Dearbhla is a fashion and textiles student in GMIT who, since starting her Instagram page ‘fashionby.dearbhla’ in May, has gained over 4,000 followers and deals with brands such as Bbold. She is a small business owner from Donegal, selling her own pieces while studying which can be purchased directly from Instagram and through her Depop ‘dearbhlagalla’. She has so kindly decided to give the NUIG Fashion Mag readers some tips and tricks on entering the fashion industry, growing your social media presence, and her thoughts on sustainable fashion.

SM: Your work on reworking/up-cycling old clothes is particularly inspiring in today’s climate with fast fashion being such a topic of interest, what are your thoughts on this issue?

Dearbhla: Our society is definitely obsessed with the overconsumption of fast fashion. But I have found that people are beginning to understand the impacts that this industry has on the environment. I’m not perfect myself and I will admit that I do purchase from fast fashion brands, but I don’t tend to follow trends anymore. Trends usually last about six months or until they reach their saturation point but because of fast fashion, trend cycles have been changing more frequently. I stopped following trends because of this and even though I am still consuming fast fashion, I find myself re-wearing the clothes for a lot longer and I am buying less.

SM: On the topic of reworking old clothes, have you any tips for beginners hoping to upcycle some of their own clothes?

Dearbhla: Reworking can be a lot harder than designing from scratch so start off with simple ideas to build up your confidence. Always keep your scrap fabrics because you never know what else you can make out of them in the future. YouTube is great for gathering information on techniques you can use to rework clothing. I still go to video tutorials for tips and tricks when it comes to sewing because it’s very hard to remember everything.

SM: How did you grow your Instagram page and would you have any tips for anyone hoping to do the same?

Dearbhla: I was very nervous starting my page because I was always quite insecure about what people thought of me. I decided to do it anyway and I am so happy I did. I was overwhelmed with the support I was given from people at home and people I knew from college. My advice for anyone hoping to grow their Instagram would be to stay consistent with posting but create quality content that you enjoy posting. Ignore the people who are being negative towards you. There will always be so many more people who have kind and encouraging things to say to you.

SM: You’re studying fashion and textiles in college. Would you recommend doing the same for anyone interested in entering the fashion industry?

Dearbhla: I would definitely recommend studying a design course to anyone interested in entering the fashion industry as you gain so much understanding of the process that goes into designing and constructing clothing and print making. One piece of advice I would give to incoming fashion students: there is a lot of harsh criticism given and sometimes it’s disheartening that your hard work may not feel appreciated, but that is the best way to learn. If you are not recognising your mistakes, you will keep making them and never learn or improve as a designer.

SM: So how can we purchase your work?

Dearbhla: I mostly sell through Instagram DMs or on Depop but I am currently in the process of setting up my own web shop. And during the Christmas break I plan to get a lot of designing done so that new clothing will be available to purchase in the new year.

SM: And finally of course, I must ask what can we hope to see from you in the future?

Dearbhla: I’m hoping to set up my own fashion label by the time I graduate in 2022. It’s a big goal but I’m very determined to reach it. Working for myself now, designing single pieces rather than full collections, has been a great way to introduce myself to the industry and the best way I learn is through practice and experience. I’m very excited to see what happens in the future with my fashion career.

A big thanks to Dearbhla for talking the time to contribute to the magazine and share her knowledge on all things fashion and design. Don’t forget to follow Dearbhla on her socials to keep up to date with all the exciting things to come!

Instagram: @fashionby.dearbhla

Depop: @dearbhlagalla

Tiktok: @fashionby.dearbhla

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