BOYFRIEND MAG: Sustainability feature covering our SS20 Collection

For a more classic style, Riona Treacy is your girl. With versatility at the forefront of her designs, Riona creates classic shapes that do not compromise on comfort. “I like to be comfortable”, said Riona. “I don’t like anything to be too tight so I focus shapes that flow. Her recent collection was inspired by summertime in Ireland, “I have hazy summer memories of sewing for the tooth fairy whenever I was in my Granny’s garden as a child”. When she was younger, she would fashion home-made business cards out of yellow post-it notes. Inspired by this childlike freedom, the collection frequently references the square shape of the post-it note with alternative tailoring and the draping of right angles to create interesting and modern lines.

Riona’s entire collection is made in London, meaning that the brand’s carbon footprint is extremely low. Furthermore, she understands the importance of creating a relationship with everyone involved in the process – “I visit my manufacturer a few times a week. They’re very much an important part of the process” she says.

Another focus of the brand is finding innovative ways to avoid sending waste to landfill by “recycling or re-purposing our fabric offcuts to make small accessories. We donate them to local schools or craft groups”. Riona’s designs are fresh, pared-back and minimalistic with a colour palette of sky blue, leafy greens and sunny yellow, evoking nostalgic feelings of summers past. In an industry that is always frantically looking for the next best thing, it is refreshing to have Riona focusing not only on the beauty of the past but on the appeal of artisanal methods, traditional craftsmanship and slow fashion that lasts.

riona treacy sustainability designer boyfriend