In fashion, we are always looking to the future, collections are planned and prepared months in advance, with multiple teams involved. All of this hard work comes to fruition on photoshoot days and it is when the next stage of a collection’s journey begins…
“Seeing designs go from sketches and swatches to real, wearable garments is always a thrill. On a photoshoot you get the opportunity to style and play and have fun with the collection, it’s certainly one of my favourite parts of the job!”
Design Director, Charlotte Temple.
We have lots of exciting styles coming this Autumn Winter, it’s a collection we’re really proud of. Based on our roots and designed to showcase the best of what we do, taking our unique fabrics and creating timeless pieces. We can’t wait to share it with you, in the meantime, here’s a brief behind the scenes look at our recent shoot. A dreamy location and fantastic team, it doesn’t get much better.
Models: Paul Kerr and Phoebe Tan of Morgan the Agency
Father’s Day is a time to take a step back and acknowledge the dad in your life. Usually falling on a bright summer’s day (we hope we don’t jinx this!), it is the perfect time to gather around and spoil your dad.
We asked some of the Magee 1866 team how they will be marking Father’s Day this year.
Charlotte – Creative Director
“With three young kids we have a very busy house, this Father’s Day will be like every Sunday, lots of sport, family time and an attempt at a civilised Sunday lunch! Alongside homemade cards and gifts, the kids will be getting their dad one of ourIrish Linen Shirts. Versatile enough to wear to the office or on the weekend, I love the look of linen and its natural and sustainable virtues cannot be beaten. ”
Daniel – Ecommerce Manager
“The summer for us is all about time together at the beach. I’ve been dropping hints about our new Dungloe chino shortsand Marfagh polos, they would make a great addition to my summer wardrobe. As for the day, I’ll enjoy some fish & chips by the sea with my wife and three boys. “
Rosy – CEO Magee Clothing
“This Father’s Day myself and dad will be biking across Northern Norway. We’re both really sporty and the love of the outdoors is something we have always bonded over, whether it’s daily swims down at our local beach or weekend cycles across Donegal. Although it’s bright for 24 hours a day at this time of year there, it can get chilly at night, so I’ll be packing a Shannon cashmere blend crew neck jumper for dad’s Father’s Day gift. Lightweight but warm and easy to pack on a bike!”
Don’t forget – Father’s Day is Sunday, 19th June 2022. For more inspiration, explore our Father’s Day gift guide.
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.
“Linen is one of the oldest fabrics in the world and the history of weaving linen in Ireland goes back hundreds of years. It has many sustainable values as it uses considerably less water than cotton, for example, and will grow on poor land. Flax, the crop it is made from, is really versatile too because it is cultivated for yarn and food (this is where linseed comes from). We have been designing, weaving and finishing Irish Linen at our mill in Donegal since 1975, its cool, fresh properties make it perfect for our spring summer collections and it complements our Donegal Tweeds perfectly.”
Patrick Temple, CEO Magee Weaving, 5th Generation Family Member and President of the Irish Linen Guild
We have been designing, weaving and tailoring luxurious fabrics and clothing in Donegal for five generations and over 150 years. This season we looked to the beaches, cliffs and piers that are dotted along the 1,000km of coastline of our home county for inspiration when designing the Spring Summer 2022 collection – ‘COAST’. The nautical theme is reflected in the choice of colours, naval and sea blues are contrasted in this collection with timeless, neutral shades of natural linen, greys and oat.
Renewable and biodegradable, linen comes from an all-natural source, offering a rich, soft feeling that cannot be imitated by manmade fibres. It is also truly sustainable – requiring less water and land to grow than cotton, for example and it can be processed without chemicals.
Alongside the pieces crafted in Irish Linen, designed, woven and finished at the our weaving mill in Donegal, this collection also features styles in Irish Linen from Baird McNutt, another long-established mill who design in the harbour village of Downings in County Donegal and weave in their historic mill in County Antrim.
New to the women’s collection the Aoife is an unlined and unstructured jacket in a cheerful pink herringbone linen, and the Patty Irish Linen top in gingham complement favourites like the Tina drawstring trousers and Louise Grandfather collar shirt.
The Rebecca dress is a real showstopper, mid length in a nautical oat-grey with a chalky green and pale blue stripe, this shirt dress can be styled just as well with white trainers as it does with heeled sandals for a day out.
Highlights in Irish Linen for men include the new Dingle four pocket jacket an unlined and unstructured style, perfect for layering when the sun goes down. Wardrobe staples the Kilbeg shirt and Straid drawstring trousers are available in a range of versatile colours and when styled with the coordinating Finn jacket in dark inky blue linen, make an ideal look for a special occasion.
Linen can be divisive due to its tendency to crease, but for us this is one of its charms, a unique characteristic that we should embrace. The relaxed look of linen and its natural cooling properties make it the ideal choice for pieces we wear close to our skin like shirts and tops.
This collection is designed to maximise your summer and as always with Magee 1866, expect colours and textures that will transport you to a sandy shore, looking out at the wild Atlantic Ocean.
The European Commission are proposing a framework to protect the intellectual property for craft and industrial products including Donegal Tweed.
At Magee 1866, we are delighted to see the announcement from the EU Commission on the preliminary steps towards providing geographical protection for “craft and industrial products that rely on the originality and authenticity of traditional practices from their regions”. This framework will cover Donegal Tweed as well as products like Murano Glass and Porcelaine de Limoges and is similar to the protection offered to Champagne, Feta cheese and the Waterford Blaa under their “Protected Geographical indication” (PGI) status.
Patrick Temple, 5th generation family member and CEO of Magee Weaving, has been active in this campaign, starting with initial submissions to the EU a decade ago. Since then, Patrick has been working closely with other weavers in Co. Donegal, with vital support from the Design & Crafts Council Irelandand marketing and business consultant Muiris Kennedy, to champion this cause. This will be of huge benefit to weavers in Co. Donegal and to the long-term brand protection of Donegal Tweed.
“Europe has an exceptional legacy of world-renown crafts and industrial products. It is time that these producers benefit from a new intellectual property right, like food and wine producers, that will increase trust and visibility for their products, guaranteeing authenticity and reputation. Today’s initiative will contribute to the creation of skilled jobs especially for SMEs and to the development of tourism also in the more rural or economically weak areas.”
Donegal Tweed is an iconic part of the counties’ centuries old weaving tradition and is unique as a woven fabric due to the contrasting colourful neps/bur spun into the yarn which is then woven in a plain or twill weave, otherwise known as Salt & Pepper or Herringbone, respectfully. Rooted in the land and seascapes of Donegal, the colours were historically drawn from our surroundings and the unique Herringbone pattern is inspired by the fish caught in the Atlantic Ocean or patterns in the sand after the tide goes out. The Salt & Pepper design is inspired by the speckled landscape of the countryside.
Today, Donegal Tweed, as a vibrant, natural fibre and sustainable fabric, continues to form a principal part of our Magee 1866 collections. Our weaving mill in Donegal Town, on the banks of the River Eske, is still the beating heart of everything we do at Magee 1866. We are proud to support a tradition of weaving and manufacturing textiles in the northwest of Ireland, bringing a contemporary edge to an age-old craft.
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.
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 5th 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.
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.
Green is the colour that best describes Ireland – the green Shamrock is an internationally renowned symbol for our beautiful country and we are known for our rolling green fields of varying shades.
Summer in Ireland captures our ‘green label’ at its best. Our fields and hedgerows, leafy green trees and mossy banks. Take a moment to close your eyes and image the smell of freshly cut grass and listen to the soft sound of rustling leaves in a summer breeze.
Here in Donegal, we are especially fortunate to be surrounded by such a rich and unique landscape. Yes, North-West Ireland does have its summer showers! However without an ‘Irish summer’ we would not have this lush environment of ever-changing colours and seasons. These natural colours have been part of the inspiration for our luxury Donegal fabrics for over the past 150 years.
We continue to be motivated by our surroundings and it’s no surprise that because of this, the colour green features regularly in our collections.
With a base of soft mossy green, delicately crossed with dark olive, soft coral and bubble-gum pink, The Georgie Nehru neck waistcoat and Lily Country Check Tweed Jacket bring a pretty, feminine slant on a traditional micro-windowpane design. This soft lambswool cloth is designed and woven by us in Donegal. Perfect summer tweeds!
The cloth for our 100% Pure New Wool Carey skirt was designed and woven at our mill in Donegal, teaming sage and olive greens with highlights of denim, sky blue, golden oat and magenta in a traditional check. It is easy to see how this versatile piece has become a firm favourite in the Magee 1866 Women’s Collection. Style with our Linsfort coat – a great outfit for autumn racing.
Just as in nature, in weaving, green is the perfect base with which to compliment bright or bold colours like the mauve, gold and claret red featured in our Green Herringbone Donegal Tweed Flat Cap. But green can also stand firmly alone, our Green Salt & Pepper Handwoven Donegal Tweed Classic Fit Jacket epitomises the heritage of and landscape surrounding our mill in Donegal. This green salt & pepper tweed is handwoven by us in Donegal. A Magee 1866 handwoven blazer is a must for your wardrobe! Style with chinos and a linen shirt for a timeless look.
You can always bring the outdoors in by adding a little green to your interiors. A soft green evokes a sense of calm. With a luxurious blend of lambswool and cashmere and a duck down filling, you can imagine snuggling up on the sofa on our Green Herringbone cushion, under a lambswool throw watching the summer showers pass. Our throws are made in Ireland.
Oatmeal – perhaps not a traditional name for a colour but preferable to beige! I have recently started to love to wear this colour – a quiet, natural tone which can be beautiful on its own or great with sky blues and khaki greens. It comes in a variety of tones but generally pale with hints or yellow, cream, grey with soft green undertones. It is a perfect summer colour – best found in linens, wools and silks.
The Eske Cape (lambswool) – a creamy oat works amazingly with blue – this season we have combined these natural colours to create a classic oat crossed with a contemporary sky blue stripe. These beautiful capes are designed, woven and made by us in Donegal. We love this Alicia patch pocket linen blazer featuring a golden oat and blue nautical stripe.
These neutral tones – oat, earthy brown, camel, cream & grey are great interior colours. Luxurious wool & alpaca blend throws in a bedroom or soft neutral herringbone tweeds for curtains in a living room. Hints of blue, orange and green are perfect complimentary colours.
Father’s Day is just around the corner and we have selected a few very special gifts to mark this day, (this selection is made with our own Dad in mind) and more importantly, some thoughts on why Father’s Day is a perfect excuse to thank our own father for all that he does for us.
My brother Paddy, sister Rosy and I all work with our father so the relationship swings between Dad and chairman of our company. Working within a family business is very special and despite the understandable and numerous family ‘debates’, having the ongoing support and guidance from our father is something we all value highly.
My earliest memories of Dad revolve around cycling, mountains, boats, swimming and chocolate, the latter used to help us get through many mini expeditions around the hills and seas in Donegal! We grew up beside the coast in an idyllic setting for any child and Dad ensured we made the most out of it.
This high level of physical activity as children thankfully didn’t put us off exercise for the rest of our lives and we all still love our sport and challenges, often with Dad in tow – from cycling through Chile, (Rosy!) 24 hour mountain bike races, rowing, numerous marathons and one ironman.
If I was to sum up Dad in a few words – energetic, enthusiastic, positive and very much the life and soul of any party! Here is to you and all the other Dad’s on this Father’s Day and to many more of them!
