Evan O'Toole

I am a student in my final year of BA Fashion Design at The National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland. I am born and raised in Dublin and I'm 22 years old. I have always had a love for fashion since I was very young. My work in the last year or two has been based on Irish history with emphasis on the oppression Ireland faced for 800 years. I have a strong commitment to using 100% natural materials in my work, replacing synthetic fibres with natural alternatives even in the smallest of details such as thread and trimmings. Sustainability plays a huge role in my designs and thinking, I believe that by giving myself the restrictions of only working with natural fibres that my designs have become more interesting and thought out. The majority of my work is based on male sizing but I see myself as a unisex designers. I have deep interest in textiles especially in vintage fabric. I really enjoy beautifully finished clothes with interesting linings, clean finishes and ornate handwork. Some of my favourite designers include John Alexander Skelton and Oliver Church, I enjoy their designs as they always have a sustainable focus and rarely work to the regular fashion calendar but rather present and sell when their garments are 100% ready. I hope that in the future I can work with a similar ethos.