In My Hood: Out and About in the Creative Quarter, Dublin

If you get a window seat in the Cornucopia restaurant, you will be served delicious vegan and vegetarian creations – and get a great view for free. There's a lot to discover in the Creative Quarter: for example, the creative outfits of the people here. Very inspiring for fashion designers, which is why I also send my students there.

My favorite street in the quarter is Drury Street with its many cafés, restaurants, and excellently curated stores. I get my morning caffeine boost at the coffee shop Kaph, where cappuccino, matcha latte and co. taste particularly good. At the Loose Canon Cheese and Wine wine bar, good bottles from all over the world are on the menu. As the name of the store promises, the relaxed atmosphere is accompanied by a fine selection of cheeses and snacks such as grilled sandwiches.

Sustainably Chic: Vintage Shopping

Anyone looking for art prints, homeware, jewelry, or a small souvenir will find what they are looking for in the Irish Design Shop. Om Diva offers a similar range, plus clothing. Owner Ruth has supported my label from the very beginning, so my items are often hanging in this cute store. The same goes for The 59 Collective, located in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre shopping mall, which is housed in an impressive Georgian-style property. The concept: up-and-coming designers, artists, and artisans rent space temporarily and sell their products in a chic environment.

Sustainability is not only important to me with my own label, which is why I like to shop in vintage stores: Jenny Vander, for example, offers a beautiful selection of evening wear, cocktail dresses, and blazers from before the sixties.

My passion for fashion probably goes back to my mother. She was very creative; she painted, knitted, and made a lot of our clothes. After studying at the National College of Art and Design, I moved to London and worked for major fashion labels. I already had the dream of starting my own business back then – and in 2017 I took the plunge. My streetwear designs are inspired by the eclectic clothing styles of my circle of friends, many of them from the LGBTQ community, colorful drag shows, and the underground club scene of the nineties and noughties.

Musical Dublin Beyond Irish Folk

I still love music – and going dancing! There are also great spots for this in the Creative Quarter, or at least just a few minutes' walk away. My favorites include The Workman's Club on the banks of the Liffey, concerts at Whelan's, and the Button Factory, where I recently experienced a live set by electronic music artist Halina Rice – fantastic!

If you're more in the mood for a sophisticated cocktail than a rave, the Vintage Cocktail Club is the place for you. You have to knock to be let in. This makes it feel like you've just found a totally secret place, but if you book a table in advance, you're guaranteed to get in. By the way: at a later hour, people also like to dance a little in the Vintage Cocktail Club.

About

Born in Dublin, Orla Langan has been running her eponymous fashion label since 2017 and teaches fashion students at the National College of Art and Design.