Welcome to House of Kerry
Mission statement
House of Kerry, is an art and couture sustainable luxury brand by an award winning artist designer Christine O’Donoghue de Vries. Influenced by her farming background and the conservation of resources and inspired by the breathtaking landscape, culture and heritage, only the highest quality sustainable heritage fabrics are employed to translate into exquisite timeless pieces. The carbon footprint of the farm and the House of Kerry business is monitored using scientific data. While carbon emissions are relatively low comparing to average figures for similar farms, action plans are in place to reduce emissions even further. Looking at the big picture taking into account carbon sequestration and large spaces for nature, the farm is carbon neutral with surplus credits being able to be used to offset the relatively low carbon emissions of the House of Kerry business. We prefer the philosophy though to reduce carbon emissions at source through monitoring of data and setting goals.
House of Kerry since its inception has held its commitment to craftsmanship, social causes -in particular the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals e.g., sustainable agriculture( Life on Land, Climate Action), female empowerment (Gender Equality) and Good Health and Wellbeing through Christine’s innovative designs and collaborations. House of Kerry is committed to being a change-maker and promoting change in the world of fashion when it comes to sustainability. This was recognized by being awarded “Highly Commended Brand of the Year 2023” in the Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards London.
House of Kerry advocates for a holistic approach to protecting the planet in the response to climate change. A world where all voices are listened to and included in government climate plans and a world where existing inequalities for women and marginalized groups are not further compounded by climate plans and policy*.
Longevity of House of Kerry pieces is considered at the inception of the design and creation of your piece and through use of long lasting heritage/natural fabrics. To further the longevity of your well crafted House of Kerry pieces even more, we are now offering a repair service and on request an online consultation to explore how the number of wears your made to order House of Kerry piece can be optimized. Choose the perfect gift from House of Kerry scarf collections or a bespoke dress or trench coat that will take you from desk to dinner.
Logo?
The House of Kerry logo of the evergreen is inspired by the trees outside the old farmhouse, pockets of woodland and shelter belts which were planted on the farm by our grandfather and great grandfather. They were planted primarily for shelter for the house, soil and animals in the fields.
Background
Christine, founder of House of Kerry received a joint honours Law and French degree from University College Cork and practiced as a Barrister for several years before returning back to Co. Kerry to pursue her creative passions. She was especially influenced by her grandmother who made everything from furniture to beautiful dresses by hand.
Christine has over 12 years experience in fine art prints and textile design created from her own watercolors, screenprints, collage and fine art photography. She works with traditional sometimes nostalgic scenery but with a contemporary twist and an international flair for design. She is registered with the Design and Crafts Council Ireland and Design Ireland. Christine’s designs have been in “Drapers” of London Top Picks to exhibit in London’s Premium fashion shows 2022 and she was invited to show her “Joie de Vivre” sustainable collections at New York Fashion week 2023 as an emerging international talent. House of Kerry was a finalist at Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards 2023 in London and was awarded “Highly Commended” Brand of the Year.
Nothing takes the stress out of shopping for an occasion than to have a bespoke fitted garment which you won’t find on the high street. As well as having a choice of Christine’s in house prints you can also choose from a range of exciting couture heritage fabrics. She is delighted to work with you to customize bespoke once off wearable art pieces made to your sizing. Appointments can be made on request. If you see an image you love on our website, please contact Christinedevries.hofk@gmail.com and she will be happy to discuss your requirements with you.
In true sustainable style she renovated the old farmhouse in her family for generations and now lives there with her husband and their young family. Christine is also an Origin Green farmer (sustainable certification) and wool producer working with her family closely with nature. The carbon footprint of the farm is monitored scientifically and has low emissions comparing to average farms here. She sees at first hand the detrimental effects climate change is having on the planet in the form of extreme weather conditions including drought which has led to fodder shortages. Her designs are primarily influenced by the breath taking natural scenery of Co. Kerry outside the windows of the old farmhouse and Co. Kerry and reminders of things gone by. Customers love House of Kerry pieces, nostalgic but with a contemporary twist and international flair.
Awards/Press
Christine was awarded the Irish Fashion Designer of the Year Awards in 2018 and 2019. Her work has featured in British Vogue, Tatler, Spirit of Ireland Magazine, the Business Post, the Kerryman, Independent.ie, House of Coco, Motley magazine, Vogue Italia, Stellar magazine, Elle, Glamour and Fashion Week Online ( emerging international talent). Her work has also appeared on the New European Bauhaus Design platform and Drapers (House of Kerry picked as one of the best brands to show at Scoop and Pure premium London fashion shows 2022). In 2023 Christine was invited to New York and her designs made a successful debut at New York Fashion Week. House of Kerry has been awarded “Highly Commended” Status in the Brand of the Year category in the “Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards” London 2023 and a finalist in same awards for “Best Carbon Initiative” 2024. House of Kerry showcased the “Tell Me a Story” collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week 2024 with the highlight being on local Irish tweed translated into reversible wool/silk capes. As part of the CPHFW event calendar a webinar on the importance of St. Brigid was held with reference to the UN Sustainability goals and the importance of storytelling in sustainable fashion. As part of an intercultural experience the stories of Hans Christian Andersen were also explored including “Thumbelina” and the “Shepherdess and the Chimneysweep”.
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Our Philosophy
Science, Traceability and transparency
House of Kerry pieces are designed for the conscious consumer with no compromise to luxury and comfort. Influenced by a farming background, resources are carefully used and repurposed where ever possible. The carbon footprint of the farm and the House of Kerry business is monitored scientifically and emissions are well below average. We have invested in solar panels to make the business more energy efficient. We ensure we are doing our utmost for the environment by using natural breathable high quality fabrics which are 100% biodegradable (although they are created to be cherished for a long time!), a no waste policy with the pieces produced and providing traceability and transparency in our processes and the fabrics used. Our prints are all digitally printed for least environmental impact at our printing partners, a small family run business near Lake Como, Italy. Digital printing means less CO2 emissions than other traditional methods of printing. It also uses less energy and creates less waste which is best for the planet. All inks used are EU certified non toxic for the environment. Scarves are handcrafted by a family run company in Italy with hand rolled edges. House of Kerry sources Irish Linen (certified Masters in Linen) and Irish wool tweed (pure new wool) from the island of Ireland. House of Kerry uses end of line couture natural fabrics including wool from a small niche business in France All packaging used is made from recycled materials and can be recycled. Single use plastics are not used.
Ethically made/fairness
Above all from its inception in 2016 House of Kerry is committed to working with ethical suppliers who pay fair wages to their employees and ensure that employees have good working conditions. Child labor, forced labor and all forms of discrimination are not tolerated. House of Kerry works mainly with small to medium family run artisan businesses.
Equality/Female Empowerment
Business reports the world over (e.g. PwC analysis report of February 2023, IBEC , Forbes March 2024, UN Women’s Org February 2024,Irish Life(pension inequality report May 2024)) state that the gender pay gap and pension gap is still an issue. Due to issues mainly surrounding childcare or lack of affordable and sustainable childcare, women fall behind on pay parity and consequently pension and health benefit rights suffer. Reports in respected business reports (Forbes, UN Women) also report that where women are given leadership roles, organizations run by them become even more diverse and lead to more sustainable choices being made. There is still a need to promote women and workplace issues. Inspired by the UN Sustainability goals Christine often highlights womens’ work in her collections:
-“We Share the Same Sky” collection -inspired by Christine’s grandaunt a nurse during WW2 London. This collection was shown on the New European Bauhaus platform.
-using organic mulberry silk woven by women in India and Cambodia in a project to empower women through work. The woven silk (GOTS certified) was sourced through an EU textiles family company an expert on organically/ethically certified fabric.
-“St Gobnait’s Journey” collection inspired by St. Gobnait Patron Saint of Beekeepers. Her legacy was that she defended the livestock in the town of Baile Bhiúrne against soldiers and thieves by unleashing her bees against them and defeated them.
-New York Fashion Week 23: Christine was invited to show her collection “Joie de Vivre” in New York Fashion Week where the House of Kerry pieces she styled were inspired by strong women -St. Brigid(first public holiday for a national female saint in Ireland in 2023) and St. Gobnait.
-House of Kerry showcased the “Tell Me a Story” collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week 2024 with the highlight being on local Irish tweed translated into reversible wool/silk capes. As part of the CPHFW event calendar a webinar on the importance of St. Brigid was held with reference to the UN Sustainability goals and the importance of storytelling in sustainable fashion. As part of an intercultural experience the stories of Hans Christian Andersen were also explored including “Thumbelina” and the “Shepherdess and the Chimneysweep”.
-Mainly female artisans in Ireland make the House of Kerry clothing pieces.
Economic Empowerment for women 2024
This year’s UN theme for International Women’s Day is “Invest in women, Accelerate progress”. Empowering women = empowerment for all.
UN Women’s org report has identified 5 ways to accelerate women’s economic empowerment. Investing in women, benefits women and society as a whole. At the current rate of investment more than 340 million women and girls will still live in poverty by 2030. It has been identified that women’s voices must be given a platform at all stages of the decision making processes.
1. Resources: connecting women with resources and access to land, information, technology and natural resources to grow their businesses to allow them to thrive in the work environment.
2. Jobs: Identified that measures in the employment place -pay transparency, equal pay for work of equal value and access to care services can close the gender pay gaps.
3. Time: identified that existing social organisation of care demonstrates inequalities of status and power and the report states on average women spend around 3 times more in unpaid care work. The report suggests investing in care systems so women can reclaim time for education/work.
4. Security: Identified that conflict and crises can exacerbate already existing inequalities increasing women’s time in unpaid care work. Social norms must be challenged and women empowered in jobs and business.
5. To ensure women’s rights in the context of economic empowerment discriminatory laws and frameworks must be repealed. It has been identified that protection and support for women human right defenders and accountability for human rights abuses are needed.
(UN Women Org)
Protecting the Planet/Climate Justice: Government policies on Women and Marginalized Communities
House of Kerry advocates for a holistic approach to protecting the planet. A world where all voices are listened to and included in government climate plans and a world where existing inequalities for women and marginalized groups are not further compounded by climate plans and policy*.
(*inspired by Christine attending and listening to the findings of the “Feminist Climate Justice Report” April 2024 which launched at University College Cork and prepared by Dr Fiona Dukelow, Dr Catherine Forde and Edith Busteed.
This groundbreaking report which identifies existing inequalities for women and marginalized groups and how current government climate policies are compounding existing inequalities will inform Irish environmental policy and climate plans at government, human rights groups and at community level for a long time to come. Changes are necessary at policy level so that everyone can both benefit and participate in a Just Transition).
Sustainable Agriculture/Science(Life on Land, Climate Action)
House of Kerry promotes sustainable agriculture (Life on Land, Climate Action). Christine is a 6th generation farmer, certified Origin Green and a wool producer. Over and above certification, the farm located on the shores of a lake has beautiful spaces for nature, over 7ha of natural woodland for biodiversity and bee hives with the endangered native Irish bee set up by Christine. The carbon footprint of the farm is monitored on a scientific basis through Origin Green program and emissions are well below average for the 2023 report. If one looks at the big picture the farm is carbon neutral with surplus credits due to the sequestration of carbon on arable land as well as large spaces for nature/trees on the farm. Nothing goes to waste and as well as soil sampling and regenerative farming practices an extensive rotational grass grazing system is employed. House of Kerry sources its natural fabrics -Irish linen, wool, end of line couture wool and silk from artisanal businesses in EU/Ireland where there are strict laws governing land, deforestation and farming practices. Silk is sourced in limited quantities of organic silk from India and Cambodia in a working program to empower women through work. It is GOTS certified and sourced from a specialist family company in the EU.
Good Health and Wellbeing
Foremost, House of Kerry only uses natural breathable fabrics in its collections -wool, Irish linen and silk and our digital prints made in Italy have non toxic ink and conform to minimum EU standards. Through social media House of Kerry encourages self care and positive mental health through a connection with nature and physical activity.
Community
House of Kerry endeavors to promote as much work as possible in the local economy and community and uses local suppliers and artisans for orders wherever it is possible to do so. As well as sponsoring a gift for the annual school fundraisers, Christine was invited to help the children with an art project at her local school and was delighted to sponsor the paint . House of Kerry has been involved in raising funds for the St. Vincent de Paul Kerry Education Fund which helps out third level students going to college, the Laura Lynn Children’s hospice which provides a service to families all over Ireland, for the local school fundraising projects as well as to Kerry Cancer Support Group which provides a free transport service to patients for their hospital treatment. More recently House of Kerry initiated a fundraiser for Ukraine (UNICEF) in collaboration with other designers to help the humanitarian crisis there. House of Kerry has donated to UNICEF for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and promoted the UNICEF website on its instagram bio since October 2023.
