Meet The Streetwear Brand Proving Dublin Isn’t Ireland’s Only Fashion Hub

Growing up in Ireland, especially outside Dublin, experimenting with fashion and developing a unique personal style is often not an option. We all remember the 2021 viral Twitter thread which began with the tweet “Props to anyone who tries to be fashionable in Ireland i wore a red beret once in waterford and someone called me super mario”, and prompted numerous replies of users sharing their experiences experimenting with style across the country. Jokes aside, this reflects an Ireland that hasn’t always celebrated creativity and individuality, particularly in personal style. However, the tide is changing, and Hard Luck Club is one of the brands outside Dublin leading the charge.

“All of us come from small towns outside the main city in our counties,” co founder Timothy Kaare from Marlow, Cork tells me, “so for sure growing up it was a thing where we tried not look the odd one out. I think it’s obvious that the city is the epicenter of all things creative, and it’s also ahead in terms of open thinking and like-minded people. A lot of things you could wear and feel comfortable wearing in Dublin, but if you wore that same thing in your own town or county they’d look at you different.”

“A lot of things you could wear and feel comfortable wearing in Dublin, but if you wore that same thing in your own town or county they’d look at you different”

Co-founder Siphiwe Nkosi, 21, from Loughrea, Galway, agrees. “I started off wearing tracksuits and garms that don’t really stand out too much, clothes you can just throw on and not worry about being judged because everyone else wears a similar style…don’t get me wrong though, trackies are still fresh. I’ll be so honest with you, I didn’t really have a dress sense back then but that’s cause I wasn’t into fashion. I was mad into football so the Nike dry fit trackies and half zips was drip to me. I went through a phase of trying to find my style and it’s still developing to be fair. I’ve always liked Skepta’s and Joey Badass’s aesthetics, you know the fashionable gangster type of look. They make fashion look cool and that’s what I always try to implement with my style.”

Hardluck Club has started with the basics, and they’re doing them well. The current collection features gems such as the bold graphic tees, embroidered plaid zip ups with their signature branding inspired by the Galway hooker, an Allstar jacket in crinkled nylon, and fresh-on-everyone black skully hat. All the pieces are unisex, which is reflected in the brand’s use of diverse models for the same items. “Hard Luck Clothing is created to appeal to everyone, regardless of background, age, or ethnicity,” co-founder Tikondwe Kondiwee, 22, from Corbally Limericktells District. “Our goal is to create inclusive styles that connect with a diverse audience.”

“Our goal is to create inclusive styles that connect with a diverse audience.”

The brand received a warm reception after launching in Galway, and has even made waves in Dublin with the likes of Monjola repping their pieces. “We’ve received many positive comments from customers about the quality and design of our pieces, which reassures us that we are on the right track, and we’ve seen a growing community of loyal customers who engage with us on social media, sharing photos and recommendations,” Tiko tells District.

But for the founders, reception and feedback at home was always close to the heart. After being asked if any part of the brand was inspired by Galway as a location, Sip responded: “Of course! Seeing the growth of the creative culture inspired me to do something I was passionate about. We all love music, garms and fashion so we wanted to contribute in our own way. But just like Galway, Limerick, Cork and other cities outside of Dublin, don’t really get that same spotlight because all eyes are on Dublin.”

“We started off in Galway so it’s only right that our logo is based on the Galway hooker. Nothing screams Galway more than the Galway hooker you know? It’s not just Galway though, we are from Limerick and Cork as well and we want to represent where we’re from.”

As with most countries, the capital naturally becomes the hub of all things creative as a community evolves there, but Hard Luck Club are proving this doesn’t have to be the case. By consistently pushing the needle in grassroots Irish streetwear from outside Dublin, the brand has built a solid foundation of innovation, and we’re excited to see what they do next.