Head Judge Announcement: Arran Murphy
Announcing our Head Judge, Arran Murphy!
Arran leads the Rediscover Fashion Team at the Rediscovery Centre, overseeing management, training, and skills development to drive the creation of innovative products for the Rediscovery Centre’s Ecostore and bespoke commissions. She applies circular design principles in everything she does, expertly working with donated and reclaimed fabrics to deliver sustainable, high-quality outcomes.
Known for her skill in prototyping circular solutions, Arran leads commission projects for communities, local authorities, and companies seeking to reimagine, rather than waste, their old textiles such as banners, flags, and uniforms.
Arran also designs and facilitates sewing and upcycling workshops for the public, universities, schools, businesses and community groups. A standout aspect of her work is delivering nationwide repair demonstrations: inspiring hands-on climate action, and equipping participants with practical green skills.
Arran sits on the Government of Ireland’s Textile Advisory Group, helping to shape policy on textile circularity and waste prevention.
Arran has a background in Costume and Fashion Design and has always been fascinated by the stories that clothes can tell, explored in her BA Communications Studies thesis, Clothes as a Social Phenomena. Today, working with Rediscover Fashion has brought her focus to the political, economic and environmental stories told by our clothes.
Her experience in costume design continues to shape her creative practice. She designs costumes for CoisCéim Dance Theatre, including the ‘Nymph’ costume for Go To Blazes, which was nominated for Best Costume Design at the Irish Theatre Awards 2023.
She is deeply passionate about traditional and contemporary repair methods, with a particular love of sashiko and other textile mending techniques that celebrate both function and beauty.
She believes empowering people to explore their creativity through sewing and repair skills is one of the most powerful ways to change our relationship with clothes and the fashion industry as a whole. For Arran, it’s a movement everyone can take part in, all you need is a needle and thread!
