Page 25 - Our Wexford

BLÁITHÍN ENNIS

- Jewellery Designer

Often a leap of faith and and took home the Wexford striking pieces of jewellery and
courage is what’s needed to Young Entrepreneur of the couture accessories.
transform a great idea into Year award. Last year she was a For example, her Topaz collection
a great business and that’s cultural ambassador for the Three features pieces with a sterling
something that jewellery Sisters – Kilkenny, Waterford and silver or gold-plated finish,
designer Bláithín Ennis Wexford– in their bid to become with a brilliant gem sparkle,
performed when she established European Capital of Culture in making them much sought-after
her own label within a year of 2020. She has been showing sell- among those who appreciate
graduating from college. out collections at Create in Brown contemporary, unique style.
Thomas in both Dublin and
Railing against any negativity and Galway for the past two years and “Price point is important to me,”
despair still washing around the now has 40 stockists nationwide. she adds. “I don’t want to be a
country from the worst days of the At her fourth Showcase, she designer associated with high
recession, this exciting designer secured further customers prices. My customers appreciate
and manufacturer of unique, including three in Sweden and hand-made items and like to
contemporary jewellery pieces has one in the US and she now has buy Irish design, so it’s anything
worked with New York designer ambitious plans to export. She has from about €35 and upwards to
Diane von Furstenberg and then built up a significant reputation for purchase one of my pieces. They’re
saw her own creations going down herself from her base in her native reasonably-priced.”
a treat when it came to selling County Wexford.
them at markets, showcases and Bláithín graduated from the
outlets. “At the moment the ready-to- National College of Art and
wear jewellery pieces are what I Design following an intense,
Now she has her own, am mainly focusing on,” she says. packed course which she describes
eponymously named studio a “I deal mainly in the market of as “a daunting experience” and,
stone’s throw from the beautiful selling to shops and I also have after her stint in New York, was TOP:
Bláithín Ennis
north Wexford coastline at an online presence. My ethos as a offered a number of design jobs.
Ballymoney, close to the bustling designer is to have a contemporary However, she decided to stay close
town of Gorey.
jewellery and accessory range. I to her roots.
Within a short couple of years like to make unique accessories Her interest in gardening helped
of launching her first collection that can give a new lease of life to a achieve her first big break at the
Bláithín Ennis designs can be simple garment.” Springmount Garden Design
found around the world.
Bláithín sources all of her materials Fair in Ballycanew where shortly
In 2014 she won Jewellery herself, from many parts of the after her return from the US
Designer of the Year at the Fashion world, and then combines and she showed a small collection
Innovation Awards in Galway manipulates them to create of fashion jewellery using what

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