Bebhinn the City

Below is a piece I did on Irish designer Beibhinn Flood.
Bebhinn Flood Design Facebook Page.

Bebhinn the City

Perched on the top floor of Dublin's illustrious Powerscourt Townhouse Centre is the stylish Loft Market. Described as 'A slice of New York city in Dublin' by stylist and Irish Independent fashion writer Angela Scanlon, this minimalist haven is a mishmash of colours and textures complete with comfy couches and wooden floorboards. Swiftly establishing itself as a firm favourite among fashion junkies since 2006, the Loft Market is a treasure trove of home grown fashion, jewellery and art from some of the most gifted style innovators in Ireland.


Marking her corner in the Loft, in every way, is Wicklow born fashion designer Bebhinn Flood, affectionately known as Bev. In August 2009, Bev made a lasting impression in the Irish fashion world showcasing her Spring/Summer 2010 collection at the Fashion Breakthrough Uprising event. Her juxtaposition of bold patterns and quirky embellishment are a breath of fresh air to those frequenting the Loft, and she says she is no stranger to hearing "Oh brilliant! Something different!" The ability to create something unique and exclusive is what inspires Bebhinn. She likes to dress those who know their own style and don’t follow the pack. And she loves to be able to tell customers, "Well, there's only eight of those made so you’re one of the lucky eight to get it!"

Bebhinn's vintage-meets-contemporary display is a pleasure for the senses, complete with lilac vanity dresser, well-travelled suitcases and swan-necked mannequin heads adorned with striking headpieces. Each rail is filled with designs in an array of lavish textures, rich colours and bold patterns. And overlooking the whole floor is a handmade azure blue lamb's wool neckpiece, one of Bev's signature creations, which are limited in number due to each one taking a week to craft and produce.

We are sitting on a large windowsill just outside the Loft, accessorised with a plump pink cushion, a hue that almost matches the Loft Market logo itself. People saunter by on the creaky floorboards enjoying their Friday afternoon, while down below in the centre of Dublin‟s historic townhouse friends are in view, catching up over coffee. Bev is affable, her auburn hair and warm smile elude charm, attributes fundamental to each of her designs.

While Bev's pieces draw inspiration from various different elements, notably nature and her love of photography; sometimes all it takes is a striking fabric and she takes it from there. "A lot of the time, if I see a fabric I love I'll get it, and then I'll work out what I can make from that..." Bev smiles and nods thoughtfully. "But for some of my more couture pieces I'll go to trend forecasting, and sometimes I'll be inspired by that. A lot of nature too and I'm into photography and sometimes I'll use that as inspiration." While Bev doesn't have a lot of free time to see the city, she is an avid fan of the Museum of Modern Art. "I feel really creative after visiting!" she says, eyes lit up. "I go home and I want to paint everything!"

From the time of her earliest memories Bebhinn recalls keeping her hands busy by colouring and making crafts. It is her mother, however, who she credits for her career choice in fashion. Her mother once owned her own kids wear label, 'Dickery Dock' and always dressed Bev in quirky outfits. "I definitely got the interest from my Mum. She's a really creative woman and was a total hippie…!" she laughs. "I loved dressing up in her dresses and she had me stylish from a very early age; she would put arm warmers as legwarmers on me and that kind of stuff."

While Bev now happily displays her creative flair on her own two feet in the Loft Market each weekend, she recalls starting out in the industry. Soon after graduating with an honours
degree in fashion design from the Limerick Institute of Technology in 2004, she worked in the rag trade at Leo Fashions in Dublin city before striking out on her own. "Leo Fashions was the likes of your Michael H. and all those brands for the older clientele…" muses Bebhinn. "You have your suit jackets and trousers and skirts so it wasn't very creative so being able to launch myself somewhere like the Loft has been amazing, it's a great platform.
I've been able to do my own thing, work with people so I'm not on my own and shops have come in and ordered from me here from seeing my stuff which is just great".

Bev also had the amazing opportunity to work side to side with John Rocha; one of Ireland's internationally acclaimed designers. Bebhinn smiles and laughs when talking of her memories of working with Rocha, mentioning one of the designer's weaknesses. "It was an amazing opportunity. He is a lovely man. Quiet, but lovely and is obsessed with chocolate!
He used to love me; I would bring in chocolate tarts for him." It is then discovered that Bebhinn expresses her love of making things through another hobby – working as a chef. She worked part time as a chef for nine years in a vegetarian restaurant called 'Escape' in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Although Bev has strongly established herself in the industry, like other designers she is noticing the change in her trade brought on by the much discussed economic climate. She is aware of consumers adopting a more cost conscious approach, which can prove difficult for such an avid fan of luxurious fabrics. "I definitely have to be price aware. I use a lot of silks and the price of that keeps going up and I do a lot of commission pieces. If customers are looking for cheaper pieces I can't use silks or embellishment. Shops always want their wholesale prices to be really cheap and it's quite difficult to do it at a cheaper price for them." She says. Its Irish made and its cottage industry so I keep trying to tell them this isn't mass produced, there are limited numbers so you have to sell it on that end. But a lot of them are doing sale and return now, which is expensive for me but at least pieces feature in a
number of places."
Bebhinn personifies raw talent with her range of skills and proven creativity. There is an air of "no fear" and a readiness to tackle what may come; all traits which ensure a future lengthy and successful career. What's next, she is trying her hand at creating an online presence to showcase her work, with a website in production and a Facebook page at the ready. We leave her with the hope that silk prices will steady and that small limit to her limitless creativity will fall away and we can continue to see her work escalate and delight in the historic surroundings of Powerscourt Townhouse.

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Drumming it Home

Fight Like Apes is one of the most strident musical acts to emerge from Ireland in recent years. They featured in NME’s ‘New Bands You Must See’ list, and their music has been described as the ‘Perfect synth driven bass-throbbing heart-swelling indie pop’ by Organ Magazine. Apes irrepressible Drummer, Adrian Mullan, described by Hot Press magazine as a ‘veritable powerhouse of a tub-thumper’ is taking a short break from the road.


We are sitting in Adrian’s new home in North County Dublin; the sun shines across the terrace and in through open doors. Neighbours saunter on the lane and a welcome warm breeze sweeps in bringing promise of summer. Adrian, complete with rock star Mohawk, is relaxing on his couch. He is refreshingly honest and affable answering each question with a smile or a laugh, often hearty sometimes bellowing. He is thoughtful, reflecting his enjoyment of life and where the first part of this creative journey has taken him.

When it came to drumming, Mullan, now 31, was a late bloomer. “I got a Hohner percussion kit worth £200 when I was 18. I set it up, hit it and thought, right, that’s actually what that sounds like then. I didn’t touch the drums again for another year. I couldn’t play and didn’t want to make a fool of myself!” he recalls. He bumped into some friends who were starting a band. Adrian had drums, it seemed sufficient qualification, in truth his only qualification and being able to play, well, that would have to come later.

The band, which Adrian cites as “a direct rip off of their interpretation of a cross between Bush and The Smashing Pumpkins” practiced every weekend over the course of two months, shaping up to play gigs on the Dublin pub scene. Even if their performing zenith was a humble one to two gigs per year, the experience gave Mullan a taste for performing. “We played in a place called Frazer’s just off O’Connell Street. We ended up firing our bass player because he was arsing about, so it was guitar and drums, way before the White Stripes” he laughs. “Initially I was struck by the feeling; let’s just get through this gig. It felt so good the minute we got off stage and it was over. But I loved it!” Admitting it was just nerves, he insists it’s only a matter of time before a band loosens up. “You really get over it quickly. But those first couple of gigs, I mean, I see bands now and I see the look of fear in their eyes and I think ‘Yeah I remember…I remember all too well!”

The band played together for another five years before parting ways, setting Mullan up for his next musical endeavour. “There was a new band looking for a drummer, so I ended up trying out for them and we had a little thing going for just over a year” he says. A clash of personalities involving the lead singer and the rest of the band resulted in a split, leaving the four remaining members. And just like that, Fight Like Apes was born. Consisting of Mary-Kate ‘MayKay’ Geraghty (vocals and synth), Jamie ‘Pockets’ Fox (keyboard and vocals), Tom Ryan on bass and Adrian Mullan on drums. The name itself, ‘Fight Like Apes’ was purloined from a friend of Jamie’s, who was setting up a band himself, but decided on a different name. “Jamie suggested the name to us and we all thought it was pretty good” says Mullan. “It’s from the movie, Planet of the Apes, where some character demands that the apes attack the humans, and he shouts out; now, fight like apes!”

Three months after the foursome started playing as Fight Like Apes, they had their first gig. Adrian recalls “It wasn’t a bad first gig but it wasn’t amazing either. It got us a second gig though, which is always good, and the second got us a third and a fourth and so on. They all cascaded into each other; it was a very natural process.” The popularity of the band grew rapidly due to their ability to leave the crowd entertained and bemused. They caught the eye of Detroit band, The Von Bondies, “They found us on MySpace and we ended up going on tour with them. They were absolutely great. We got on really well as we gave them their space. I think they respected us for that. We’re still friends to this day and I’d easily go stay with them in Detroit.” says Mullan.
Adrian smiles with the mention of touring. Admitting that living out of a suitcase is his favourite element of being in the band, it is clear he enjoys every minute of visiting different cities and playing some of Europe’s most popular festivals. “I absolutely love it. Some bands don’t like being on the road so much, but I do, it’s great. I could be away for six weeks at a time, but don’t unpack because I could be off again in another week. Festivals are fantastic as well. You arrive; get your slot, which gives you time to go see other bands. You don’t necessarily get to do that if you’re a headline band because you’re too busy warming up to check out the other acts.”

Adrian has played in his fair share of places, including the US, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, but his favourite city is Bristol, in the UK. “Bristol I loved. It surprised me. There’s a really good vibe in the place. It seems to be a college town. We played the Louisiana in Bristol, a tiny place, but when it’s jammed full of people, it’s great.” he laughs. “We also played another venue there; it was a large converted boat, accommodating 800 people. You go down to the docks, into the boat and it’s literally the length of the hold!”

Being on stage has presented Mullan with some humorous moments. From kits falling apart on stage, broken drum sticks, shattered snare drums and floor toms resting on beer crates; these experiences were a small price to pay for the chance to tour with some of the biggest names in the music circuit. Fight Like Apes supported We Are Scientists, The Ting Tings, Kasabian, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Prodigy, the latter Adrian notes as one of the strangest crowds to play for. “I was watching from the side with their manager looking down into the crowd. There was this serious biker-metal guy, covered in tattoos, late forties, early fifties. And there’s a lad right beside him, in a hoodie and anorak, with his face falling apart because he’s so out of it on drugs” he recalls. “Any other time of the year, the two of them would kill each other. But at that point in time, they were having a ball!”
As support to the Prodigy, the Apes had to warm up the audience filled with metal-heads and chavs. These stereotypical individuals were less than enthralled with the Apes during the first couple of shows, but Mullan saw the funny side. “The first night we played some slower songs. Not a good idea!” he smirks. “The next night was a bit better, but we were getting pints thrown at us the entire gig! There was a serious queue for the bar and the pints weren’t cheap, so we must have really been bad at that point!” he says. Needless to say, the show must go on. The foursome gave it their all and kept on playing. “The last night we decided to not give a crap, so we went out there, stormed all the songs and they responded. Half liked us, half hated us but no pints were thrown that night! It was great craic.”

Adrian’s love of music and performing has taken him a on an exciting journey, yet his friendly demeanour is still very much intact. He is unfazed, modest and appreciative of it all. He talks about playing a venue, ‘El Paradiso’ in Amsterdam where fans were wearing Fight Like Apes t-shirts, singing along to the songs. “We had never even been there before. It was totally bizarre but fantastic all the same!” he says with a smile. His aspiration and focus on drumming is impressive, a far cry from the days of adolescence. “I’ll always be drumming. Any jobs I have had revolved around drums. Anything that was going, I’ve done, all to get a wage packet to enable me to move on musically.” This has certainly worked for Mullan, progressing from an amateur Hohner kit to Pearl Masters, an impressive kit he has played for a number of years; still drumming his way to the top.

Adrian talks of self-education, which doesn’t seem to cut it at his level of ambition. “With drums, like everything else, you can only get so far on your own. But to advance and really work up a technique, you need guidance from someone who knows what they’re doing. I want to get back into education with it” he says. Adrian’s next step is to enrol in Drumtech, a contemporary drum college located in London. “It looks great. I’ve been to open days, but with the band being so busy lately I couldn’t commit to it fully. I really want to elevate my playing!”


To do what you love is the greatest of gifts. Mullan has matured into an accomplished drummer with the humility to know there is more to learn. He relishes the challenge. We look forward to his next adventure in music, and you can be sure he will do it to the beat of his own drum.

March 29

Just Like Honey

Florencia Kozuch’s graduate collection is the height of fashion, literally.

Listed among the ‘Ones to Watch’ by Vauxhall Fashion Scouts for London Fashion Week, 23 year old Argentinian native Florencia Kozuch infuses her rich heritage with her penchant for all things Rock and Roll in the form of tasselled garments, towering head pieces and lavish textures.

Growing up in Buenos Aires, Kozuch saw fashion in her surroundings. She recounts early memories of her relatives and how she loved seeing them dressed so elegantly at family gatherings. As she grew older her Mother became her biggest influence. Florencia recalls, “I would watch my Mother getting ready to go out. I loved her shoes and dresses. She was very hip!”

From the time of her earliest memories, Kozuch was encouraged to draw and create. By the time she reached eleven or twelve, her random doodles had turned into concrete designs. In 2002, the family decided to relocate to Barcelona, much to the delight of their originative daughter. “Moving to Spain was great for me, as I was closer to London.” Two years later, she was on a plane, ready to take the city by storm with a promising place at Central Saint Martins – one of London’s most revered art institutions. “It had been my dream forever, I was thrilled!” It is clear that this designer has a love affair with London, saying it feels like home. “I’m very privileged to live here. I love the city, the architecture, the markets, the people on the streets. You can find anything you’ve ever dreamed of here – from exotic fruits to curious artefacts”. When she’s not designing, Kozuch can be found wandering around the city, where she enjoys visiting galleries, buying food and flowers at the market or simply going to movie theatres.

Kozuch recounts the most notable influences on her graduate collection as the Onas, an ancient Argentinian tribe of hunter – gatherers and Scottish alternative rock band, The Jesus and Mary Chain. This isn’t at all surprising, due to her love of the rock aesthetic. “I love music. It creates moods and I use those moods to develop ideas” she says. “I find that fashion and music go hand in hand through history, complementing each other”. This is evident in her personal style, which she describes as ‘classic - rock with an individual twist’ and she talks of her favourite item of clothing - a pair of ripped jeans. “I can’t live without them. I know I should let them go, but I can’t!” If the opportunity arose, (and based on the popularity of her recent collection alone this is bound to happen) Kozuch would gladly design for Rod Stewart, Bobby Gillespie and The Kill’s sultry front woman, Alison Mosshart.

And what inspires her now? “My sources for inspiration are always changing…” says Kozuch. “But I keep coming back to leather, the Velvet Underground, flowers, animals and tribal warriors”.

Kozuch is currently working on her summer collection, which promises to be incredible – but first she has to settle on a concept. This concept however is staying close to her heart. “I’ve changed it three times already, so I can’t tell you much about it at the moment!”

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February 24

Today Faye and me did our shoot for our three-page spread. Our theme was denim. Due to the rise of the denim on denim trend and all the buzz Alexa Chung is creating with her Vogue article (not to mention her take on the trend at LFW) it seemed fitting. Everything turned out really well - after fidgeting with a lot of different ways to produce a shadow effect and soft lighting, we got there. A bit of cropping and some photoshop (terrified!) and they should turn out great. Harriet was an amazing model, so that made the whole thing a pleasure. Here are some of the shots...we took 330, so I've just uploaded a few. To pick just three is going to be a challenge.

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