Posts tagged Made in Ireland

Fashion Diary of Mrs. Mom: Lanificio Colombo, the Finest Noble Fibres from Italy

Fashion Mrs. Mom Outfit Post 6 Comments

My dear fashionistas, welcome to another fashion story on the pages of the Mr.M blog! For years, I have been trying to justify your trust and to inspire women in their prime to change the way they look at life and introduce novelty into their everyday life through my vision of fashion. Today I will present to you some new fashion novelties that have arrived in my wardrobe – Lanificio Colombo, George Horn and LANDA.

This unexpected hobby of mine and writing fashion stories became interesting to me because I noticed that people found my stories interesting and inspiring. Honestly, I did not expect that my writing of fashion stories would be such a success, and I am immensely grateful for your wonderful messages, as well as for the selfless support you give me every day.

Today I will introduce you to one of the most famous Italian brands of quiet luxury because this brand is extremely popular in the world due to its distinctive refined elegance and minimalism, characteristics that normally adorn all famous brands that stand out as representatives of quiet luxury.

Lanificio Luigi Colombo is the world’s largest producer of cashmere and fine fibres fabrics. Transforming cashmere, stronger cashmere, jaggery, goat wool, guanaco, vicuña and camel hair into products that express the family’s passion for precious fibres. Interpreting the spirit of our time through the quality culture of Lanificio Colombo products.

There are words that are used day by day so excessively and often without thinking that their true meaning is diluted. Words like luxury and quality are often followed by adjectives that end up giving a completely different meaning. For example, “affordable luxury” is used to elevate products that are simply well-made.

To recover this sense of expression that needs to be handled with care, it is enough to get to know the Colombo family. They represent an ideal of perfection that requires a truly strong will. It is a subtle balance that arises from contrasts – speed/slowness, modernity/tradition, the hallmark of this particular style that transforms the luxury of cashmere, guanaco and vicuña into an experience of personal pleasure, without a hint of ostentatiousness.

These processes could be described as “moral” because Lanificio Colombo adheres to the most ethical principles while respecting both nature and man. Above all, this means preserving the principles of respect and the code of conduct that Mr. Luigi Colombo left as a legacy to future generations. It was 1938 and Luigi was eleven years old when his seriously ill father Roberto gave him a moral will that his grandchildren still follow today. It also happens in a land of Calvinist austerity, where work is a value that affects life and behavior and where people put their heart into their work.

The Lanificio Luigi Colombo brand is named after its founder. A very charismatic artist and researcher, from the very beginning he focused his attention on the niche sector of precious fibers. The 1970s brought a second generation to the company. After laying the foundations of a solid entrepreneurial capacity, the change of generations was a turning point for the company’s success at the international level. Important and constant investments in technology and research and development, in support of a workforce rich in valuable artisanal skills, have been the guidelines for the development of Lanificio Colombo.

The Lanificio Colombo brand is one of the few that always faithfully adheres to ethical codes in order to protect the environment, animals and domestic population, and follows its ecological business growth strategy. With the completion of the “BE GREEN” sustainability project, new important goals have already been achieved. The moral will that Mr. Luigi Colombo, the founder of the company, handed down to his son Roberto is still valid today, respecting the teachings of those who preceded them in order to pass them on to future generations to come.

The entire production takes place in two Italian historical factories, Borgosesia and Ghemme: from the precise selection of fibers to their transformation into yarn, then into fabric and further production into garments. Verticalization of the process is a characteristic of the production chain to ensure the highest quality. For fabric production alone, there are 94 production cycles with 18 intermediate controls. Through this mission, Lanificio Colombo has become a protagonist in the world panorama of precious fiber products. The company is proud to list among its clients the most prestigious names in the international fashion world.

True values, deeply rooted and transmitted, are the foundations of the Lanificio Colombo brand culture. Knowledge that becomes inimitable expertise, a way of life that transcends work and goes back to reveal the Colombo values. Testimony of people who love precious fibers. Their passion, their lifestyle. Values ​​become culture, and culture becomes quality.

Lanificio Luigi Colombo is a world leader in the production of cashmere and precious fiber fabrics. Raw material research, high technology and many years of craft experience are characterized by a philosophy in which values ​​become culture, and culture becomes quality. It’s a simple story about hard work.

What fashion lovers don’t know is that about 250 tons of raw materials are shipped every year directly from Mongolia to the Borgosesia factory, where they are put into production about two years later. It is a long journey that represents the end of constant research carried out directly by the family in order to select the best raw materials. The decision to travel thousands of kilometres to distant, climatically inhospitable places and the relationship with Mongolian communities that is renewed every spring, are an expression of the passion that the Colombo family has for the precious fibre.

All those who work in the textile department and in the luxury goods department at Lanificio Colombo are aware that the knowledge of the transformation of the world’s finest fibers is passed down through the generations. At Lanificio Colombo, every employee is aware that they are handling the best raw materials in the world. It is knowledge that has been passed down through the generations and covers the transformation of raw materials, both in textile and ready-to-wear, into semi-finished and finished products.

The luxury collection is an extension of the textile department. The multitude of proposals that are part of the collection of soft accessories, baby cashmere knitwear and luxurious outerwear are a direct expression of the company’s philosophy. A philosophy that goes beyond fashion and becomes a lifestyle.

It is nature that inspires the creation and refined colours of the Lanificio Colombo collections. The skillful hand of man gives shape to materials. Lightness and elegance are a mirror of natural elements transformed by time, from season to season. Yarns and fabrics created with respect for people, animals and the environment are transformed into clothes with timeless charm.

It all started with the most precious precious fibers. This fashion story is a 50-year long journey driven by passion, research, creativity and investment that has marked the path of an extraordinary adventure of the Colombo lifestyle. Distribution in the most important department stores and in prestigious specialised stores was followed by the opening of mono-branded boutiques of the Lanificio Colombo brand. What Luigi sowed is now ripe and blooming. Younger generations will have to continue on the paths set by the founder and share the same goals with the same passion.

Lanificio Luigi Colombo is one of the few luxury fashion houses that always carefully adheres to all ethical codes in order to protect the environment, animals and natives and follows its ecological business growth strategy. New important goals have already been achieved and new projects are underway. Transforming precious fibers into excellent fabrics, guaranteeing full traceability, as well as offering a green world to future generations.

What does a sustainable Lanificio Colombo world look like? BIO Supply Chain: Protecting Kashmiri Goats, Inner and Outer Mongolia Herding Community and Ensuring Traceability throughout the Production Process, resulting in Eco-Friendly Products. This is the first example of an integrated and certified precious fiber supply chain. BIO CASHMERE® fabrics are made in accordance with the ecological and social criteria defined by the Global Standard for Organic Textiles (GOTS), and those with a natural fiber content of more than 95% are certified organic.

The certificate of conformity guarantees the entire bio process of the product with strict and rigorous evaluation criteria for all stages of production, thus ensuring complete traceability. The control of the entire chain starts with the organic raw material and continues throughout the transformation process. All production flow units must have an adopted environmental protection policy with specific procedures that enable proper management and continuous monitoring of ecosystem protection rules.

In today’s fashion story, I present to you a timeless Coat made of baby camel hair and mohair with a check print. The coat is made of baby camel hair, mohair and wool to give it a more colorful and original look while maintaining refined elegance and an elegant style.

The precious fabric of baby camel hair, mohair and wool is produced directly by Lanificio Colombo. From the search for the best raw material in the country of origin to the production of the finished product, all production processes are monitored and controlled by the Colombo family to ensure and guarantee the highest quality.

If you want to know more about Lanificio Colombo, a prestigious brand of precious fibres and luxury knitwear, and discover what their team has prepared for the new season, visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

OUTFIT

Coat: Lanificio Colombo

Pearl Necklace: Piece from Personal Collection

Earrings: Piece from Personal Collection

Bag: LANDA

Turtleneck: Max Mara via MYTHERESA

Trousers: Max Mara via MYTHERESA

Gloves: George Horn

Shoes: Tod’s via MYTHERESA

The second brand I want to introduce to you today comes from Ireland. It is a brand that has an extraordinary passion for leather and craftsmanship – LANDA. Born in Argentina, a nation known for its cattle ranches and love of red meat, Silvana Landa’s cultural heritage is closely tied to the land and its animals. From an early age, she grew up watching her Italian grandfather work leather in his shoemaker’s workshop, obtained from her uncle’s raw material store. Forced to emigrate to South America after fighting in World War II, he started his shoe business from scratch in Argentina, learning the trade intuitively. Her grandmother was a pantsuit maker and extremely hardworking. They were a pair of independent business people in the simplest way.

The LANDA brand was founded in 2018 by Silvana, following in her grandfather’s footsteps. All LANDA bags and fashion accessories are made with love from the highest quality raw materials and finished to perfection. The design is modern, beautiful and, most importantly, super functional.

The idea that reflects this brand is the memory of the work of Silvana’s blanket and his hands working on the tanned leather, the rich, earthy aromas of the workshop and the sound of the sewing machines. He also did a lot of hand sewing. Sometimes he would let her help with the finishing process; brushing or painting the edges of each shoe. As a working professional and mother of two children, Silvana is constantly on the move; travels, has a very active life. She learned to always juggle several bags at once and started looking for a great solution to meet her daily needs.

She wanted something roomy yet stylish – something like a bulky living bag from the local supermarket! What she discovered was a gap in the market and saw the possibility of a new business opportunity. With fond memories of her grandfather working in his leather workshop, it seemed a natural step to start designing bags that were roomy and practical, but made from beautiful high-quality leather.

My outfit today is adorned with the PANAMA Oversized black bag, a model that has truly become an exciting accessory for the LANDA brand. This large bag in the style of relaxed urban elegance is very cool! It is characterized by a sporty, boxy shape and a large capacity for storing everyday necessities.

The special feature of this bag is that it can be worn in 3 ways and the shape itself changes completely! To be worn as is, or folded in half, or using a small strap, this bag takes on a cool trapeze shape. The Panama bag model is available in black, dark grey and burgundy.

The next brand that I want to present to you today is one of the representatives of luxury Irish leather goods with a long tradition and rich history – George Horn.

George Horn is a third generation glove maker based in Dublin. Founded by George in the 1940s and continued by his son Brian, the company is now run by Brian and his son Gerard. With a passion for quality, authenticity and respect for their craft and artistry, George Horn produce the finest hand-stitched gloves available on the Irish market.

After 77 years of craft, expertise, excitement, many successes and failures, and the hard work of 3 generations of one family, the continuation of George Horn not only sees the survival of the last master glove maker in Ireland, but also heralds a new era of those learning the trade. George Horn is also engaged in the training and education of leather artisans and glove makers to ensure that these age-old skills are preserved in a sustainable and sustainable way.

What is the story of this family brand? During the 1960s, the George Horn Company prospered and gained a reputation for the highest quality gloves. Sales reached across the globe from Japan to the US and included household names such as Harrods and Christian Dior. George Horn gloves have enjoyed a reputation at Bloomingdales, Saks of Fifth Avenue and Roots in New York for the highest standard of materials and quality in the manufacture of gloves from motorcycle gloves to Irish Army service gloves and other models. Mr. George expanded the Ashtown factory and the company’s success seemed boundless.

A little later, in 1972, a fire destroyed the Ashtown premises, destroying much of the old machinery. Unable to obtain spare machines that he felt were up to the appropriate standards, George ceased making gloves. Business continued as the Castleknock Glove Company produced industrial gloves, specialty gloves and small series such as gloves for Irish Army officers, and also began supplying leather to the craft market. George’s son, Brian, became involved in the company in the 1960s, initially selling in Ireland and then around the world, then learning the trade of a master glove maker from his father. To this day, it is Brian who cuts the gloves and oversees the sewing and finishing of all George Horn gloves.

After a fire in 1972, the company moved to Prussia Street, trading as The Castleknock Glove Company, but the collapse of Irish manufacturing and the age of mass importation saw the business close in 2003. A switch to supplying leather and tools began and Brian kept his glove manufacturing on a small scale to order for the next 15 years.

After the UK glove manufacturer closed, Brian secured old machinery, knives and equipment to match that originally lost in the 1972 fire. While some would argue that modern machines can do the job, for Brian it just wasn’t right and finding the right equipment provided the impetus and motivation to begin a two year process of testing, tweaking and refining until 2020, a watershed year and a beautiful moment of rebirth for the George Horn glove brand.

In today’s post you have the opportunity to see a masterpiece of the George Horn brand, women’s hand-stitched long gloves made of leather and lined with pure silk. Experience the ultimate in luxury with these George Horn Women’s Handmade Long Leather Gloves. Elevate your style with the George Horn Four Button Gloves, the perfect sophisticated accessory designed for timeless elegance. These mid-length gloves stretch gracefully, creating an elegant and elongated silhouette that perfectly complements formal and semi-formal attire.

Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, these gloves feature a row of four stylish buttons, adding a refined touch to their classic design. Made from 100% silk, they feel luxurious against the skin, offering unparalleled comfort and breathability. Perfect for special occasions or when you simply want to add a touch of understated glamour, four-button gloves are a true testament to the art of fine glove craftsmanship. Indulge in the perfect combination of style, comfort and craftsmanship.

If you want to stay up to date and find out what novelties the George Horn luxury brand of gloves has prepared for us, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

If it weren’t for my friends from MYTHERESA, a shopping platform that represents a real fashion treasure trove for all men and women fashion lovers, pieces like the Max Mara turtleneck sweater and trousers and these gorgeous Tod’s shoes wouldn’t be in this blog post on the Mr.M blog today. I am very grateful to the MYTHERESA platform for the trust shown and the wonderful cooperation, and I would like to take the opportunity to once again thank the MYTHERESA team from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful cooperation.

This time I decided to complete my outfit with shoes from the Italian brand Tod’s. There is no person who has not resisted wearing these famous Italian fashion houses, regardless of whether it is a person of female or male gender, Tod’s shoes are loved by the whole planet because of their refined elegance and incredible comfort. The shoes from today’s fashion story are an iconic model with a gold-coloured metal logo, while the shoes are made of black patent leather.

I hope you enjoyed my fashion story today. Soon I will show you new outfits that can serve as inspiration for the new fashion season. See you soon at the same place, with some new interesting story. I will try not to take long breaks and I hope you understand the reason for my unexpected absence, but there will be time to catch up and I am sure I will meet your expectations.

Special Note: All my photos from today’s post have been specially edited to meet the expectations of blog friends, as well as the readers themselves while respecting the aesthetics and guidelines of fashion photography. Unfortunately, the face and neck lifting operations did not go well and due to the negligence of the medical team from abroad, I suffered serious aesthetic and health consequences. In agreement with my legal team, I wrote a post with all the details that can be found on the English international site of the Mr.M blog.

Best regards,

Rose

This post is sponsored by Max Mara and Tod’s from the MYTHERESA e-commerce shopping platform, as well as Lanificio Colombo, Landa, George Horn brands. This post is my personal and honest review of their products.

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Loro Piana: Refinement of Quiet Luxury on the Streets of Dublin…

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My dear fashionistas, welcome to the sixth fashion story in a series of posts from Ireland on the Mr.M blog. This February was 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 Loro Piana, an iconic luxury Irish fashion 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.

With the selfless help of all the mentioned partners, fashion stories and travelogues from Ireland were created, which you had the opportunity to read this February, and I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this interesting adventure. Today I will continue a story about one luxury knitwear Irish brand which caught my attention during the Showcase Ireland trade show – Ériu.

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.

Loro Piana is an Italian company specialised in clothing and textile products. This fashion house is considered the largest producer of cashmere and also the world’s largest artisanal company processing the luxury fiber.

The Loro Piana company has three divisions (textile divisions): a division that deals with the production of high-quality materials using precious fibers such as cashmere and baby cashmere, vicuna, linen and merino wool, a division that deals with the creation of luxury fashion items(production and distribution of men’s, women’s clothing, footwear and fashion accessories) and the interior design department – production and distribution of interior design products.

In today’s post you have the opportunity to see a brown leather jacket from the latest Loro Piana FW24 collection, which is just a small part of my favourites this season due to its distinctive elegance and my love for pastel colours. Crafted from the finest deerskin and lined with baby cashmere, this exquisite dark brown jacket is perfect for the man who pays attention to detail and leaves nothing to chance. Camel trousers are perfect for all occasions and can be easily combined with other colors. They are made of pure baby cashmere.

If you want to stay updated and find out which pieces the Loro Piana brand has in its offer, visit their official online store and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

OUTFIT

Leather Jacket: Loro Piana

Sweater: Ériu

Trousers: Loro Piana

Sneakers: Fratelli Rossetti

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 Camel (Bambi) 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.

We end today’s fashion adventure with old well-known friends of the Mr.M blog – Fratelli Rossetti. This Italian footwear brand that I’m sure everyone recognises for their comfortable shoes that are made from the highest quality materials Fratelli Rossetti footwear is fantastic for the reason that this brand makes classic shoes that are elegant and simply unbeatable, shoes for all time! You had the chance to see their most famous model, the Brera, in my Jordan fashion stories as well as in many other fashion stories on the Mr.M blog over the past years.

What is the story of this brand? In the middle of the 20th century, more precisely in 1945, Mr. Renzo Rossetti started his story from scratch, where he worked alone to cut leather for several types of sports shoes. His shoes were sold at the famous Brigatti store in Milan, one of the few remaining stores of its kind in the city. After a few years, Fratelli Rossetti saw success, but, wanting to develop further, they transferred the brands and equipment for this special production to Atala Sport in Padua.

So they decided to start their story again from the beginning and decided to switch to the production of classic shoes. Those were the years between 1952 and 1957, which witnessed the orientation and acquisition of new skills in the creation of women’s ballet flats and elegant, simple men’s footwear characterized by extremely flexible and high-quality workmanship. All this led to the creation of a small collection of men’s shoes with contours that differed from the various styles sold at the time. Renzo Rossetti consequently engaged in work that demonstrated his aesthetic sense and artistic perfectionism.

The story of the Fratelli Rossetti company is an inspiring story of a successful Italian family business that opened its doors in 1953. This is not just an ordinary company story, but a family story: the founder, Renzo Rossetti, and his wife, Lisetta, were dedicated to their work all their lives. The Fratelli Rossetti company is currently run by the second generation of the Rossetti family, the brothers Diego, Dario and Luca, who, due to their different roles and by developing their own different skills, have successfully brought their company to its 60th anniversary, always in search of quality and united by their passion with strict respect for tradition.

Fratelli Rossetti has a long tradition of “big little innovations”. In this company, tradition and quality have always gone hand in hand with insatiable curiosity and commitment to innovation. From the introduction of tassels and the invention of shoes designed to be worn without socks, to stylistic innovations and the launch of the “masculine” style, to the application of colors in unique chromatic shades. It was Renzo Rossetti who emphasized the importance of embracing new materials, styles and shapes: as early as the 60s, he was already experimenting with different color combinations on leather. Today, the company continues its research and development activities thanks to the knowledge of its craftsmen and the creative spirit of the styling department.

Fratelli Rossetti in its collections for men has timeless classic lines that you can find all year in their offer, some of the models are: Brera, Brera Sport, Hobo Sport, Yacht, La Giusta.

In previous stories you had the opportunity to enjoy the Brera models, but this season I decided to show you the other side of the Fratelli Rossetti brand – the new face of sporty elegance.

In today’s fashion story, I want to present to you the dynamic and metropolitan look of Fratelli Rossetti sneakers from the latest Fall-Winter 2024 collection, which are made of the highest quality soft nubuk leather in dark brown chocolate color. Of course, there is also an insole that can be removed and ventilated. The cupsole features the brand’s logo on the back and is made of flexible, lightweight rubber with a custom tread that lets you feel like you’re walking on clouds.

This sneaker model comes in several variations, mine is dark brown made of nubuck leather, while there are 2 more shades of brown: brown deerskin sneakers and smooth antique-effect leather sneakers in ebony colour. Of course, there are also sneakers in the indispensable classic olive color made of suede leather. In addition to this sneaker model, the Fratelli Rossetti brand offers several other sneaker models, so I am convinced that if you are looking for quality and well-designed sneakers, you can find them in the Fratelli Rossetti collection this season.

If you want to stay freshly updated and find out which models of shoes and leather goods the Fratelli Rossetti brand has in its offer, visit their official online store and follow them on the social networks Facebook and Instagram.

My dear fashionistas, we have come to the end of the sixth fashion story from the series of posts from Ireland, where together we discovered the beauty and splendour of Italian refined fashion with an iconic brand Loro Piana, the luxury and softness of Irish production of luxury knitwear with Ériu and the beauty of the comfort of Italian footwear with Fratelli Rossetti, partners with whom fashion stories are a real adventure. I sincerely hope you got some inspiration for your ideal outfit!

In the following posts, I will try to show you the beauty of the capital of Ireland – Dublin. Today’s fashion story would not be possible without the selfless help of Enterprise Ireland and 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 Dublin,
Mr.M

This post is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence, as well as Loro Piana, Ériu and Fratelli Rossetti brands. This post is my personal and honest review of their products.

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Letters from Ireland: Dublin, a Remarkable City of Love and History…

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My dear travellers and all lovers of unusual trips, welcome to the second travelogue in the series of posts from Ireland on the Mr.M blog. The month of February is 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 exceptionally high quality wool. At the very beginning of today’s travelogue about the capital of Ireland – Dublin, the most famous city of love and history in Europe, I would like to thank the Enterprise Ireland team for the cordial invitation to the 50th anniversary of the three-day Irish craft fair and the Showcase Ireland fair and for enabling cooperation with Irish fashion brands that you had the opportunity to see in fashion stories from Ireland.

If by some 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.

Dublin is Ireland’s capital, situated on a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey in the province of Leinster. The town’s southern border runs along the Dublin Mountains, which are part of the Wicklow mountain range. At the latest census, the inner city region had a population of about 600,000, Dublin and its suburbs had a population of around 1,300,000, and County Dublin had a population of 1,500,000, making it the island’s most populous metropolis.

How was Dublin founded? The Gelli settled in the area about the 7th century, followed by the Vikings. The Kingdom of Dublin expanded to become Ireland’s main settlement following the Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland in the 12th century. Since the 17th century, the city has grown significantly, temporarily becoming the second largest in the British Empire and the sixth largest in Western Europe following the 1800 Act of Union. After obtaining independence in 1922, Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State, which was renamed Ireland in 1937. As of 2018, the Globalisation and World Cities Research Network classified the city as a global metropolis, with a “Alpha Minus” classification that placed it among the top thirty cities in the world.

Dublin’s historic center is surrounded by the Royal Canal and the Grand Canal, bounded to the west by Houston train station and Phoenix Park, and to the east by the IFSC and Docklands. O’Connell Street is a major thoroughfare in the city center and many Dublin bus lines, as well as the Luas Green Line, stop at O’Connell Street. The main shopping streets in the inner city include Henry Street on the north side and Grafton Street on the south side.

Dublin has many landmarks and monuments dating back hundreds of years. One of the oldest is Dublin Castle, which was first established as a great defensive work by order of King John of England in 1204, shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, when he ordered to build a castle with strong walls and good moats for the defense of the city, the administration of justice and the protection of the king. Largely completed by 1230, the castle was of typical Norman courtyard design, with a central square without a tower, bounded on all sides by high defensive walls and protected at each corner by a circular tower. Located south-east of Norman Dublin, the castle formed one corner of the outer perimeter of the city, using the River Poddle as a natural means of defence.

One of the most prominent sights of Dublin is the Dublin Tower, officially called the “Monument of Light”. It is a 121 meter conical tower, made of stainless steel, completed in 2003 and located on O’Connell Street, where it meets Henry Street and North Earl Street. It replaced Nelson’s Column and is intended to mark Dublin’s place in the 21st century. The tower was designed by Ian Ritchie Architects, who sought “Elegant and dynamic simplicity that bridges art and technology”. The base of the monument is illuminated and the top is illuminated to act as a beacon in the night sky across the city.

The old library of Trinity College Dublin, which houses the Book of Kells, is one of the most visited sites in the city. The Book of Kells is an illustrated manuscript made by Irish monks around 800 AD. Ha’penny Bridge, an iron footbridge over the River Liffey, is one of Dublin’s most photographed landmarks and is considered one of Dublin’s most iconic landmarks.

Other landmarks and monuments include Christ Church Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Mansion House, the statue of Molly Malone, the complex of buildings around Leinster House including part of the National Museum of Ireland and the National Library of Ireland, the Custom House and Arras an Uachtarain. Other landmarks include the monument to Anna Livia. Pulbeg Towers are also a landmark of Dublin and can be seen from various places around the city.

Interestingly, there are 302 parks and 66 green spaces in the Dublin City Council area as of 2018. Public parks include Phoenix Park, Herbert Park, St Stephen’s Green, Saint Anne’s Park and Bull Island. The Phoenix Park is about 3 kilometers west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey.

Its 16-kilometer perimeter wall covers 707 hectares, making it one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of lawns and rows of trees, and since the 17th century it has been home to herds of wild fallow deer. The residence of the President of Ireland, which was built in 1751, is located in the park. The park is also home to Dublin Zoo, Ashtown Castle and the official residence of the United States Ambassador. Music concerts are sometimes held in this park.

St Stephen’s Green park is close to one of Dublin’s main shopping streets, Grafton Street, and the shopping center named after it, while the surrounding streets are home to the offices of numerous public authorities.

St Anne’s Park is a public park and recreation facility shared by Raheny and Clontarf, both suburbs on the north side. The park is Dublin’s second largest municipal park, part of a former 2 square kilometer estate that was put together by members of the Guinness family, starting with Benjamin Lee Guinness in 1835. The largest municipal park is located near (northern) Bull Island, which is also shared between Clonley Dolly Beach, not far from Ramount.

Which sights should not be missed if you are visiting Dublin? Trinity College is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the Irish capital, due to the unusual treasures housed in the Old Library, built by Thomas Burgh between 1712 and 1732. The main reason for the large number of tourists is the famous Book of Kells, an amazing, illuminated manuscript of the four gospels of the New Testament, which were written around 800 AD. created by monks on the Scottish island of Iona, but even more stunning is the 65-meter long room, the main chamber of the library, which houses about 200,000 volumes of the oldest library.

Dublin Castle (Dublin Castle), this castle has been the stronghold of British power in Ireland for over 700 years, beginning with the Anglo-Norman fortress commissioned by King John in 1204. Only the Record Tower, which was built in 1258, remains of the original structure, while most of what you can see today was built from the 18th century onwards, but believe me, parts of this castle are still impressive.

Christ Church Cathedral is a magnificent cathedral that was originally designed to be seen from the river, make the effort to walk up to it, to really see its grandeur up to and to truly admire the beauty and grandeur of this religious edifice. The cathedral dates back to 1038, when Sitrich, the Danish king of Dublin, built the first wooden Christ Church here. A little later, in 1171, the original base was expanded in the shape of a cross and rebuilt in stone under the leadership of the Norman warrior Strongbow.

You might think that this is a bit of an unusual tourist recommendation, but if you have time, you must visit Glasnevin Cemetery. Gravestones in Ireland’s largest and most historically important cemetery where you can read like a who’s who of Irish history as most of the leading names of the past 150 years are buried here, including Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stuart Parnell. The cemetery was established in 1832 by O’Connell as a cemetery for people of all faiths – a high-minded response to the refusal of Protestant cemeteries to bury Catholics. There are a lot of organized themed tours of this cemetery so ask around and learn more about Irish history.

During the trip, the hotel where we stay is very important to all of us, because the hotel is our home in the new destination and therefore it is very important to choose a good hotel in each destination. During my stay in the capital of Ireland, my hotel Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence was my home, which is decorated with modern style, comfort and a beautiful atmosphere in the old in the immediate surroundings of the park in the heart of Herbert Park.

Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence is set in a tranquil park in the center of Dublin, this hotel acts as a peaceful and spacious oasis dedicated to providing a luxurious, relaxing city break imbued with high quality hospitality and a thoughtful personal touch.

During my visit to Showcase Ireland, I had the opportunity to stay in a park view studio apartment with a balcony. For those who want to extend their stay and enjoy the hotel a little more, Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence is pleased to offer exclusive Studio Apartments with a balcony that have a magnificent view of the park. Within this distinguished category, this hotel has a select number of Studio Suites, each offering unparalleled views of tranquil Herbert Park.

These studio apartments redefine luxury living, seamlessly blending the comfort of a superior hotel experience with the convenience of a fully equipped kitchenette, ensuring that every moment of your stay is filled with enjoyment and comfort. Perfect for holidaymakers and business guests looking to stay a little longer, the apartments have an integrated kitchen, lounge and dining area, as well as all the amenities you’d expect from a luxury hotel. The Park Residence at the Herbert Park Hotel is the perfect choice for guests looking for both short and long term accommodation in Dublin.

Today I want to introduce you to a truly exceptional Irish brand with a passionate story behind it. This is a story of celebrating true craftsmanship, ethical production, sustainable natural fabrics and the desire to bring each of these together into beautiful, modern and timeless collections of cruelty-free silk sleepwear for men and women, as well as famous award-winning pillowcases.

The Ethical Silk Company is a brand that began its journey in the lush and colorful country of Ireland, brought to life in the hands of Dubliner and wife founder Eva. As a girl, Eva was inspired by her mother’s numerous beauty rituals that she did every day before going to bed with a silk scarf around her pillowcase to protect her skin and hair, and she continued this as an adult when she lovingly founded The Ethical Silk Company, in order to show the world the benefits of sleeping on silk!

The Ethical Silk Company brand, with a lot of hard work and creativity, has undergone a transformation into the much-loved brand it is today. The brand led by a group of 5 business women, Banke (CEO of the company), Fritha (Director for Europe), Margaret (Director for UK), Sade (Director for North America) and Shola (Director for Ireland), who took over from Eva, are now fighting with full force for ethical and slow fashion!

Despite their different stages of life, this team of five fantastic women has many passions that bind them together as one business family. They strive to be uncompromisingly committed to ethical production and fair practices because they firmly believe that everyone should be fairly rewarded for their work and skills, and should be treated with respect. Of course, there is also a love for natural, sustainable fabrics where no animals have suffered in the production process that has as little impact on our planet as possible.

A simple and transparent supply chain. The team of this brand knows their suppliers very well, they build a solid and reliable relationship and during these years they visit them regularly, so they are also considered an extended part of this business family. What’s most important is a deep appreciation of generational, expert craftsmanship and beautiful, high-quality tailoring and merging these into modern, elegant and timeless fashion collections for men and women.

Plus the beauty of hand block printing with each piece being unique and telling its own story. The Ethical Silk Company family is in love with what they do! They never sit still in the world of slow fashion. The future is eco fashion and they are proud that the brand’s Ethical Silk Company clients can have peace of mind knowing that they are not only enjoying the timeless elegance of the men’s and women’s collections, but are supporting the cycle of sustainability and social responsibility, making a statement that luxury and ethics can coexist beautifully.

In today’s post, you have the opportunity to see The Ethical Silk Company men’s silk pajamas, which are proof that elegance can meet comfort when sleeping in natural ivory with navy details. Made from 100% mulberry silk and tailored in a Fairtrade tailoring unit using environmentally friendly mulberry silk. These pajamas are breathable, lightweight and temperature-regulating for the best possible sleep.

These pajamas feature details such as trouser pockets, French seams, mother-of-pearl buttons and navy detailing. These pajamas are machine washable.

The Ethical Silk Company sleepwear is designed to be relaxed for maximum comfort. Since woven silk doesn’t stretch, if you’re ever in doubt about a size, I recommend choosing a larger sleepwear size to allow for extra wiggle room while you sleep. In this way, you will allow yourself maximum comfort so that you can truly enjoy the beauty and benefits of silk.

This time I have a surprise for all Mr.M blog readers so with this special code MRM10 you can get a discount of 20% and it can be used on the entire The Ethical Silk Company offer except gift cards and eye masks. This code cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or archive sale.

I would like to give a special thanks to the staff of Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence for their warm welcome and hosting me in their hotel. The stay in their hotel was exceptional, a unique experience that I will remember!

My dear travellers, we have come to the end of this second special travelogue in the series of travelogues about Ireland where we had the opportunity to get to know the capital of Ireland – Dublin and to share with you some interesting tourist attractions that you should visit if your trip leads you to Ireland.

Today’s travelogue would not be possible without the selfless help of Enterprise Ireland and 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. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Ireland.

A person is rich in soul if he has managed to explore the world and I am glad that I always manage to find partners of my projects who help me to discover new and unusual destinations in a completely different way.

I am honoured to have the opportunity to work with many companies and entrepreneurs in different sectors and I would like to thank Enterprise Ireland and Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence once again for this amazing Showcase Ireland adventure and for allowing me to experience in a very different way I feel the beauty of this unusual Irish culture and I feel the beauty of everyday life in Dublin and Ireland in general.

How did you like my story about Ireland and the presentation of the capital of Ireland – Dublin? Have you had a chance to visit Ireland yet?

If you have any question, comment, suggestion or message for me you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via email or social networks, all addresses can be found on the CONTACT page. See you at the same place in a few days, with a new story!

With Love from Dublin,,

Mr. M

This post is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence as well as other local partners. This post represents my personal and honest review of the event experience and the destination itself.

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Ériu: The Brand that Combines Sustainability, Craftsmanship and The Rich Heritage of Irish Wool

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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.

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Bonner of Ireland: Immerse yourself in the elegance of Irish tradition…

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My dear fashionistas, welcome to the first fashion story in a series of posts from Ireland on the Mr.M blog. January and 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 Bonner of Ireland, an 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 January and February, and I sincerely hope that you will enjoy the new adventure. Today I will introduce two Irish brands that caught my attention during the Showcase Ireland trade show – Bonner of Ireland and George Horn.

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.

Bonner of Ireland is a family fashion company dedicated to using traditional crafts to produce quality knitwear from the finest yarns. Their team believes in sustainable design and innovation to provide a product and service that meets and exceeds customer needs. A person wearing a Bonner product will gain a sense of the heritage, tradition and ideals of Donegal in Ireland.

To wear a Bonner creation is to wrap yourself in the essence of Ireland, to carry the deep-rooted traditions of Donegal close to your heart. In every thread, a piece of history; in every weaving of stories. Bonner of Ireland sources its wool from local artisan wool producers: Donegal Yarns. They manage the complete vertical production process from raw wool, through dyeing, mixing, carding and spinning to the finished multi-coloured colored yarn for the weaving, knitting and craft industries. All products are made in Ireland and production takes place at their woollen mill in Kilcar, Ireland.

I believe many of you are wondering how Bonner of Ireland wool is actually made? This famous Irish knitwear brand gets its wool from a variety of sources as each type of wool has a special character that will help when making Bonner of Ireland clothing for women and men. One of the most important wool suppliers is the local artisan wool manufacturer Donegal Yarns. The Bonner of Ireland team have been kind enough to share with me the in-depth story of how their wool is made and I’ll do my best to bring that processing to you.

Donegal Yarns was founded in the 1970s by ‘Gaeltarra’ when they built a spinning mill in Kilcar supplying tweed effect yarns to the international and local craft industries. Some time later, the company was renamed Donegal Tarns in 2008 to reflect their unique flecked/nepp effect yarn.

They manage the complete vertical production process from raw wool, through dyeing, mixing, carding and spinning to the finished multi-coloured colored yarn for the weaving, knitting and product making industries. All products are made in Ireland and production takes place at their woollen mill in Kilcar.

The wool making process begins with wool sorting at Donegal Yarns, where wool sorting experts meticulously organize and process wool from the local area which has been thoroughly cleaned and well scoured. The next process is dyeing the wool, where the manager of the dyeing department creates different recipes creating a unique palette of colors. The team finds inspiration in Irish culture and tradition, where the most commonly used colors are brown and red raised bogs and green hedgerows and rich forests.

The process that follows is the blending process, that is, the mixing process where the colors are evenly mixed to ensure consistent shading in the color match. This is crucial when combining different fibers such as merino wool with cashmere or merino wool with mohair.

After that, the mixtures are subjected to carding, a new process or method that involves passing them through fine metal teeth. The wool’s inherent crease is straightened during carding, aligning the fibers for the spinning process.

The most important thing that comes next is yarn spinning, better known as the Post-carding process, the roving goes through spinning, where the fibers are elongated and twisted to a certain degree, creating a yarn. For some types of yarn, multiple strands of individual yarns can be interlaced to achieve a desired weight suitable for different uses.

The yarn is wound into buckets as a preparatory step for scouring and cleaning the wool. In the scouring process, the yarn is fed into the machine and continuously moves through multiple baths. The first two baths are filled with cleaning detergent, followed by rinsing in the last two baths before the yarn is hung to dry.

After the spinning or twisting process is completed, the yarn is either packed into cones or formed into balls or skeins, based on the customer’s order. After that, they are prepared for storage in the warehouse and possible shipment.

I have tried to briefly explain to you the history of weaving and creation of wool. I will do my best to introduce you to the rich heritage of Donegal tweed at Bonner of Ireland. The craft, which dates back to the 1800s, was revived with the introduction of spinning wheels and linen looms by the Royal Ulster Linen Manufacturers. In the late 19th century, Donegal tweed gained international recognition, known for its unique patterns and textures.

In the misty expanses of Donegal, where stories are spun as fine as wool, the craft of tweed-making whispers a tale as old as the hills of Ireland themselves. Since the dawn of the 1800s, in the cozy cottages that dot the southwest of this rugged land, skilled and hardworking hands have spun, woven and woven the essence of Donegal into every thread. Here, where the wild Atlantic touches the shore, a mixture of native and foreign wools would come to life under the skillful touch of these artisans.

The wool, dyed in hues rich in Irish folklore, would be spun into threads of destiny, some finding their way into warm garments and others into the hands of local weavers, destined to become the famous Donegal tweed. This tweed, a fabric of survival and beauty, clothed the local population and traveled further afield, carrying with it the spirit of Donegal. And so it was, until the twilight of the eighteenth century when the Royal Ulster Clothiers breathed new life into this age-old craft, bringing linen spinners and looms to Donegal homes, heralding the dawn of the nineteenth-century native tweed industry.

However, it was not until the 1880s that Donegal tweed would find its modern voice, through the vision of Mrs. Alice Rowland Hart, an English philanthropist with a heart as big as the sea. In 1883, she saw the rugged beauty of Donegal and the deep poverty of the people who lived there. Touched, she appealed for public generosity, but her vision progressed – to revive local cottage industries, especially tweed weaving.

Thus was born the Donegal Industrial Trust, a beacon of hope and craft. By 1884, Donegal tweed graced the London International Health Exhibition, a triumph that led Hart to set up shop in London. Working closely with local weavers, Hart wove new designs into Donegal tweed fabric, experimenting with colors from Ireland’s own flora, earning accolades and honours. Her vision spread in 1885, reaching out to Irish women, inviting them to participate in the revival of embroidery, which led to the birth of the Kells Embroidery Schools. Here, the ancient art of Irish and Eastern design flourished once again on canvas, a testament to Ireland’s timeless craftsmanship.

After learning all this information, it was a pleasure for me to present this particular brand to you on the Mr.M blog. My outfit today is decorated with a sweater from the special Bonner of Ireland collection. Meticulously crafted from the finest Donegal wool, this classic style celebrates the rugged beauty and vibrant colors of Irish tradition and culture in the surroundings of South West Donegal. This sweater keeps you warm and cozy, making it an ideal choice for layering or as a stand-alone piece. I enjoyed the luxurious softness and warmth of the 100% fine wool that comes from Donegal Yarns.

If you want to stay updated and find out what new things Bonner of Ireland, a luxury brand of Irish knitwear, has prepared for us this fashion season, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

OUTFIT

Shearling Coat: Brunello Cucinelli

Sweater: Bonner of Ireland

Trousers: Brunello Cucinelli

Gloves: George Horn

Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana

The next Irish brand that I want to introduce to you is one of the representatives of luxury Irish leather goods with a long tradition and rich history – George Horn. As a big fan of luxury and high-quality leather goods, at Showcase Ireland I had the honor of meeting Mr. Gerard Horn, manager of the George Horn brand that produces luxury leather gloves.

George Horn is a third generation glove maker based in Dublin. Founded by George in the 1940s and continued by his son Brian, the company is now run by Brian and his son Gerard. With a passion for quality, authenticity and respect for their craft and artistry, George Horn produce the finest hand-stitched gloves available on the Irish market.

After 77 years of craft, expertise, excitement, many successes and failures, and the hard work of 3 generations of one family, the continuation of George Horn not only sees the survival of the last master glove maker in Ireland, but also heralds a new era of those learning the trade. George Horn is also engaged in the training and education of leather artisans and glove makers to ensure that these age-old skills are preserved in a sustainable and sustainable way.

What is the story of this family brand? During the 1960s, the George Horn Company prospered and gained a reputation for the highest quality gloves. Sales reached across the globe from Japan to the US and included household names such as Harrods and Christian Dior. George Horn gloves have enjoyed a reputation at Bloomingdales, Saks of Fifth Avenue and Roots in New York for the highest standard of materials and quality in the manufacture of gloves from motorcycle gloves to Irish Army service gloves and other models. Mr. George expanded the Ashtown factory and the company’s success seemed boundless.

A little later, in 1972, a fire destroyed the Ashtown premises, destroying much of the old machinery. Unable to obtain spare machines that he felt were up to the appropriate standards, George ceased making gloves. Business continued as the Castleknock Glove Company produced industrial gloves, specialty gloves and small series such as gloves for Irish Army officers, and also began supplying leather to the craft market. George’s son, Brian, became involved in the company in the 1960s, initially selling in Ireland and then around the world, then learning the trade of a master glove maker from his father. To this day, it is Brian who cuts the gloves and oversees the sewing and finishing of all George Horn gloves.

After a fire in 1972, the company moved to Prussia Street, trading as The Castleknock Glove Company, but the collapse of Irish manufacturing and the era of mass importation saw the business close in 2003. A switch to supplying leather and tools began and Brian kept his glove manufacturing on a small scale to order for the next 15 years.

After the closure of the glove manufacturer in the UK, Brian secured old machinery, knives and equipment to match that originally lost in the 1972 fire. While some would argue that modern machines can do the job, for Brian it just wasn’t right and finding the right equipment provided the impetus and motivation to begin a two-year process of testing, tuning and refining until 2020, the year that marked the turning point and of the beautiful moment of the rebirth of the George Horn glove brand.

In today’s post you have the opportunity to see the masterpiece of the George Horn brand, men’s hand-stitched gloves made of Peccary’s leather and lined with pure cashmere. Experience the height of luxury with these George Horn handmade leather peccary gloves. Peccary, the world’s most exclusive glove leather, is prized for its unparalleled softness, durability and natural grain. These gloves are a testament to the skill and expertise of George Horn’s skilled cutters and makers, demanding the highest level of craftsmanship in every detail.

Completely hand-stitched, these gloves exude elegance and refinement. “Greek Dots” – slightly raised, meticulously stitched lines on the back – add a prominent and textured finish, fusing tradition with unique craftsmanship. Inside, the gloves are lined with 100% pure cashmere, providing unparalleled warmth and a soft feel against the skin. These gloves are designed to complement any outfit while providing exceptional comfort while embodying timeless sophistication and elegance.

If you want to stay up to date and find out what novelties the George Horn luxury brand of gloves has prepared for us, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Fashion pieces from the Brunello Cucinelli collection are made so that they can last for seasons and years with the guarantee that you can leave something of exceptional quality to your descendants with a timeless cut that will always be fashionable. Each manufactured piece is designed so that it does not follow blind trends, but on the contrary remains its own and consistent with the style of timeless elegance and refinement. Brunello Cucinelli is a brand that cherishes the values of “quiet luxury”, that’s why you’ll never see an aggressive brand logo on their clothes, leather goods or other fashion accessories, but the design and material will tell the story for themselves.

Brunello Cucinelli is an Italian luxury fashion brand that sells menswear, womenswear and accessories in Europe, North America and East Asia. The company was founded by Mr. Brunello Cucinelli in 1978. Mr. Cucinelli started his fashion house in 1978 specializing in Mongolian cashmere clothing for women. Today, the company owns 94 of the 124 stores worldwide. A few years ago, more precisely in January 2017, the company launched its online web store.

Mr. Cucinelli controls and manages the brand through Fedone Srl. Cucinelli’s family fund owns 57% of the company’s shares, and has also set up a special fund for the benefit of his daughters, Camilla and Carolina, to guarantee the proper handover of his eponymous company. This is an inspiring fashion story about a family.

An impressive fact is that the company headquarters is located in a 14th-century castle on top of a hill in the middle of Umbria, an area known as the “green heart” of Italy. Brunello Cucinelli donates 20% of profits to its charitable foundation and pays workers wages that are 20% higher than the fashion industry average. Also interesting information is that the employees of the company have extremely flexible working hours and that e-mails are not allowed after working hours. This is one of the few fashion houses that have such good working conditions, which is commendable in today’s age of classical capitalism.

My outfit today is adorned with two pieces of clothing from the latest Brunello Cucinelli FW 2024/25 collection, this fantastic shearling coat and trousers, which are made of the finest wool. Shearling coat as an indispensable piece of every winter season, this warm coat which is made of the finest alpine goat fur, due to its taupe neutral colour won my heart this winter season. When I got the invitation for this trip to Ireland, I knew immediately that I would bring this fashion piece with me to keep me warm on the windy cliffs of Ireland and I have to admit that I was very comfortable in it considering the low temperatures and high winds on the Cliffs of Moher. Another piece that delighted me this season is the brown trousers made of the finest wool, which went perfectly with my winter outfits this season.

If you want to stay updated and find out what iconic Italian fashion house Brunello Cucinelli has prepared for us this fashion season, follow this brand on social media: Facebook and Instagram.

My dear fashionistas, we have come to the end of the first fashion story in the series of posts from Ireland, where together we discovered the beauty and brilliance of fashion with the Irish brands Bonner of Ireland and George Horn, the beauty of urban cut with the Italian brand Brunello Cucinelli, partners with whom fashion stories 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 Bonner of Ireland, George Horn, Brunello Cucinelli brands. This post is my personal and honest review of their products.

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