The global fashion industry is conservatively estimated to be worth $1.3 trillion USD, making it one of the biggest industries and sources of employment in developing countries. It consumes an unimaginable and unsustainable amount of natural resources on an annual basis.

Exploring the links between consumption and production, Second Skin is an exhibition that seeks to develop collaborations between Irish fashion designers, woollen mills and textile producers, digital fabric producers, tailors, retailers and upcyclers. The exhibition will include a mixture of work from existing collections and work resulting from collaborations, plus an interactive and participative space exploring recent international developments in sustainable fashion production.

Second Skin commissioned four of Ireland’s leading fashion labels - JRothwell, Joanne Hynes, NATALIEBCOLEMAN and Lennon Courtney - to design, source and produce a garment or range of clothing on the island of Ireland and to document the opportunities and challenges which the process presented. The commission may sound like a simple proposition, but the reality of sourcing and making clothing in Ireland is not straightforward. Their journey, which brings to life their inspiration and process through to the finished pieces, forms the basis of the Clonmel run of Second Skin.

Exhibition opening: 4 November, 6.00pm by exhibition curator Louise Allen

View the related programme of events, including workshops and talks, for adults and children.