Caoimhe Dowling
Caoimhe’s work is inspired by the natural world. Growing up in County Kerry, on the southwest coast of Ireland, she says that it was impossible not to be affected by the landscape.
Caoimhe Dowling is an Irish designer based in Copenhagen. She graduated with a Masters in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles from The Royal Danish Academy in Copenhagen in 2022. Her work centres around sustainable design tenets such as localism and longevity, and the use of unique, sustainable textiles through a combination of newly developed artisanal wool and repurposed deadstock materials.
Caoimhe feels that fashion can be frivolous, but that it can also be a way to perform activism. She sees fashion as a language, as a way to express oneself without words but notes the responsibility that the fashion industry now has to reduce the detrimental impact that fast fashion is having on the planet.
‘As a designer, I work with a holistic approach to sustainability’, says Caoimhe. She feels that there isn’t just one specific area where improvements need to be made, but that all elements of the fashion industry from materials to the workforce need to be looked at. Caoimhe says that ‘if there was ever a time to be a fashion activist, it’s now’ and that ‘if we care about our future on this planet, a systematic change needs to happen and that involves a major shift in mind-set around how we make and use clothing’.
Caoimhe’s work is inspired by the natural world. Growing up in County Kerry, on the southwest coast of Ireland, she says that it was impossible not to be affected by the landscape. ‘I think the landscape in itself, inspires me more than anything else’, says Caoimhe. The woven textiles she designed with Sam Goates of Woven in the Bone, an independent weaving mill based in the northeast coast of Scotland, were also inspired by the Irish landscape and the various colours and textures found within it.
Caoimhe describes using Donegal Yarns in the textiles as a natural decision and says that the process they use to create their yarn is ‘breath taking’. She visited them in Kilcar, Donegal last December and was totally inspired by their passion and dedication for the craft of creating yarn.
‘I am inspired by how Irish mythology and folklore personifies the otherworldliness of the Irish landscape through stories and poems’ says Caoimhe. She says that, more than anything, Irish mythology and folklore show the great respect we used to have for nature adding ‘I’d like to bring that back through my work’.
Caoimhe notes the revitalisation of Irish culture lately among young artists across multiple mediums. She thinks that it is part of a generation trying to reclaim a lost heritage as evidenced by the cultural revival of the Irish language and different crafting traditions. ‘It feels liberating to be part of a generation that can take ownership of our identity’, she says.
According to Caoimhe, the Nordic countries do sustainability well. She says that ‘even the playgrounds in Scandinavia are beautifully made with wood from old trees which blend into the environment. I’m inspired by the use of natural colours and materials and the great respect for craftsmanship and design’.