear brand, has prepared for us, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
My dear fashionistas, we have come to the end of the fourth fashion story from the series of posts from Ireland, where we together discover the beauty and brilliance of the sustainability and heritage of real Irish wool with luxury Irish knitwear brand Ériu, the beauty of rainwear with Irish brand Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli, the beauty of urban tailoring with Italian brand Brunello Cucinelli and the beauty of Italian comfort with Dolce & Gabbana, partners with whom fashion stories are a real adventure. I sincerely hope you got some inspiration for your ideal winter outfit!
In the following posts, I will try to show you the beauty of the capital of Ireland – Dublin, as well as some natural beauties of Ireland with unusual fashion stories I made there. Today’s fashion story would not be possible without the selfless help of Enterprise Ireland, Black Tie Chauffeur, Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence in collaboration with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Ireland.
Today I tried to show you the beauty of elegance and refinement of luxury fashion in the natural beauty of Ireland, that’s why I prepared this outfit for you with a lot of love, I believe you will like it. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or any message for me, you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via email or social media channels, which you can find on the CONTACT page. See you soon!
With Love from Ireland,
Mr.M
This post is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, Black Tie Chauffeur and Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence, as well as Mackintosh Ireland by Francis Campelli, Ériu, Brunello Cucinelli and Dolce & Gabbana brands. This post is my personal and honest review of their products.