Tag: Interview

  • A catch up with Fresh Cuts Clothing

    A catch up with Fresh Cuts Clothing

    Developing a start up in Ireland can be challenging to say the least. High production costs and a saturated market can leave a company struggling to stay afloat.

    Fresh Cuts Clothing is a fashion lifestyle brand based in Dublin that designs eco-friendly clothes and active apparel. While still in its infancy, having only launched in December last year, the company has already taken part in a national charity campaign and have just released their newest range.

    We spoke with Steven Murphy, founder of Fresh Cuts, about the company’s origins, social responsibility and their plans for 2016.

    First off, how did Fresh Cuts Clothing come about?
    A lot of it came from being unhappy in my previous job and wanting something more exciting and fulfilling in my life. This and the fact I live in t-shirts and hoodies was basically where it started. I had no experience in any of it, but thankfully it’s come a long way since then – or so I hope!

    How do you differentiate yourselves from other clothing companies within the market?
    I like to describe the company as an athleisure wear brand. At the end of the day it is casual clothing that people wear every day and feel comfortable in. I don’t see it on the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week any time soon, but in saying that it does have some great qualities that differentiate it from other clothing companies within the market.

    Our Fresh Designs line are limited edition pieces that are printed on a run of 100. You know buying that t-shirt or jumper that there is only 99 others printed. All these items are screen print, labelled and designed here in Dublin. Our Eco-Cuts line is simple in design, but superior in fabric. We source top of the line fabrics and processes to create that unmissable feel of our hoodies and jumpers. This, coupled with the fact that they are ethically produced under fair working conditions [makes] for a very guilt free purchase!

    Have you faced many challenges as a relatively new start up?
    The company is pretty much a one man band at the minute. Working from a spare room I do everything from website development to sewing labels. As with all start-ups there is always challenges. Time and money has been a huge factor for me so far as I’ve been working by myself.

    My plan was always to start off small and grow naturally. I didn’t have the resources to do it any other way and it’s working out so far. The industry itself is very tough and competing with global brands was always going to be a challenge, but what’s life without a few challenges? It makes it all the more sweet when you succeed.

    fcc_indoors_jm_v1 (2)

    One of Fresh Cut’s main slogans is ‘Designed by you – For you’. Why did you decide to outsource the majority of your designs?
    This was really to build on the commitment of limited edition pieces. Along with wanting to showcase Irish based designers and illustrators, I wanted to have a constant flow of new designs available to the public. I see the brand growing to the size where new designs aren’t available for long once they go online.

    In order to have constant access to new designs I had to open up this facility to work with new designers when this growth is achieved. With most of our designs being done in house at the moment, this is really something that will be built on in the future and something that could potentially be very exciting for the collaborations we come up with.

    As a company, you seem to put a strong emphasis on social change and responsibility through the production of your clothes. Is this something that Fresh Cuts feels very strongly about?
    It’s something I feel strongly about and definitely something I think we should all at least think about! Some clothes now are just becoming disposable, you buy them and throw them out after two washes. It’s great to get a t-shirt for €3, but you need to ask yourself at what cost was this made. I put a lot of effort into the fabrics and the process in which the clothing is made and where I source our products. At the end of the day, some people will appreciate this and some won’t unfortunately.

    How would you describe Fresh Cut’s latest range?
    The line has grown considerably since it launched last Christmas. From the first run of limited edition tee’s to the introduction of the Eco-Cuts range, I still try to keep things simple and in tune with the brand.

    With our new line I really think it’s the quality of the garments that stands out. The materials and processes used to make them make for an incredible feel. This coupled with our exciting designs and unique colours makes for a really exciting line that shouldn’t be missed. It’s something you won’t find any other Irish brand offering at the moment.

    fcc_outdoor_jm_v1Recently you joined forces with the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, Headstrong. Do you plan on working with other charities in the future?
    Yes, 100%. I think if you are in a position to help out in some way, big or small, you should. We had a great response from the Headstrong campaign and raised over €1000 for the charity along with some vital awareness regarding mental health in Ireland.

    I had plans to do one more before the year was out, but as mentioned in the challenges I faced, time and money got in the way of this. I put my own money into the charity tees and it does put a bit of a financial strain on the business, so I wasn’t able to get it worked out before Christmas. However come the new year I hope to do another one for an equally worthy cause that I would be passionate about.

    What can we expect from Fresh Cuts over the next few months?
    Having just launched the new line it is full steam ahead until Christmas. Along with our online store, I have a big presence on the Dublin Market scene. I pop up in various markets throughout the city, but you can catch me in The Designer Mart in Cows Lane every Saturday, Smithfield Market Fair and I will be trading in the I Believe in Christmas market in the IFSC from the 26th November right up until the 23rd of December.

    Early next year I am hoping to get a permanent location in town and am currently working out the details on this, so fingers crossed. This will be the next big step for the company and I see it as a huge move forward with the business.

    For more information about Fresh Cuts Clothing, you can visit their website, Facebook and Twitter.

  • Enda Kenny feels period pain in Repeal The 8th Twitter storm

    Enda Kenny feels period pain in Repeal The 8th Twitter storm

    Many women in Ireland are frustrated with the Government’s lack of action on abortion reform and now some have taken to Twitter to take this frustration out on Taoiseach Enda Kenny himself.

    Led by London based Irish comedian Grainne Maguire, women from all over Ireland are tweeting descriptions of their menstrual cycles to Enda Kenny’s account. The City caught up with Grainne to find out what inspired her to make her uterine activities public.

    “I just thought that since the Government thinks that they can control my body, they should just have all the facts and all the information. So I thought that I should just live tweet my menstrual cycle to the Taoiseach, and since he’s in control of what happens and it’s not my private business, I thought they might as well just know everything.”

    And Grainne wasn’t the only one who was comfortable sharing their period stories with our Taoiseach. The #repealthe8th hashtag on Twitter was filled with gory stories of cramps and moon cups, a response that delighted and surprised Maguire.

    “It was just an idea that popped into my head and I thought this’ll be a bit of craic, although I thought it might be a bit weird, but then I was just tweetin’ away… and everybody got involved and I’m absolutely thrilled. I’m so, so happy… and relieved.”

    Screen Shot 2015-11-05 at 15.37.42Some people have expressed the cynical opinion that, while this is a cute idea, it’s useless overall because Enda Kenny doesn’t run his own Twitter account and is unlikely to see any of these tweets. However Maguire rejects the idea that the tweets are futile.

    “It’s so important to have a sense of humour about something like this even if it is a gallows humour and I just think that it’s anything that reminds people that women aren’t going to go away.

    “We aren’t going to just forget and whether it’s tweeting Enda Kenny or whether it’s campaigning… anything that reminds people that it’s still an issue that a lot of the population is very passionate about is a good thing.”

    Screen Shot 2015-11-05 at 15.35.31The pride is palpable in Maguire’s voice as she describes how Irish women are the funniest in the world, mentioning specifically Tara Flynn and Roisin Ingle who have also thrown their weight behind the abortion debate.

    “They’re incredible women doing great work and I’ve never been so proud to be Irish.”

  • Ireland’s bid for Dublin2020

    Ireland’s bid for Dublin2020

    The people of Dublin are anxiously waiting on November 13 to find out if they will be announced as the European Capital City of Culture for 2020.

    Running for the past 30 years, the European Capital City of Culture is an annual competition between two host countries within the European Union – with the host cities for 2020 being in Ireland and Croatia.

    The winning city within each country will be given the coveted title for a period of one calendar year, and the potential to generate large amounts of revenue in tourism and business.

    Limerick, Galway, the South-East and Dublin are all competing for the title.

    The initiative aims to promote and highlight the diversity of culture across the EU, as well as promoting healthy competition between its members.

    The programme also offers an excellent opportunity to tackle issues within the chosen city, such as homelessness and other social issues.

    Ireland is no stranger to the Capital City of Culture; with Dublin having won the prestigious title in 1991 and Cork following suit in 2005.

    So what exactly is the bid?

    The Dublin 2020 bid is about social change through involvement – so get involved! A team of hardworking journalists, event managers, videographers, photographers, singers, dancers, teachers and everyone in between, have spent months preparing to put the bid forward to the EU.

    The bid is essentially a book filled with thousands of reasons why Dublin is unique, special, and most importantly why we as a county should be chosen.

    Niamh O’Donoghue and Marie Cogan spoke to Dublin’s youngest 2020 campaigner, Jamie Harrington, about the importance of the competition.

    Want to join #TeamDublin? Start spreading the message of the bid and simply inform others. If you think you have a great idea to help boost our chances of winning then get in touch and #TeamDublin will support you as much as they can.

    By Marie Cogan and Niamh O’Donoghue

  • The Irish Way of Living and Dying: An interview with Aoife Kelleher

    The Irish Way of Living and Dying: An interview with Aoife Kelleher

    Aoife Kelleher’s debut feature-length documentary, One Million Dubliners, explores life at Glasnevin cemetery – the final resting place of some of Ireland’s greatest modern heroes.

    Aoife Kelleher pictured second from left
    Aoife Kelleher pictured second from left. Picture courtesy of Aoife Kelleher

    This wasn’t Aoife’s first time to explore the topic of death. Corrigan’s Funeral Home on Aungier Street was the subject of her first documentary as a film student in DIT.

    “I’m sure it sounds incredibly macabre, but I always found that stuff interesting,” she says. “It’s an area that is present for everyone, but not really spoken about.”

    Producer Rachel Lysaght – who thought it was interesting that Glasnevin cemetery had its own marketing department – first approached Aoife about the idea of making a film about the site. The two had previously worked on a number of projects together including a short film called Home for the Irish Film Board’s Reality Bites scheme.

    “Between myself and Rachel and James Mitchell, the executive producer, [we] wrote up the full proposal treatment for BAI submission over the summer of 2013. We got funding in September and we started immediately.”

    one-million-dublinersFrom the outset, One Million Dubliners was not going to be ‘just a historical documentary’ – it would tell modern stories as well.

    “The idea of merging history and the contemporary life of the cemetery was [challenging] from the point of view of how to structure it,” Aoife says. “So I decided to follow the tour.”

    The tour was guided by the late Shane MacThomais, Glasnevin’s resident historian and storyteller, and the leading character in One Million Dubliners.

    “As soon as I was on the tour, it became immediately apparent that he would be one of the central people in the documentary. It just made sense then to follow his tour [throughout the documentary] because he was just so warm and engaging. [He was] so good with everyone, from tourists just off a red-eye flight to kids on a school tour.”

    Aoife clearly has a lot of affection for Shane, which comes across in the documentary. Shane is a very likeable character; a real header who provides comic relief for the audience as well as some intriguing insights about his own perspective on death.

    He was an amazing guy,for us as a film crew and for everyone who visited Glasnevin. He was really, really generous with his time and very, very funny. It was really wonderful spending time with him. If I had a question, he would be great and really helpful about answering…He was great at introducing me to people…It was just a real privilege to get to know him.

    Aoife and the team had one day of shooting left in their budget: Easter Sunday, a significant date in Glasnevin’s calendar. However, Shane died suddenly before filming was complete.

    “I was in the edit with our extraordinary editor Emer Reynolds. We had been in there for two weeks planning the structure and how best to tell the various stories that we had. And then we got the really, really terrible news about Shane. It really was absolutely devastating for everyone. I can’t explain how much of a shock it was…When making a film about the rituals [of death] and talking to people about how they live and die, that will never prepare for the reality of someone actually passing away.”

    Rachel Lysaght and Aoife travelled to Glasnevin to recalculate how they would finish the film.

    They contacted Shane’s family and his colleagues at the Glasnevin Trust to seek advice on how best to complete production.

    “When something like that happens I think you have to acknowledge as a documentary maker…that you have to be guided by other people…Everyone in his family and all of his friends knew he really enjoyed the process of making the film. It captured so much of his work within the cemetery and all that he had done for Glasnevin. His family really wanted him to stay in [the film], and to show everything that he had done.”

    Although Shane steers a lot of the narrative, there is a wealth of strong characters who give an insight into Dublin today and the importance of death and funerals in Irish culture.

    For Aoife, the documentary is not only about Glasnevin:

    I think that in some ways, beyond anything else, it’s about Dublin and it’s about Ireland. It’s about the Irish way of living and dying and how we talk about it and the stories we tell about it. I think that there’s something completely unique and really intriguing about the Irish attitude to life and death. I think that’s what we conveyed above anything else.

    “Every single person we interviewed had a completely different attitude, and a completely different take on life and death and on what happens when we die. That was fascinating.”

    Tracking the common causes of death logged in the death register at the cemetery “teaches you so much about Irish society and inequality” from 1832 to today.

    Having tackled such a universal topic as death, I wonder if One Million Dubliners has influenced Aoife’s view on death:

    “I think that really what the film does is acknowledge that everyone’s view is completely unique and also everyone’s view seems completely offbeat to anyone else’s…I think that what the film does is give everyone the space to explore their own ideas. I think that’s what I’m still doing.”

    One Million Dubliners is out on DVD now.

    Read Conor McMahon’s review of One Million Dubliners on the city.ie.