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Alumni Stories- Caoimhe Grant

"take a real interest in all the processes that it takes to design, make, and sell a fashion collection. Students must be very well informed about the business of fashion and not just about fashion design"

Caoimhe Grant

Name: Caoimhe Grant

Current Career: Creative Director of Accessories Brand

Graduation Year: 2001

Discipline: Fashion Design

Location: Dublin

What career path did you want to follow as a child?

I knew that I would always go on to a creative career, my mother was an art teacher. I was always surrounded by art and encouraged to be creative. I grew up going to lots of gallery openings and exhibitions. At that stage, I think I wanted to work in an art gallery!

Why did you decide to study at National College of Art & Design?

NCAD offered a really comprehensive fashion and textiles course. It was highly recommended. I also loved the building and its location. I was so set on going to NCAD that it was the only art college I applied to.

How did you develop your career towards your current job or practice?

When I graduated from NCAD, I travelled to New York and did internships with a few designers. Then I returned to Dublin to do an internship with John Rocha. I was lucky that this resulted in a full time design job. I spent 15 years at the John Rocha studio. My career and experience progressed to a point where I became their Senior Womenswear designer.

Through this position I gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in the fashion world. From working on the catwalk collections for London Fashion Week to the high street collection for Debenhams. I also had the opportunity to design over a wide variety of disciplines. The area I loved most was accessories. It was then only a natural progression to launch my own accessories label called August Night.

What is the one experience during your time at NCAD that has informed you most in your career and work to date?

The third year trip to Premier Vision and Paris for fabric shopping was amazing. Premier Vision prepared me well for when returned for the first time with John Rocha to select fabric for his collections.

If you were chatting with current NCAD students today what is the one piece of advice you would offer?

I would encourage students to take a real interest in all the processes that it takes to design, make, and sell a fashion collection. Students must be very well informed about the business of fashion and not just about fashion design.

What new opportunities have developed for you as a result of changes in work practice during the Covid pandemic?

I think that design innovation in sustainability is still a huge opportunity. There is still so much to be done.