Tell us a little about you and your company.
I am a fashion & textile designer originally from Dundalk and currently live in Dublin. I own a shop called Seeking Judy, located in Georges St. Arcade. These days, the shop also doubles as an office/studio space as I am there most days and tend to get a lot of admin/knitting/designing done between customers. In Dundalk, I have a larger studio where I keep my machines, create garment samples, photograph the lookbooks, and store stock. I am also a Creative Spark Dundalk Print Studio member. Since joining I have had the opportunity to experiment and learn a lot about printing styles.
Seeking Judy began when I was 15, as a means to earn some pocket money. I sold a few T-shirts at pop-ups and local markets with a few etchings. I chose to study fashion at NCAD in order to gain knowledge about garment construction, and to eventually grow my brand and business. I graduated in 2019 from NCAD with a BA Honours degree, and an international diploma from LCI Barcelona. The plan was to move to New York on a graduate student visa after graduating. Covid halted those plans when all visas under Trump were revoked. So, with the extra free time I had, I decided I would restart the brand. Fabric shops were shut, so I made a lot of my earlier work using found materials and by reworking old garments.
I started experimenting with different styles of illustration and settled on one that was fun, colourful and nostalgic. After a bit of reflection, the idea that escapism was the inspiration for me, and I wanted to create a happier, more colourful world than what we were experiencing at the moment. I began with nature and the idea that all things around us were alive and had their own personalities. I’ve had a lot of fun with this idea since and anyone familiar with my work will know that there are eyes and faces everywhere!
Going forward, I’m excited to bring this world alive through other mediums besides clothing. I’m very lucky that being self-employed and with limited funds means that I have had to do a lot of things myself – photography, set design, painting and designing the shops – it’s given me a whole host of skills, and a really strong concept of the world these things live in.
What is your mission statement?
Short-term, create products of high quality that will last a lifetime. To expand my range so that if my customers wanted, they could buy all their clothing here – head-to-toe SJ! When it comes to the design, sourcing and sale of our products, we want to continue acting responsibly, ethically, and sustainably. In the long term, I’d like to create an immersive environment. I would like to collaborate with Irish designers and artists to create meaningful experiences in Dublin. I don’t want this to stop at clothing. Ireland is full of talent. I want collaborate, support, and promote other artists and show that Ireland has a lot of creativity and culture. This must be a joint effort between artists and public. For a very long time, fashion and SJ have been the way I express myself. However, my goal is also to encourage creativity and self-expression in everyone.
Have you always wanted to become a designer or artist?
I’ve always been interested in fabric and textiles. My dad and mam owned a clothing shop, as did my grandad. I’ve grown up around clothes. Being creative, as a child I gravitated to clothing. I originally wanted to start a vintage online store at 15 instead. However, I really had to toss a coin in college to decide whether I would do Textiles Art and Artifact (TAA), an Art course, or Fashion Design – part of the design school. I chose fashion because it offered practical skills, such as pattern-making and construction. This was a great choice. This summer I am planning to take a break from my work to do a textile residency. I’m trying to find the balance of commercial (the design world) and full freedom of expression – textile art/ sculpture.
What type of merchandise do you have in stock?
Knitted jumpers. Hoodies, sweatshirts. T-shirts. Hats. Also, fine art prints. Most recently, handbags with a variety of sizes and uses.
What are the new brands and products that you’re interested in?
KNWLS STUDIOS, Chopova Lowena, FANCi, Paula Canovasdelvas, Charlie Constantinou, Gui Rosa, Marta Mangano. My next trainer purchase will probably be Asics and I’m loving the colourful tights/patterned tights trend. I’m a hoarder because so many old clothes and accessories are great for reworking into new pieces. That’s been my thing for a while now.
What is the Difference Between a Person and a Person? Is funding an issue when you first start out?
Yes, of course. I created this brand using the money I received from selling my possessions. So anything is possible, but also the scale was very different back then – it was just a bit of fun. Quantities were small, and overheads were non-existent. I still saved that money and relaunched my brand using it. It’s only now that this is a business that funding is a bigger issue. The minimum order for factories is high, so it’s expensive to make a single style. Also, sample costs are very high. You will be asked to pay for social media companies to promote your post. Everything costs, and as a small business it’s tough… but it is what it is. There are grants out there, and it’s been my New Year’s resolution to apply to as many as possible so wish me luck, please!
What’s the best business advice you’ve gotten?
“Spend more time working on the business than in the business.” I’m trying to implement that now.
What social media influencers do you follow for inspiration in style?
@1grannary – students and up-and-coming designers. @Eli1ah – good industry advice and quotes (music-oriented, but still applicable). @Antwerpmemedepartment for a lol.
What’s your best fashion purchase?
I thrifted a YSL coat in Dublin for €75. This was a wonderful day.
What other Irish brands are you a fan of?
Laoise Carey Studio, Rioncarnation, Rashhiiid, Colin Horgan, Robyn Lynch, Hope Macaulay, Jessica Anne Harte, Richard Malone, Barbara Bennett, Lia Cowan Design, Mihai Mar.
What’s the most useful learning you’ve had since setting up your business?
Take care of you. It is sometimes best to take a break and rest.
What’s been the proudest moment so far?
No moment drastically stands out and I’d be hesitant to focus too much on one thing I’ve done because there are so many little steps that lead up to those bigger moments. It’s a great feeling when a brand introduces a new item because it’s a major milestone. Last year, I launched the bag and accessory lines. I’m proud to be in the Arcade. I’m proud to get interviews and features such as this and any time I see someone wearing a piece on the street it makes me feel very happy. On a little bit of a cheesier note, recently I started to imagine telling my younger self that I get to do this for a living, trying to practice gratitude on days it’s not as easy, and that makes me feel really proud because making money from your art and creativity always seemed like such an out of reach idea. Most of us were told growing up to think of a “real” job. So I’m just proud I get to call this a job!
If I could have anyone wear my designs it would be… BAD GAL RIR DUH? And, I’ve been told my designs remind people of the flower boy era! And Tyler is the GOAT, so Tyler if you’re reading this slide in my DMs for some free SJ.
Megan McGuigan, Joshua Mulholland and Megan McGuigan.