About

Claire Garvey Couture
6 Cow’s Ln, Temple Bar, Dublin 8

Tel. +353 1 67 17287 E.  clairegarveyshop@hotmail.com

Hello! My name is Claire Garvey, I studied Fashion at the National College of Art and Design. Where I went on to win the Smirnoff young fashion designer of the year, 1991. I have won many awards since I graduated including Kilkenny Cream of Irish designer of the year. After NCAD I did a Master’s degree in Costume Design in Russia at the prestigious Vgik University Moscow.

When I returned to Ireland, I began manufacturing my own lines and I supplied many shops including Liberty of London, and many more around Ireland before I opened my own shop ‘Claire Garvey Couture’, Old City, Temple Bar in 2001. In 2018 I purchased the freehold for the shop unit which is a big achievement for any designer in Ireland. Grammy Icon Nile Rodgers and Chic cut the ribbon for the official opening. I continue to trade out of the shop, and also sell online through Facebook or Etsy on occasion. February 2021 marked my twentieth year in the shop. 

I have shown in New York Fashion Week and was one of six designers from across the world to win the competition to show in Paris organised by Madam Figaro magazine. I have had photoshoots with numerous online magazines over the last two decades, e.g Vogue online and German Elle.

I have designed for Nile Rodgers and Chic for The Oscars. As well as the X-FACTOR’s Bette Midler Party, and even accompanied them on their X-FACTOR performance.

Nile Rodgers was my first menswear customer. It inspired me to launch my own menswear in Dublin and TV celebrity Eoghan McDermott and musician JackL modeled for her. JackL continues to be one of my many customers.

Since Dancing with the Stars Ireland, started in 2016 I have designed the jackets for Judge Julian Benson. Which have been over forty jackets and outfits. I’ve known Julian since he modeled in The Smirnoff Young Designer Awards. I also designed costumes for his Irish Dance Show Celtic Rising in The Burlington in 2011.

I gained more worldwide attention when I designed The Miss Universe Ireland Costume, with pictures of the outfit in many newspapers and online editions. I appeared on the Late Late Show to present it and explain how I made it.

I’ve also designed for The Berlin Show Orchestra and was flown over to Germany to create their outfits for The Famab Awards with flying violinist sensation Angel Strings. I have created outfits for conductor Eimear Noone which she has worn on many stages around the world. I also created the outfit for Eimear Noone when she appeared as the first female conductor of the Oscars ever, in February 2020, which was mentioned in the New Yorker magazine. I continue to create bespoke pieces for Eimear Noone.

Other customers of mine include Mary Coughlan, Katherine Lynch, Noel Cunningham, and various musicians, most recently for a motion animated picture for the lead singer of the theme song. I created costumes for a short film with Evanna Lynch, from Harry Potter Fame, directed by Deirdre Mulrooney, which is up for a Jim Sheridan short film award. I have also designed outfits for the American rapper Dali Voodoo for his music video. I also designed outfits for PINK’s support band Bang Bang Romeo at the Wembly arena, also Mark Schulman, PINK’s famous drummer, and also a fashion piece for PINK herself.

I have shown at many fashion shows over the last two decades, many supporting charities. I’ve also done my own exclusive fashion shows. I’ve judged numerous times also for fashion show competitions. My work has been shown in all the major publications in Ireland, many times.

Finally, I have also taught students about fashion design, using workshops to encourage students to develop their creative and technical skills to produce original works of fashion. I’ve taught at Colaiste Dhulaigh School of Design Dublin, and Limerick Institute of Technology, School of Art and Design.