Inspired by the classic BBC radio programme broadcast, Desert Island Discs, our new podcast Desert Island Dress follows a similar arrangement and asks guests to...
Dressing for the Drama: Enda Walsh on Clothes, Memory & Playful Storytelling
Welcome to the first episode of Season 3! To kick off the new series, we’re joined by one of Ireland’s most celebrated playwrights, Enda Walsh. Known for his poetic, deeply human storytelling in works like Disco Pigs, Misterman, Ballyturk, and Lazarus, Enda’s writing is unmistakable—lyrical, intense, and often laced with humour. In this episode, we step away from the stage and into Enda’s personal world through the clothes that have shaped his life. From childhood moments of discovery to teenage experiments in self-expression, Enda reflects on how clothing captures memory, identity, and creativity. Along the way, we talk about growing up in Ireland, the influence of colour, and even a surprising encounter with Enya in a bargain basement. This is a warm, thoughtful conversation about the stories we carry in our clothes—sometimes sentimental, sometimes surprising, and always deeply personal. 🎧 Listen now on your favourite podcast platform. 📲 Follow us on Instagram for updates. 📩 Have a story to share? Get in touch (DM on Instagram) —we’d love to hear it! #DesertIslandDress #EndaWalsh #StorytellingThroughClothes #Podcast #IrishTheatre
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56:58
In Conversation: Dee and Katriona Reflect on Peter O'Brien’s Episode
In this special post-analysis episode, co-hosts Dee and Katriona delve into their reflections on last week’s conversation with renowned Irish designer Peter O’Brien.
Highlights from the Discussion:
- Peter O’Brien’s Creative Philosophy: Exploring his fluid approach to design and the beauty in letting the work speak for itself.
- Fashion vs. Function: A lively debate on the intersection of practicality and artistry in clothing. Are we buying a story, a function, or both?
- The Blur Between Fashion and Costume: How Peter's background in costume design informs his ability to tell stories through garments.
- The Realities of the Fashion Industry: A candid look at the challenges and demands of a career in fashion, and Peter’s refreshing take on embracing imperfection and humour.
What You’ll Learn:
- How storytelling shapes our relationship with garments, even when designers downplay the narrative.
- The evolving role of the runway: from buyer-focused events to influencer-driven spectacle.
- Why some of the most meaningful pieces are those imbued with personal memories and longevity.
🧥 Have a story about a garment that means the world to you?
📩 Follow Desert Island Dress on @desert_island_dress
and join the conversation
🎧 Don’t miss an episode—subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
W: www.desertislanddress.com
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31:19
Sequins, Sketches, and Couture: A Life in Fashion with Peter O'Brien
In this episode of Desert Island Dress, we’re thrilled to sit down with renowned Irish fashion designer Peter O’Brien. Peter takes us on a nostalgic journey through his formative years in fashion, sharing his memories of childhood creativity, from sneaking sequins onto his mother's beachwear to drawing dresses in schoolbooks. With his characteristic wit and candour, Peter recalls the inspirations and pivotal moments that shaped his illustrious career, which spans from designing for top fashion houses to creating costumes for stage and film.
We explore:
Peter’s early fascination with fashion, from admiring Joan Crawford’s iconic dress in Humoresque to sketching designs as a young boy.
His experiences studying at Saint Martins, where he found his "tribe" and immersed himself in the world of high fashion.
Key milestones in his career, including his unforgettable creations for shows in Paris and his ventures into costume design, such as the dramatic gowns for Lady Windermere’s Fan and Talk of the Town.
His reflections on the evolution of fashion, the challenges of maintaining a creative vision in a commercial industry, and his thoughts on today’s fast fashion culture.
Peter also shares his personal Desert Island Dress selections, revealing not just the garments but the stories, emotions, and memories stitched into each piece.
Join us for a delightful and insightful conversation with one of Irish fashion’s true originals, Peter O’Brien.
Guest Info:
Peter O'Brien is an Irish fashion designer and costume designer, known for his work with leading fashion houses and his timeless, elegant designs.
Follow Peter O'Brien:
@peterobrienoffical
Listen and Subscribe:
You can listen to Desert Island Dress on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.
@desert_island_dress
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1:00:06
From Childhood Memories to Body Ideals: Dee and Katriona Explore Fashion's Influence
In our follow-up post-analysis of Desert Island Dress, Dee and Katriona reflect on their thought-provoking conversation with dress historian Hilary O'Kelly. This post-analysis discussion touches on the personal and cultural themes that arose during Hilary’s episode and expands into broader topics surrounding fashion, identity, and self-expression.
In This Episode, Dee and Katriona Discuss:
The Lasting Impact of Childhood Memories: Inspired by Hilary’s reflections on her ‘pony dress’, the hosts explore how childhood clothing can shape our early sense of self and contribute to our lifelong relationship with fashion.
When Does Fashion Influence Begin?: The hosts reflect on the power of brand recognition in children and the early pressures to conform to social or cultural fashion standards. Dee and Katrina examine how children start to develop their sense of style and how this can shape their identity even from a young age.
Body Image and Clothing: The conversation shifts to the body ideals perpetuated by fashion, drawing connections to current issues of inclusivity and representation. Dee and Katriona discuss the limited body diversity seen on modern runways and how this impacts societal perceptions of beauty and self-worth.
The Role of Fashion in Self-Expression: From the runway to personal wardrobes, the hosts reflect on how clothing serves as both an expression of individual identity and a response to societal expectations. They explore how the fashion industry’s portrayal of certain body types can have profound effects on how we see ourselves and others.
Key Themes:
The early formation of identity through clothing and style
The role of fashion in shaping childhood and adolescent self-expression
Current debates around body diversity, inclusivity, and societal beauty standards in the fashion industry
Fashion as both an armour and a form of self-presentation
Why Listen:If you were intrigued by Hilary O'Kelly’s insights on dress and memory, this episode takes those ideas further by exploring how fashion influences not just how we dress, but how we see ourselves and others. Dee and Katriona provide thoughtful commentary on fashion’s wider social impact, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in how clothes shape our personal and cultural identities.
Connect with Us:Website: www.desertislanddress.comInstagram: @desert_island_dress
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36:12
Clothing and Memory: Hilary O'Kelly’s Reflections on Dress and Identity
Hello and welcome to the Desert Island Dress podcast with myself, Dee Duffy and herself, Katriona Flynn. This week we are joined by ...
Dress historian & academic, Hilary O’Kelly
Hilary teaches fashion and dress history & theory as part of the Critical Cultures programme at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin.
Hilary's knowledge and insight into garment context, purpose and societal construct are thought-provoking and hugely considered, but more than anything Hilary is the most engaging and engaged lecturer and academic. Ask anyone who has studied fashion, textiles or Jewellery at NCAD and the name Hilary O'Kelly will be amongst their most important and fondest memories.
Hilary's book Cleo: Irish Clothes in a Wider World – is a study of Cleo - one of Dublin's oldest clothing businesses. In it, Hilary documents the store’s promotion and preservation of Irish traditional clothing and crafts.
Hilary’s own passion for clothing, be it the clothing itself or the making processes, and the memories and storytelling around these aspects, is beautiful and so important in our conversations around dress.
We truly were honoured to head down memory lane with Hilary through the medium of HER clothes and the stories they tell.
This is the Desert Island Dress podcast.
Inspired by the classic BBC radio programme broadcast, Desert Island Discs, our new podcast Desert Island Dress follows a similar arrangement and asks guests to choose four items of dress, items which likewise have shaped guests’ lives, that they could not bear to leave behind on the mainland. Items that cannot be replaced.
Ireland