Features – Page 3

Design March 31, 2022

Meet The Rebecca

New to our Women’s Collection, the Rebecca dress is a standout piece this season.

Our fresh take on the timeless shirt dress, the mid-length Rebecca features a button through front, pockets and fabric belt and offers a classic silhouette with beautiful movement.

This versatile summer style is available in two Irish Linens, designed, woven and finished at our mill in Donegal, and a vibrant Liberty of London print.

These are colours and textures inspired by the coastline of Donegal, designed to transport you to a sandy shore on a summer’s day, looking out at the wild Atlantic Ocean.⁠ 

“I have been working through our weaving archives and planning different, more casual ways to use our luxurious fabrics. I love linen, it is so versatile and comfortable, yes it creases a little, but it is one of the characteristics of this natural and sustainable fabric and that’s ok – it has that lived in and loved look!
I don’t wear dresses very often and wanted to create a piece that I would wear – something that works from Spring through to early Autumn. I love the shape; it drapes beautifully and features a self-fabric belt (or mix it up with one of our stunning English bridle leather belts) and pockets. I am very excited about the Rebecca, of the three gorgeous fabrics, the delicate blue herringbone is my favourite. I hope you love this dress as much as we do!”
Charlotte Temple, Design Director Magee 1866

Natural fibre fabrics are central to our collections and this season is no exception with Irish Linen making up a large part of Spring Summer. The ultimate versatile fabric, linen is synonymous with summer and perfect whether you’re relaxing at the beach or working in the city.  

Designed, woven and finished at our mill, the calming blue shade and classic herringbone pattern make this a sophisticated addition to your warm weather wardrobe.

The oat-grey base of this 100% Irish Linen is striped with shades of chalky green and pale blue giving a nautical feel to this relaxed style.

A statement piece, the Rebecca makes summer dressing a breeze, simply style with trainers or heels, whatever suits the mood.

Evocative of summer sunsets, the dreamy Liberty of London print ‘Cloud Nine’ is a soft cloud pattern in delicate watercolour shades of pink and blue with hints of gold.

The print, coupled with the distinctive hand-feel and translucent softness of Liberty of London’s Tana Lawn Cotton make this dress a comfortable and feminine style.

Shop The Rebecca

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Design February 17, 2022

Introducing Spring/Summer 2022

Introducing the Magee 1866 Spring/Summer 2022 Collection – COAST 

Inspired by over 1,000 kilometres of Donegal coastline, where we have been designing, weaving and tailoring luxurious fabrics for five generations.

“Spring Summer 2022 was designed with hope in mind following the long months of a pandemic that has turned the world upside-down. While working on the collection we had taken time to watch spring slowly appearing following a winter of uncertainties. The idea of a fresh start and new life are the core elements in our colourful and optimistic collection for SS22. 
We have looked at how we have adapted over the last couple of years, especially what we are wearing. The emphasis on casual wear has accelerated and we have embraced this more relaxed, comfortable approach in this collection with Irish linen shirts and drawstring trousers, luxury cashmere jumpers, sweats and colourful cotton polos and t-shirts. 
However, we are looking forward to dressing up again! Our tailored collection includes classic lightweight tweeds and summer weight jackets, but with a focus on unstructured silk and linen blend jackets styled with lightweight cotton chinos and printed shirts.”
Classic patterns sit beside bold and oversized checks in this collection with the colour pallet inspired by the sea and land. Sea blues, mossy greens, earthy oats, peaty browns are accented by the colours of local flora like gorse, fuchsia, blackberry, moss and montbretia that were historically used to create the colourful speckles synonymous with Donegal Tweeds. “
-Design Director, and 5^th generation family member, Charlotte Temple reflects on the design process.

Cheerful, bright colours of raspberry pink, sunset orange, naval and sea blues are contrasted in this collection with timeless, neutral shades of natural linen oat, sky grey, olive and forest greens. While the fabrics focus on natural fibres – silk, cotton, cashmere, linen, merino and lambswool, much of which is designed and woven at our mill in Donegal, Ireland.

Women’s Collection

A new addition to the range of knitwear is a luxurious cotton cashmere blend in four styles This season sees a host of new additions to the women’s collection. The Aoife is a preppy, short unstructured jacket in a micro houndstooth silk and cotton blend tweed and is complemented by a beautiful range of luxurious lightweight cashmere knitwear.

The Rebecca shirt dress is a standout piece, available in three colours ranging from calming pale blue Irish linen to a vibrant Liberty of London print. The Liberty of London pieces don’t end there, the new Patty top will add a burst of colour to your wardrobe and the easy to wear Tessa tunic will become your go-to top for trips to the beach. Women’s collection favourites like the Emma and Grace coats return in fresh, new lightweight tweeds, designed and woven at our mill.

Men’s Collection

Ireland’s unpredictable weather is taken into account in the Men’s collection, the timeless Glenveigh quilted jacket is joined by a new style, the Dingle, a 4-pocket showerproof unstructured jacket, available in two colours. 

Familiar tailored styles like the Liffey Jacket are reimagined in a summery mix of linen and silk blends, woven in house, with a new addition, the Adare, a soft unstructured jacket that offers a comfortable, put together look. Making a triumphant return to the men’s collection after a long absence, men’s shorts, in cotton chino or linen, are accompanied by a selection of t-shirts, polos and the softest cotton sweatshirts.

Irish Linen

Natural fibre fabrics are central to our collections and this season is no exception with Irish Linen making up a large part of Spring Summer for both men and women.

The ultimate versatile fabric, linen is synonymous with summer and perfect whether you’re relaxing on the beach or working in the city. Crafted in Irish Linen, woven and finished at the Magee weaving mill in Donegal, highlights include the Rowan overshirt for men, the Mourne boyfriend fit jacket for women, drawstring trousers for both and for the ultimate in summer chic, the Finn suit in a dark inky blue linen, perfect for a special occasion.

This collection is designed to maximise your summer and as always, each quality piece is made with longevity in mind. 

Shop in store or online from February.

Photography: Suzy McCanny 

Videography: Ciarán Carty 

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Autumn Winter 2021 November 18, 2021

Nathan Carter in Magee 1866

One of country music’s best-known performers, Nathan Carter, made time in his busy schedule, between releasing new material and touring, for a recent photoshoot styled in Magee 1866.

Channelling 007 in our timeless dinner suit, this is Nathan as you’ve never seen him before! Styled to reflect his jet set lifestyle with a 100% cotton dress shirt in white, this look offers inspiration for black tie weddings or formal events (vintage sports car optional…).

Warm winter layering – Nathan wears one of our best-selling styles, the Corrib Coat. A classic, raglan sleeve overcoat in a traditional herringbone Donegal Tweed, woven at our mill. The Corrib is designed to be worn over a suit or casual jumper and chinos, as seen here. A true winter staple which will stand the test of time.

The sustainable choice, the Irish Wool Erne is the first men’s style in our Magee 1866 X Irish Wool collection. This short, contemporary check Donegal Tweed overcoat in rich, seasonally appropriate colours of red, green, grey and navy looks great styled over jeans and knitwear, as seen here on Nathan.

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Contributors:

Model: Nathan Carter

Photographer: Noir Photique – Terrie Burton

Knitwear: Bonner of Ireland

Additional pieces by EJ menswear

Hair: Belle Hair Studio

MUA: The Style Studio

Assistant: Freya Burton

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Design November 10, 2021

New In – Magee 1866 X Irish Wool Throws

A really exciting addition to our Home Interiors Collection, just in time for Christmas gifting, Irish Wool throws have arrived.

A truly sustainable choice crafted in 100% Irish wool, this launch represents a milestone as the first home interiors pieces in the Magee 1866 X Irish Wool collection.

At Magee 1866, we are committed to developing and using Irish Wool in our textiles. Over the past number of years, we have been working closely with Donegal Yarns, a local yarn supplier just up the road in Kilcar, and farmers to source finer wool from Irish sheep to re-ignite positivity around this fantastic and ‘local’ raw material.

The wool is then spun by Donegal Yarns, ready to be woven into fabric at our mill in Donegal Town where we have been weaving for five generations and over 150 years.

Designed, woven and finished at our mill in a contemporary oversized houndstooth pattern, the Irish Wool throw is available in two colours and finished with thick tasselled fringing. The perfect piece to showcase this unique fabric. 

This is a truly sustainable home accessory that is made with longevity in mind.

Shop Magee 1866 X Irish Wool throws.

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Design September 28, 2021

Magee 1866 x Irish Wool Vol. II

In a continuation of our commitment to developing Irish wool for use in our textiles, we are proud to present the latest additions to the Magee 1866 X Irish Wool collection.

At Magee 1866, we are part of a wider movement to develop and use Irish Wool in our textiles. We have been working with Donegal Yarns, a local yarn supplier just up the road in Kilcar on sourcing wool from Irish farms across the country.

Patrick Temple, CEO of Magee Weaving has also teamed up with sheep farmer James Lorinko to develop fine Irish Wool on the family farm at Rathforker, just outside Donegal Town and with fields overlooking the Atlantic.

The wool is then spun by Donegal Yarns and designed and woven into fabric at our Mill in Donegal Town. The tweed is washed in the peaty waters of the River Eske resulting in a beautifully soft finish.

This season sees three new styles in Irish Wool.

The Irish Wool Jessica is a classic swing coat in a bold, oversized charcoal, red and white check, the perfect style for winter race meets or days outdoors.

The Irish Wool Milly is an unlined, unstructured blazer style jacket in a charcoal and red houndstooth Donegal Tweed. This easy to wear piece will quickly become your new go-to jacket.

The first men’s piece to launch in the Magee 1866 X Irish Wool Collection is the Erne. A bestselling style, this short, contemporary Donegal Tweed overcoat is woven in a rich red, green, grey and navy check and is perfect for layering over suits and jackets. Coming soon…

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Autumn Winter 2021 August 20, 2021

Introducing Autumn/Winter 2021

Introducing the Magee 1866 Autumn/Winter 2021 Collection – ‘Home’

The inspiration behind the Magee 1866 Autumn/Winter 2021 collection is ‘Home’ – home being Co. Donegal where we have been designing, weaving and tailoring luxurious fabrics for five generations.

Design Director, and 5^th generation family member, Charlotte Temple reflects.

“Working on this collection in 2020, in the depths of a global pandemic, has made us appreciate where we live even more than ever. The various lockdowns, in a way, forced a new familiarity with our immediate surroundings and offered a new opportunity to observe and engage with the landscape. Details one would gloss over in the hustle and bustle of regular life came into sharp focus, the bright red autumn berry peeping through the hedgerows, the changing colour of bracken on the hills – summer greens to a burnt rust, the reflection of the sun on the sea in the early morning light.”
“These are the same landscapes that have inspired our tweeds for decades. This collection embraces our own natural fibre fabrics, designed and woven at our mill in Donegal Town. We have delved into our archives and reinvigorated the classics. Herringbones – an age-old pattern inspired by fish bones and Salt & Pepper, a simple yet intricate pattern rich with colourful flecks – the true Donegal Tweed.”

Classic patterns sit beside bold and oversized checks in this collection with the colour pallet inspired by the sea and land. Sea blues, mossy greens, earthy oats, peaty browns are accented by the colours of local flora like gorse, fuchsia, blackberry, moss and montbretia that were historically used to create the colourful speckles synonymous with Donegal Tweeds.

The Men’s outerwear stands out as an exclusive selection of Donegal Tweed overcoats, classic wool city coats and quilted jackets, one of the highlights being the new Brosna coat, an oversized tweed belted overcoat in a statement plaid check. In a continuation of the commitment to developing Irish wool for use in their textiles – with wool sourced from Irish sheep and spun and woven in Donegal – the latest addition to the Magee 1866 X Irish Wool collection is the Irish Wool Erne, a short, contemporary Donegal Tweed overcoat in a rich red, green, grey and navy check.

A new addition to the range of knitwear is a luxurious cotton cashmere blend in four styles and four timeless colours. Lightweight and soft, these pieces pair beautifully with one of the Donegal Tweed jackets or Gilets in the collection. The Pettigo ribbed crew neck, a two-tone contemporary style, makes a statement.

Casual styles like the Corlea grandfather collar shirt in the Liberty of London print “Ernest’s Adventure” sit alongside Handwoven Donegal Tweed jackets and our signature, sophisticated suits with a focus on fit and comfort.

Two new styles join the women’s outerwear collection- “The Josie” is a contemporary short Donegal Tweed coat in a warm red herringbone, a bright and easy to wear number for your winter wardrobe.

In a continuation of the commitment to developing Irish wool for use in our textiles – with wool sourced from Irish sheep and spun and woven in Donegal – the second new style is the “Irish Wool Jessica”, a classic swing coat in a timeless red plaid, the perfect style for winter race meets or days outdoors. Classic styles like the Emma, Linsfort and Grace, a long, hacking style coat, return in new tweeds, designed and woven in Donegal.

This season, preppy short tweed jackets and printed shirts are complemented by a beautiful knitwear collection featuring luxurious cashmere blends and chunky Donegal handknits. Cashmere/merino knits, made in Scotland, offer cloud-like softness in three different styles – crewneck, funnel neck and a casual Fair Isle. Light enough to style under a Donegal Tweed Jacket, these luxurious, versatile pieces are designed to seamlessly integrate into your wardrobe and keep you cozy on long country walks.

Shop in store or online from August.

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Design July 21, 2021

Spotlight On: Irish Linen

One of the oldest fabrics in the world, the tradition and history of weaving linen in Ireland goes back hundreds of years.

It is made from the flax plant, which is a really versatile crop that’s cultivated for yarn and food (flax is where linseed comes from).

Linen is a sustainable, natural material, known for its cool, fresh properties. A staple for the summer season. It’s easy to dress up or down, taking you from workdays and warm-weather weddings to casual weekend adventures.

At our mill in Donegal, we design and weave linen namely for tailored garments – suits and blazers and for our range of fabrics by the metre. Suitable for use in apparel and home furnishing projects, this season’s Limited Edition collection features a muted pallet of soft, light colours in glen checks and herringbone weaves.

For shirting, we look to our friends Baird McNutt, another long-established mill in the north of Ireland. A timeless hopsack linen is used in our women’s Ella tunics and beautifully tailored men’s shirts. These are truly investment pieces designed and made to last.

Explore our Irish Linen pieces online.

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Ireland June 16, 2021

A Donegal Summer

Summer is officially here, and it’s a good time to take a look at some of our favourite things to do in Donegal, our home.

Take a Dip

We are spoiled in Donegal with fantastic beaches, over 100 of them in fact. They’re so good, Donegal features not once but twice in Condé Nast Traveller’s list of the top beaches in Ireland. Donegal also boasts the joint highest number of Blue Flag Beaches in Ireland for the 2021 season at 14.

Whether you’re interested in swimming, surfing, stand up paddle boarding, or if you’re a book under a parasol type, there is a beach for you!

Murvagh Beach Donegal — _{Murvagh Beach, Donegal}

Among our favourites is Murvagh Beach, just south of Donegal town. Stretching for nearly 2km, and backed with sand dunes, there’s plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy.

At the mouth of Lough Swilly, Portsalon beach is sheltered from the North Atlantic, making it the perfect spot for a swim.

We can’t leave out Mountcharles Pier, our local beach where the Temple family grew up and spent many happy summer days as children. Chairman Lynn Temple swims in the ocean all year round with his Labrador Riley. We recommend warming up post-swim in Salthill Cabin with a hot cuppa and take a walk around the petting farm, complete with Donegal’s very own lamas!

The pier is also where the family boat sets sail from. A traditional, wooden Galway Hooker, Sandpiper has even played host to a couple of Magee 1866 photoshoots.

Take a Stroll

Be it exploring the 1,000 kilometers of coastline or climbing the ‘hills of Donegal’, there are always plenty of walks to discover.

Ireland’s highest sea cliffs, Sliabh Liag is located along the Wild Atlantic Way and offers breathtaking panoramic views across Donegal Bay. With multiple walking trails to choose from and a wealth of history and culture to explore, a trip to Sliabh Liag is well worth it.

For a day out, Glenveagh National Park has it all. The rugged mountain landscape is contrasted by the beautiful walled gardens of Glenveagh Castle, nestled beside Lough Beagh at the centre of the park. Enjoy the network of trails for walking or cycling as well as the breathtaking scenery, waterfalls, flora and fauna.

If you are looking for some hills to tackle, head out to Lough Eske, the gateway into the Bluestack Mountains. CEO Rosy, often nips out after work with a map and trail runners for an escape into the unspoiled wilderness of this area. Look out for the odd grouse or cool off with a swim in the magical Lough Belshade.

Take a Bite

Our location on the North West of Ireland means we’re famous for our fish, with Killybegs being Ireland’s premier sea port. Try out the Killybegs Seafood Shack and enjoy fresh fish and chips sitting on the harbour wall. Or take a drive out to Mullinasole and check in to the Salmon Inn for delicious seafood with views over the bay.

Take it Easy

We love a wander around Donegal Town on a summer’s afternoon, exploring the architecture of Donegal Castle and walking along the banks of the River Eske.

There is no place quite like it when the sun shines on The Diamond – the main hub of the town, surrounded by cafés, bars, restaurants and our Magee of Donegal store which has stood on the same site since first opened as a draper’s store by John Magee in the 1800’s.

A true destination shopping experience, at Magee of Donegal we showcase our Magee 1866 men’s and women’s collections alongside our accessories and home interiors collections – designed and made in Ireland.

Our Made to Measure area offers an oasis of calm while you select the perfect combination of luxury fabrics and trims for your own tailor-made pieces. For tired shoppers, The Weaver’s Loft Bistro* focuses on a seasonal menu and home baking and is the perfect stopover.

If you want to be in with a chance to win a holiday in Donegal, we have partnered with Harvey’s Point Hotel for an exclusive giveaway.

We are offering one lucky winner a Magee 1866 Summer look to the value of €600 and a midweek stay at the magnificent Harvey’s Point Hotel consisting of  2 nights  B&B as well as an evening meal for two on the night of your choice.

To enter head over to our Facebook or Instagram profiles and follow the instructions on the post.

Giveaway closes at 11.59pm GMT on Wednesday, 30 June 2021.

* Currently closed in line with Government restrictions.

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Design May 21, 2021

Dreamy Summer Florals with Liberty of London

Another long-established brand, founded in the 19^th Century like us, Liberty of London have brought unique design and beautiful fabrics to the world since 1875.

We love working with the iconic Liberty of London and have been incorporating their original prints into our collections since the late 1990’s.

Luxury fabrics are at the heart of what we do at Magee 1866 with our own tweeds and linens, which we design and weave at our mill in Donegal, so it makes sense that we would look to Liberty of London to collaborate.

This season, Liberty of London prints complement the collection with watercolour and hand-painted florals, providing pops of unexpected summer colour in Liberty’s signature Tana Lawn™ cotton. A masterpiece of fabric technology, this fine cotton has a distinctive hand-feel and translucent, silk-like softness.

Highlights include the Hannah shirt in ‘Felda’, a dreamy watercolour print of meadow flowers, available in a delicate blue or soft pink.

Equally suited to the beach or weekend wear, the casual Ella Tunic brings summer vibrancy with the colourful prints ‘Oleander’– a tropical pink and green floral – and ‘Jungle Trip’ – a layered tangle of flowers and foliage in blues and yellows.

Explore all Liberty of London pieces.

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Design May 12, 2021

Introducing the Magee 1866 Summer 2021 Collection

Introducing the Magee 1866 Summer 2021 Collection ‘Halcyon Days’.

Summer always brings forth feelings of nostalgia for carefree days gone by, long sunny afternoons spent outdoors, the halcyon days of our youth. This year we harnessed this calm nostalgia and used it as inspiration for our Summer 2021 collection.

Living in Donegal we are spoiled with stunning landscapes – wonderous beaches and magical forests. In this collection we are capturing the freedom of the outdoors with bright colours combined with misty shades in our natural fibre fabrics, designed and woven at our mill.

Our men’s collection evokes an effortless calm with suave silk blends and casual Irish linens. This collection pays reverence to the nature we enjoy on our doorstep through colour, texture and the celebration of our own beautiful fabrics sustainably woven in Donegal.

Sage and mossy greens are accented with earthy tones in our stand-out silk and cotton blend herringbone Liffey Jacket, a lightweight alternative to Donegal Tweed. Our popular Cavan Gilet returns in a silk blend oceanic blue and pairs beautifully with a casual linen shirt for effortless summer style.

Lightweight tweeds are complimented by soft casual shirts in fun vintage prints and sun kissed hues. Combined with our range of bright cotton knits, this is an easy to wear collection with lots of personality.

Our blushing w omen’s Collection is inspired by the fragile beauty of woodland flowers and sun-bleached shades. A world in dreamy soft focus.

Key pieces include the Emma Coat in two misty shades of blue and grey, the first pieces in our new Magee 1866 X Irish Wool collection that sees wool sourced, spun, designed and woven in Ireland.

The longline Moyne Silk Blend Jacket in sky blue herringbone, offers a confident, tailored look when styled with the matching Tina Trousers. This suit looks just as put together paired with heels or crisp white trainers.

Liberty of London prints compliment the collection with watercolour and hand-painted florals, providing pops of unexpected summer colour in Liberty’s signature Tana Lawn Cotton.

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at Magee 1866, and we are constantly inspired by the beautiful landscape that surrounds Donegal. Irish linen features heavily throughout the collection, in our range of men’s shirts as well as the fabrics woven at our mill in Donegal.

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