Kate Murphy

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Fashion Competition 2026

"Timthriall"- Natural Cycle is my graduate fashion collection that proposes a fully traceable, biodegradable and circular approach to contemporary fashion design. This collection investigates how fashion can exist within natural systems without compromising aesthetic value, shifting away from linear production models towards a materially conscious, environmentally accountable practice rooted in place and traceability. Inspired by the Irish landscape, "Timthriall" positions beauty, function and sustainability not as separate concerns, but as interdependent design principles. "Timthriall" is constructed entirely from natural, reclaimed and fully traceable materials sourced across Ireland and Europe. Irish linen was sourced from Baird McNutt in County Antrim, a heritage mill selected for its certified production systems. Linen yarn was sourced from Safilin in France, providing full traceability documentation from flax origin through to spinning process. Organic certified cotton threads were sourced from AppleOak FibreWorks in County Clare, operating within circular and low-impact production systems. Amber beads were sourced from GoAmber in Estonia, chosen for their verified Baltic provenance and ethical supply chain. Reclaimed wooden and seed beads were recovered from second-hand jewellery, extending the lifecycle of existing materials through reuse rather than extraction. I conducted a carbon footprint assessment on all imported materials, including linen yarn and amber beads. This resulted in emissions below 0.01 kg CO₂e, which is less than boiling a ketlle once. This provided measurable confirmation that international sourcing remained minimal-impact and fully considered. I found Deer antlers in my hometown forest, as they loose their antlers every year around March-April time. I sawed them into coins and drilled tiny holes to create a button. After this I sanded them down and Oiled them with beeswax and coconut oil to give a soft shiny finish. Ensuring that all of my steps and material sourcing was 100% traceable was one of the key elements of this collection. My collection rethinks garment construction through structural smocking, zero-waste pattern cutting and domestic machine knitting. Smocking is used as a primary method of shaping form, replacing conventional dart-based, and fabric cutting construction with calculated fabric manipulation. Through controlled shrinkage and tension mapping, flat textile surfaces are engineered directly onto the body, reducing waste while generating silhouette and structure. Three distinct smocking systems were developed through sampling; Canadian leaf smocking, Four-point flower smocking and a reversible Canadian smock. Each of these techniques calibrated to produce different levels of volume, compression, flexibility and silhouettes. Two smocking techniques, as seen in my look 1 and look 3 garments, allow the garments to be fully reversible and to be worn in different styles. Knitted components were produced using 1 ply linen yarn on a domestic machine using manual tuck techniques which reflect the patterns from poplar tree bark. Adjustable tie systems inside and outside the garments allow for multiple wearing configurations across multiple body types. Look 2 is intentionally fixed using handmade antler buttons as a natural closure system. Natural forms such as moss, tree roots, mycelium growth and poplar bark influence both textile development and surface construction. These references are not aesthetic imitations but structural and material guides that inform how garments are shaped, built and finished. Traditional craft knowledge that I learned through intergenerational making practices and engagement with local farmers and textile practitioners across Ireland, further grounds the collection in a continuity of material understanding and hand-based knowledge. "Timthriall" will return to the Irish soil at the end of its life with zero damage to the earth. The landscape has not only provided me with textile pattern inspiration, but has offered me the sources and materials to make a biodegradable, tracable, modular and most evidently elegant collection of clothes.