Ever since I was a little girl I have always wanted to work in fashion. Growing up in a small town in West Cork, this dream seemed like that was all it was going to be: a dream.
When I was in school, if I had said that I wanted to run my very own fashion business I would have been laughed out the room. Seriously! You should have seen the Career Guidance Counsellors face when I told her I wanted to go to art school. She was not impressed.
Not only was working in fashion not a tangible dream but back then, we didn’t even have broadband in the house, so the possibility of owning a website wouldn't have ever entered my mind. I would obviously have to move to London and become the next Alexander McQueen. That was the only way that I was possibly going to work in the fashion industry and be successful.
However, it’s been almost nine years since I finished school and a lot has changed.
So, why am I starting an online fashion business in West Cork? Well, I started Fashion of Ireland in 2017 while living in Cork City. I was working another job during the day, and I would work on my business in the evenings and weekends. This was fine for a while, but inevitably the candle started to burn at two ends. I was happy, but I asked myself, could I be happier?
I realized that essentially I was only working my day job to pay my rent and bills, so like many other Millennials, I decided to pack up my stuff and move back home.
One of the main draws to move home was the Ludgate in Skibbereen. This office hub spot with its state of the art facilities has created a great working environment for me, and it gives me the opportunity to network and engage with other workers and business owners with a city-like vibe but in a rural setting.
Network Ireland also have a West Cork group based here which gives a great support for women in business. With 1GB of superfast connectivity to work from and a fantastic community of people involved in the Ludgate, there is no limit as to where I can grow my online business from dear old Skibbereen. Who would have thought it eh?
After almost nine years of living in different cities in Ireland and the UK, it is so great to be living along the Wild Atlantic Way near the sea again. Every town and village in the area has amazing shops, restaurants and cafés, and an abundance of local produce and artisan foods. Who wouldn’t want to live and work in West Cork? Everything you need is right here and that is why I am starting my online fashion business in Skibbereen and not in The Big Shmoke.
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