Kildare fashion designer wants to reclaim Irish flag
The Céad Míle Collection draws inspiration from Ireland's traditional greeting of "Céad Míle Fáilte"
Kildare artist and designer Helen Steele is joining forces with fellow Irish fashion designer Farouk858 and GOAL NextGen for a new collection aimed at reclaiming the Irish flag as a symbol of welcome, belonging and solidarity.
The Céad Míle Collection draws inspiration from Ireland's traditional greeting of "Céad Míle Fáilte" - a hundred thousand welcomes - and asks what the national flag should represent in modern Ireland.
Steele, whose bold and colourful artistic style has earned her an international reputation, said the Irish flag should make people feel welcome rather than wary.
"There's something deeply sad about seeing the Irish flag and immediately assuming it represents hostility rather than pride," she said.
"Our national flag should be a symbol that makes people feel welcome, not wary."
The collection will transform the colours and symbolism of the Irish flag into a fashion statement celebrating global solidarity and a diverse and inclusive Ireland.
Steele said the collaboration offered an opportunity to "reclaim that symbol" and reimagine it as a reflection of an Ireland built on kindness, hospitality and shared humanity.
The initiative comes against a backdrop of concerns around racism and division. Research cited by GOAL NextGen found that 66% of non-white people in Ireland experienced racism in the previous 12 months.
GOAL NextGen and Thinkhouse research also found that 80% of people agree everyone who calls Ireland home deserves to feel they belong, while 82% believe creative culture can help people connect and overcome differences.
The Céad Míle Collection will be unveiled at a public launch event in Dublin this autumn, bringing together fashion, art and activism.