The Care Label End-of-Year Review
My Top 3 Reflections and Saying Thanks
Welcome to the Care Label End-of-Year Review. Not to sound woke or self-helpy, but as 2023 draws to a close, it’s always good to reflect on what we’ve learned. In recent weeks, I’ve been doing just that, reading between the lines and looking back on each interview to gather all the best bits.
Scroll on down for the Care Label 2023 recapping, full of the highlights and my top 3 reflections this past year.
BUT….before we go any further, a MASSIVE thanks to all the brands, makers and doers for making this happen. It was an absolute pleasure to speak with Ireland’s finest, about clothes, their work and everything in between. More exciting interviews coming soon.
My Top 3 Reflections This Past Year
Firstly, clothes are really, really important. What we wear, are physical creations made up of thread, buttons and zippers. They keep us warm, help us perform and (we hope) make us look good. Along with the material benefits clothes provide, they also help us connect to who we are. The contents of our wardrobes give us a sense of identity, acting as an instrument to help us understand ourselves, and understand others.
Jamie Mann commented on this concept of identity through dress;
Everyone just thinks 'Oh, you're into clothes’ and it's such a trivial thing. But it's such a good indicator of who you are as a person, what your interests are, and what your morals are. It all feeds into who you are. The main thing about clothes and the way we dress is there’s a big element of finding your tribe, your family. It's kind of a signifier of I dress in X way which means I listen to Y music. - Jamie
Who was I 10 years ago? What music did I listen to then? What were my values? Clothes can act as a portal to answer these questions and connect us to the memories of our past. What are the clothes which can help you answer the questions you need answers to?
Molly Walters also commented on this when speaking about her graduate show, ‘Waste Not, Want Not’, a collection of garments inspired by her late Grandmother. She spoke about how clothes give us a sense of self, but also how they are a vehicle to access life’s most important moments;
I remember reading a passage in this book about fabricating memories and how that helps us connect to absence. When I read this, I knew that was it, that’s all I needed to read. So I feel that's how I dress myself every day. I will never leave the house without wearing something of my Mom's or my Granny's. - Molly
Powerful right? We fabricate life’s most significant moments via the clothes we wear. Life’s threads are a tangible substitute for our intangible memory. What better way to materialise our memories than the dress, shirt or shoes we wore at that moment? A friend of Care Label and upcoming interviewee (🤫) speaks about this too when refusing to get rid of clothes from his younger self;
I still have pieces that are worth a fortune but I still haven't gotten rid of them because to me, they remind me of a time when that was what I wanted. Those pieces reflect the person I was at the time.
But what about clothes in our everyday lives? It might sound lofty or cringeworthy, but the daily ceremony of opening our wardrobe is one way to bring us that much-needed spark. What we slink ourselves into each morning gives us that pep in our step, a sense of self, creativity and connection we should all pursue. Jamie again grasped this well when he spoke of it as your daily SWAGGER;
So I think especially with clothing and the way we dress it does give you that kind of I don't know, happiness. There’s a bit of a swagger. - Jamie
As the expression goes, look good, feel good…
The concept of ‘Process’ and how it garners an appreciation for what we eat, drink or wear is something that is discussed in each profile. When I spoke to Aisling Farinella she eloquently captured the importance of process;
‘I think it’s about understanding process. It’s about education; educating people about process. This creates connection with the clothes we wear. That is something that's happening more. We need to understand how things are made, where things are made. - Aisling
Profoundly simple. This is an aspect of life that we no longer have the pleasure of seeing. An insight into the who and where is now the exception, not the rule. But when we are fortunate to lift the veil behind our clothes, coffee and food, the connection to those things becomes infinitely greater. Johann Hari, a leader in the conversation around depression, anxiety and addiction wrote ‘Lost Connections’, with the overall message being that people become depressed not from a chemical imbalance, but due to a lack of connection in their own lives. No connection to people, values, and meaningful work is what leads people to feel hopeless. If I can make a parallel here, seeing process every day is something that connects us to the world around us. The level of thought and work that goes into making things ignites an excitement in all of us.
To conclude on this point, I urge you to seek process in the everyday. Speak to your shopkeeper, barista, butcher or brand owner. Ask them where things come from and how they do what they do. This builds a connection and makes us appreciate the work done by makers and doers. It enriches our lives and will, I think, inspire you.
Simple economics suggests that when something is limited in supply, there is an increased value. No revelation here. We all unfortunately know too well that Ireland doesn’t have a plethora of institutions like the British Fashion Council or the Sarabande Foundation to nurture the talent found on this Island. What is equally unfortunate is the creative brain drain of Irish talent, where we see people leave for London and New York (by necessity) all the time.
Nevertheless, something that is unique, and dare I say beautiful, is the attitude of the people within this creative community. If I were to say there’s one common theme across all the people I’ve profiled, it’s the ferocious and unwavering support everyone has for each other.
Paddy Kirk mentioned this when we spoke;
It’s that sense of community and people getting behind everyone. I’ve never spoke to anyone or interacted with anyone who aren’t excited about what’s going on in Dublin. Everyone wants to help and support each other. There’s no feeling of competition. I think that's something that makes it great here. - Paddy
Charlie and Robbie from Emporium said something similar;
Ah, it’s the close knit community. We get to work with a lot of people that we love and respect. I think it's one of the pros of being in a really small community. Everyone we work with are our friends. - Charlie
That’s something that has always meant a lot to us. You can see how much brands mean to cities. I think that's something that inspires us as a brand as well, to mean something to Dublin. - Robbie
As it’s harder to operate a brand or business like this in Ireland, the network of support is unparalleled. There’s an attitude of determination, but absolute support for everyone else too. At times, we think these two things are mutually exclusive. However, there’s an attitude of ‘the graft’, working twice as hard, but also about getting behind the people in the same boat.
What’s that saying? A rising tide raises all ships…
Lastly, I want to express my sincere thanks to all of YOU! Conducting interviews with people I admire, and for people to enjoy the final product, is rewarding as hell! It comforts me that there is a place for people to tell stories about the clothes we wear. What we clothe ourselves in, is integral to our personal canvas, acting as a gateway to who we are as individuals.
To all the subscribers and followers, thank you. Roll on 2024, with more BIG names and internal dialogues.
All I say is,
Keep reading.
Best,
Care Label x