Tim Ryan is an Irish designer, famed for his conceptual and individual take on the traditional concepts of knitwear. Ryan learnt how to make clothes on his mother’s sewing machine whilst devouring issues of 1970s Vogue. The result is a series of creations that are powerfully colourful and refreshingly imaginative.
Knitwear is generally associated with Ireland. Do you feel that your work is intrinsically “Irish,” or do you think that it transcends such definitions?
I don’t see my work as particularly Irish. Knitwear has existed for a long time and in a lot of different cultures so although Ireland may be strongly identified with a certain type of knitwear I would never limit myself to just that as a singular influence. Textiles from all over the world are far more of an influence on what I do and there is no specific region that inspires me more than any other.
Ireland as a country boasts an immensely rich artistic, literary and musical heritage. In your opinion, is creativity innate to Irish culture?
I think Ireland loves to think this, and I love the confidence it gives us and I love the way Irish people speak and use language, but why bother to even think like this? We’re great, but you know what, so is everyone else — creativity is innate to every culture; if it weren’t then you know we would still be wading around in the swamps.
You, and many of your contemporaries, have emigrated to London. Is this because you feel that Dublin does not provide the same level of opportunity?
I loved Dublin when I left and I still do, but I wanted to try living and working somewhere else for a while and it’s been great. To a certain degree you create your own opportunities but being totally honest I guess this may be a little easier in a bigger, more international city. I don’t think it’s a problem with Dublin, it’s just a matter of scale.
Which designers have inspired your work?
It’s so hard to say as when you’re learning what you like you look at everything. I’d say I’m as influenced by things I don’t like sometimes as much as by things I do like, so often designers that I like and find inspiring might seem to have nothing to do with what I end up making in the end. So maybe it seems strange but I can love someone like Zoran and still love Zandra Rhodes all in the same day.
You originally trained as a sculptor. How has this influenced your perception of the relationship between the human form and design?
Well, this is an oft quoted assumption. The truth is that I did sculpture in second year, did absolutely no work and got thrown out. Any work I did do during the course was photography and image based, there was no “sculpting” involved. Saying that I have always been interested in how clothing works in the round and with the body in motion and this naturally leads people to link the two. It’s not exactly the truth. I guess because I started my career by physically making clothes rather than by designing them and because knitwear grows rather than being cut out with flat patterns this interest in “the round” has evolved for me very naturally.
With the exception of Missoni, knitwear is not widely associated with luxury or couture fashion. Have your designs met with much resistance?
I have heard people say “oh I could never wear a knitted dress,” but who the hell needs customers like that anyway? I am joking, but really, once assumptions are out of the way, life gets more interesting. There tends to be less resistance as soon as someone has actually tried on one of the pieces.
Do you think that it is limiting to think of “knitwear” as a concept in itself?
Well I don’t think of it as such myself — it’s just what I do. I’m really only reminded that it’s such a specific thing when I’m being interviewed. It’s simply how I learned to make clothes and it’s simply how I think of making the next thing I think of.
Do you think that the growing interest in sustainable fashion means that knitwear and other designs that utilise natural fibres will experience a resurgence in popularity?
I haven’t a clue, and to be honest I don’t necessarily associate knitwear with specifically natural fibres. I use a lot of synthetic fibres as they are what lend the best realisation to my work. I find a lot of natural fibres too dry to have the necessary drape I’m often looking for. I’m not even sure what sustainable means beyond it maybe being an effective marketing tool for some very big companies lately.
Do you think that Irish design is flourishing?
I think if I spent more time in Ireland I could answer this question but I really haven’t a clue. I work in my own little bubble to a great degree.
