These three brands are doing the hottest limited-edition clothing drops right now – and they all celebrate Irish culture. Victoria Brunton speaks with the designers to find out more.
Recently, I have been obsessed with three new Irish brands that I stumbled upon via Instagram: Grace Ní Mhealláin, Myrne Collective, and Annamh Archive.
Each business specialises in limited-edition, handcrafted or curated clothing drops (which are increasingly in demand), and it’s tougher than ever to secure a one-off piece. The exclusivity is all part of the hype.
Currently, each brand announces drops on their Instagram stories, allowing fans time to set a reminder that will alert them when the latest edit is ready to shop online.
How many times have I set this reminder? I’ve lost count. How many pieces have I successfully purchased? Zero. But that’s not the point – it’s all about the chase, and I am hooked.
So, why do people bother shopping from these businesses if they can’t supply the growing demand? What’s the point in people enduring the process to purchase these pieces, when you can just walk into the likes of Zara, H&M or Penneys?
In short, it's the thrill of chasing the exclusive. The long-form answer, however, lies in the quality, distinct style and cultural value of each item – but I don’t need to tell you that, the founders will themselves.
In my interview with Grace Ní Mhealláin, Rachel Morgan of Myrne Collective, and Seonadh Ganley of Annamh Archive, they told me of their ambitions, their stance on the importance of Irish heritage, and what sustainability means to each of them.
Tell me a little bit about yourself and your brand.
Grace Ní Mhealláin, @gracenimheallain
"I’m from Belfast and I’ve just finished studying a two-year Fashion course at Belfast Met. I started making my own clothes a few years ago because every time I went shopping, I could never find nothing I liked! Once my friends found out I could sew, I started altering their clothes and eventually making clothes for them, too. I started posting on TikTok, which helped me reach people interested in Irish-inspired clothing that was actually wearable, and it grew from there."
Rachel Morgan, @myrnecollective
"My partner Rory and I opened our store in 2020, just after the first Covid lockdown was lifted. We had both sold vintage clothing since 2017, and we really didn’t expect much to come from it – opening a store wasn’t really something we had considered pre-pandemic, but that time enabled us to work on it. A year on from opening, I left my college degree in Dublin to pursue a career in vintage retail full-time and four years on, albeit with a few changes, we're still here."
Seonadh Ganley, @annamh.archive
"'Annamh’ means rare in Irish, and that’s exactly what Annamh Archive is: a curated collection of vintage and pre-loved designer treasures, all hand-picked with a deep love for good design. I studied architecture in TUD for six years, but once I graduated I decided to start my own business. I like to say I’m a proud post-college dropout. The course was super full on. So, I started selling vintage clothes on the side to make some money. When lockdown hit, I had more time to focus on sourcing – it took off, and I was going to the post office with giant sacks of parcels up to three times a day. One rare find turned into another and before I knew it, Annamh Archive was born."
What is your earliest memory of having an interest in fashion?
Grace Ní Mhealláin, @gracenimheallain
"Barbie was really fundamental for me when I was younger, she was a big inspiration for me. Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale came out when I was six and it was the best film I had ever seen. Even though I had so many clothes for my dolls, it just didn’t seem to be enough, so I started cutting sleeves off tops or cutting trousers into shorts. Then, I was taught to sew by my Mummy – that was a game changer for me. I got a sewing machine for my 8th birthday and fell in love with it. I would watch YouTube and teach myself how to sew tiny dresses. It wasn’t until I was about 15 that I picked it up again, and I actually found it so challenging to make actual human-sized clothing."
Rachel Morgan, @myrnecollective
"I’m not sure exactly, a lot of it probably comes from my Mum – she comes from a household of 12 kids, so in her childhood reducing and reusing was simply the norm. My grandmother made all their clothes and once they grew out of them, they were handed onto the next child – we have quilts and aran geansaí’s in our home that my granny made over 70 years ago, so the idea and practice of circularity wasn’t unfamiliar to me. My Mum inherited the same talent; she’s a wonder with a sewing machine and can turn her hand to anything. So, she signed me up for sewing and embroidery classes when I was younger and – despite my initial reluctance – it’s a skill which has stood by me."
Seonadh Ganley, @annamh.archive
"I think I’ve always been interested in fashion, even if I didn’t call it that at the time. Some of my earliest memories are looking through old photos of my Mum and my Granny — who was, and still is, one of the most stylish women I know. I was completely drawn to the way they both dressed, and the little details that made their outfits feel so intentional. I remember my friends and I became obsessed with vintage shops. I used to wander around for hours, not looking for trends but hunting for pieces with stories and a history. I was into finding t-h-e thing; something that felt like it had lived a life before me. That love for the hunt and for finding something truly one-of-a-kind has never left me, and is a huge part of what drives Annamh Archive today."
Your brand celebrates Irish culture, is this something that is important to you?
Grace Ní Mhealláin, @gracenimheallain
"I think a lot of my Irish pride comes from being raised in Belfast. Whenever we would holiday down South, it was so strange to me seeing kids my age wearing their county jerseys to the shops or to the park, because you always had to be mindful of where you were wearing a jersey up North – so as not to cause any trouble. Hearing people speaking Irish to each other just casually was strange, too, because it was rare hearing Irish being spoken publicly – especially not in Belfast city centre. There is such a focus on your identity where I’m from, and I’m very proud of being Irish, so it’s only natural for me to display this in my work."
Rachel Morgan, @myrnecollective
"I think it's very important. I listen to stories from older members of my family, and it's a sobering reality to be reminded that wearing your Irishness, particularly where I'm from up North, was not always so readily accepted. I think the influx of appreciation for Irish culture, particularly from our own, is a sign of the times, and I am sure it’ll continue to thrive. There’s something quite rewarding about reclaiming an Ireland sweater that would have been pedalled to a tourist in the 90s and finding it a new home with an Irish person in 2025."
Seonadh Ganley, @annamh.archive
"Irish heritage is really important to me. I’ve always felt a strong connection to Ireland through my family, and even more so as I’ve gotten older. Naming the brand Annamh, which means ‘rare’, was my way of honouring that connection. Irish is such a beautiful language, and I was inspired by the phrase ‘An rud is annamh is iontach’. That really captured the feeling I had about the pieces I was finding – that kind of thrill when you come across something rare, one-of-a-kind and full of history. For me, the name isn’t just about Irish identity but also about celebrating the rarity, the craftsmanship and the joy in discovering something truly special. It reflects not just the uniqueness of the pieces I source, but also the cultural roots behind the brand."
You do drops as opposed to collections, do you expect to step away from this in the future?
Grace Ní Mhealláin, @gracenimheallain
"To be honest, the drops were a bit of an accident. I had a lot of stock leftover from a market that I did and needed to make room for fabric, so I organised a drop on my website – it sold out immediately. I was studying and working another job part-time, so I would just make things whenever I could and put them all up for sale a few times a month. However, I think I’m going to move away from doing drops and focus on making an entire collection. Someone told me that trying to get something from one of my drops was harder than getting Taylor Swift tickets, so I want to make it easier for people to get their hands on something that they’ll love."
Rachel Morgan, @myrnecollective
"It's definitely what works for me presently. The demand was huge after I did my first pint jumper, and after Guinness reposted it, I had a huge influx of messages asking when the next one would be for sale – it was overwhelming. Doing a drop every couple of weeks gives me a bit of control; it allows time to source, embroider, photograph and upload. It also takes out the guesswork for our followers and customers."
Seonadh Ganley, @annamh.archive
"We’ve chosen to work in drops rather than traditional collections because we’re passionate about sustainability, not just as a buzzword, but in the way we source, sell, and think about fashion. We believe in giving high-quality, pre-loved pieces a second life – that means moving away from the fast fashion mindset of seasonal collections and trend cycles. We don’t shop to fill a trend, we drop pieces to rehome them and to keep them out of landfill. So, our model is simple; we upload pieces as we find them. For now, that feels like the most authentic way for us to do things."
What does sustainable fashion mean to you?
Grace Ní Mhealláin, @gracenimheallain
"Sustainability for me is the wearability of an item and having confidence in being an outfit repeater. I’ve trained myself to be a lot more conscious of what I’m buying and if I’ll get the wear out of it. All the materials I use are completely recycled; the patches are from vintage Irish tea towels and then the Gaeilge phrases are hand-painted or hand-embroidered. I’m very proud of the fact that my brand is sustainable, but it was never up for debate for me. All my tops and skirts were once either a curtain, tablecloth or bed sheet. Making my garments adjustable with straps and ties is also a key factor in making sure everything is sustainable – they grow and change alongside their wearer."
Rachel Morgan, @myrnecollective
"Sustainable fashion to me is considering the environment and trying make as little of an impact as possible. I make conscious choices to be more sustainable within my business – our drops are limited and always focus on quality over quantity. I maintain that the quality and composition of vintage knits, tees and denim far surpass those produced today. When it comes to my own ‘brand’, our designs are embroidered onto natural fibre aran geansaí’s – all of which are pre-owned. Packaging is a big part of it as well; each order is wrapped with recycled paper and shipped in cardboard boxes and recyclable mailers."
Seonadh Ganley, @annamh.archive
"To me, sustainable fashion is about slowing things down, choosing quality over quantity and placing real value on design, craftsmanship and longevity. We’re not just a vintage shop; we help people treasure the past and make luxury more accessible without compromising on ethics or taste. Architecture taught me the importance of design; how every detail, every curve and every choice matters. Fashion isn’t just about looking good, it’s about curating pieces that were built to last, pieces that don’t follow trends but define them. Annamh Archive is passionate about giving high-quality fashion a second life. Shopping pre-loved is better for the environment, it reduces waste, keeps clothing out of landfill, and disrupts the overproduction cycle that fast fashion depends on, but it’s also about access. It allows more people to be able to experience truly well-made, timeless pieces."
What is the dream for you and your brand?
Grace Ní Mhealláin, @gracenimheallain
"As it originally started as a hobby, it’s so important for me to keep making new things and experimenting. Otherwise, I know my inspiration will suffer, and I’m worried about losing the enthusiasm I have for making new things for people. I love doing pop-ups, so I think more of those definitely – it’s surreal to speak to people who really like the clothes I make. Being able to encourage conversation as gaeilge is also really important for me. A goal of mine is to have as many gaelgoirs and Gaels speaking Irish, or even just appreciating it in general, through my clothing."
Rachel Morgan, @myrnecollective
"I'm happy with where we’re at right now. Despite our recent growth on social media, I appreciate the intimacy of my business – it lets me focus and take pride in what I do. The person embroidering the geansaís is the same person doing the social media, the same person packaging up the orders, writing the thank you notes and sourcing the vintage. I really do just love finding Irish goods and bringing them to an audience that truly appreciates them."
Seonadh Ganley, @annamh.archive
"The dream for me is to keep growing Annamh Archive into something that feels as much like a creative space as it is a brand. I want it to become a platform that not only celebrates rare, beautiful clothing but also tells stories, builds community, and inspires people to think differently about how they shop. Longterm, I’d love to open a physical space somewhere in Dublin that feels like a mix between a gallery, a showroom and a hangout. Somewhere you come to try something on, but also to stay and talk about fashion, creativity, and culture. But my main goal remains the same: to help people connect with clothing in a more intentional, exciting way. To make second-hand feel elevated, and to prove that sustainability and style can exist in the same piece."
