In conversation with Roisin Gartland
There are so many talented makers that we meet in Ireland and across the world. We love to learn more about their work and processes, and have an opportunity to be able to collaborate on projects. It is important to us to work with crafts people and designers who are passionate about their work and about creating beauty responsibly.
One such artisan is Roisin Gartland, a leather specialist and designer who had been working in this field since the late 80s. Her expertise in her craft is widely respected; apart from the ready to wear pieces she designs and produces she has worked on a range of collaborations and projects from bespoke commissions for TV and theatre to one of-a-kind pieces for private clients. Gartland is a connoisseur of leathers and furs. Her wealth of knowledge and deep respect for the material is present in every garment and piece she creates; from the type of leathers chosen and the way that the pattern is designed with the skins in mind to the care taken to source the materials from responsible farmers and suppliers around the world.
Roisin’s studio in the Design Tower in Dublin has been her creative sanctuary throughout the span of her career. A visit to the workshop reveals a treasure cave of textures and materials that Roisin has been collecting and making throughout the years. The shelves are heavy with boxes of samples and curiosities made or found on her travels, sample garments and previous projects hang on racks along the walls and beautiful butter smooth hides wait to be turned into the latest creations.
You can check out some more of Roisin’s incredible work over on her website. http://www.roisingartland.com/
How did you come to working with leather, what first drew you to a lifelong relationship with this material in particular?
I was exposed to the world of leather and fur from a very young age when visiting the workshops where my father worked. Being naturally curious I was fascinated by the making processes: seeing skilled craftswomen and men working this difficult material and making it all look so easy. I was enchanted from the very first day, watching their hands and how they handled the tools of the trade. Sometimes my father worked at home and it was on those occasions, while standing on my tippy toes at his bench, that he taught me how to hold a knife- I was about 5 years of age. I guess that’s where it all started.
You have been travelling and meeting suppliers from all over the world for years, do you remember a piece you found that stands out to this day as something really special for you? Could you tell us a little bit about what it was and what it became?
It’s really difficult to select just one item… sometimes a piece will jump out that I just have to have and often it will take years to develop that skin into something. I don’t stress about it though; I like to be surrounded by interesting materials and don’t always feel the need to cut them up. However, on my last trip to Paris I was sourcing materials for a specific commission when I found a most incredible Arapaima fish skin. It is a large edible fresh water fish from South America. A decade ago it was almost extinct from overfishing but with successful intervention this situation has reversed. Not only does this fish feed all the communities along the Amazon, the fish skin, which would otherwise have been discarded, has been transformed into this amazing unique leather.
In contrast to other finds, this one is already in development. There are two commissioned pieces in progress at the moment- A bag and a dress.
Similarly, was there ever something you fell in love with but didn’t get at the time that still haunts you?
Yes, the first time I went to a flea market in Paris I was so overwhelmed by the amount of things on offer that I couldn’t decide what to buy and so didn’t buy anything. Of course I regretted not going back on that occasion.
You are a designer but your work never follows the fashions of the day. Where do you draw your influences from and what has been inspiring you lately?
It’s true, I don’t follow trends, the work I create transcends fashions cycles. I keep an eye on current styles but I am more concerned with longevity, on finding forms that not only are in harmony with the material but also complimentary to the human figure. The process is very organic and inspiration comes from several sources: I am very interested in architecture, geometry and natural pattern formations. The natural shapes of the skins will have a bearing on how a piece is constructed and I am also inspired by the people I make for, their personalities will inform the pieces too.
I recently created the costumes for a 6 part drama/documentary 'Mnámhallacht- The Persecuted'. This was a dream project. It’s in the editing room at the moment and is due to be aired later this year on TG4 and BBC NI.
I am enjoying developing the Arapaima skins on the one hand and also creating new costume/wearable artworks with artist Jesse Jones and a young award winning artist/performer called Kitsch Doom.
Among the pieces we have seen you have beautiful tailored blazers as well as pieces that follow no traditional patterns. Would you say that you often listen to the shape or pattern of the hide to come up with a design or inform the process?
Yes, that’s an absolute a fact. When I started to veer away from creating technical patterns it was to tune into the individual shapes that were presented in each skin. Skins by their very nature are not flat so I searched for a way to mould them to the human form to literally create second skins. This process is different each time with no two outcomes being identical.
Are there any designers/ artists that you admire and have had a particular influence on the way you design or think about your own work?
The first designer to have an influence on the way I think was Issey Miyake. In him I saw someone unafraid to work outside of the norms of the industry; subsequently I felt encouraged to move along my own path. In recent years I have had the privilege of working collaboratively with artists Olwen Fouéré and Jesse Jones. These relationships have allowed the work to shift to a different platform, thus enabling it to develop and grow more creatively.
In the field of design I have collaborated for some years now with Joseph Walsh whose work requires original thinking to reach successful outcomes. I thoroughly enjoy pushing at the boundaries and playing with the extraordinary forms he creates, matching my knowledge of my material with Josephs extraordinary creations in wood.
Do you have a particular favourite type of leather to work with? If so what is it and what qualities make it stand out for you?
I guess there is one particular leather that I return to time and time again. It is the leather from the Japanese Wagyu. It is both fine and strong with the most sensual touch. I can make it work for almost every project
You have studied sculpture and fine art, are there any other mediums you love working with when you’re not working with leathers?
Yes, I developed a love of working with porcelain and I also love to use paper or card to create sculptural forms.
How has your time at NCAD shaped how you approach a piece of clothing? In particular, would you see your work approaching sculpture as opposed to fashion design?
The sole focus of my MFA in NCAD was to merge the two sides of my practice. I wanted to escape the mindset of working two separate disciplines and bring a sense of oneness with both. It was successful in that I now regard all my work as sculpture - there’s no separation. Whether I am creating a wearable piece for a private client, costumes for a performance or developing furniture coverings I approach them all with the same sensibilities- as three dimensional forms to be built.
