The Clarendon Collective is an exciting pop-up on Clarendon Street, displaying wares from a number of female-led Irish brands.
Running until January, with luxury clothing, table linens, home fragrances, handbags, and more, the pop-up is a celebration of Irish goods, and an opportunity for business owners to have a temporary home in Dublin city centre.
One such business-owner is TV presenter Anna Daly, who founded her online clothing brand, Little Bliss, in 2021.
"The next step for me was to have people be able to walk into a retail space and touch and feel and try on the pieces," Anna explains.
"It's daunting to go out and take on a lease - particularly in Dublin city centre - on your own as a small brand. To be able to be part of a collective of women who are at very similar stages of their business journey was exactly what I needed."
The shop consists of Anna Daly's Little Bliss; Alison Banton's Brooke & Shoals candle range; Kasia Gaborec McEvoy and Brendan McEvoy's handbag brand My Name is Ted; Charlene Flanagan and Niamh Ryan's Ella & Jo Cosmetics; artwork from Sarah Wickham Designs; Hollianne Phelan’s Cotone Collection of loungewear, plus a selection of pieces from The Designed Table.
"Every woman has her own wheelhouse of expertise," Anna beams, explaining that, as a TV presenter, she's been happy to handle the press, whereas artist Sarah Wickham jumped in to lend her expertise to the shop's logos and graphics.
"No one expects anything back, everyone is just doing their bit, right down to painting the walls and locking up the shop," she explains. "It feels like, genuinely, really collaborative."
Daly's own "side hustle" is an ethical clothing brand that focuses on staple pieces that will have kids and grown ups looking effortlessly stylish in every day life.
"I try and make everything in Little Bliss season-less and timeless," Anna explains. "When I'm deciding on things, I genuinely think 'could I see this in a beautiful, timeless ad?'
Looking at her latest collection, Daly explains that the 'Christmas dress' is really just a wool dress that can be styled in any number of ways.
"The idea is that you should be able to wear it how you want to wear it, and you should have it for years to come," she explains. "It's about investing in the day to day rather than the one offs."
Reflecting on the sheer number of Irish brands booming in 2023, Daly says that she is endlessly impressed with Ireland's entrepreneurship.
"You could literally buy everyone - your family, all your mates, your Kris Kindles presents - from Irish companies and they'd be really nice brands, do you know what I mean? You're not doing any favours."
As for her own line, does she have any recommendations for under the Christmas tree?
"The mum and mini stripes are a gorgeous present," she says. "There's loads of different colours and it come in a beautiful v-neck."
The Clarendon Collective can be found on 40 Clarendon Street, Dublin.
