Sarah then took off to London, where she worked with Preen, falling for the mathematical nature of their designs. “I’m a math nerd at heart!” she laughs.
After styling for Galway Now and collecting some more awards along the way, she launched her own label Harlow&Harvey, a line of modern, tailored separates and luxurious eveningwear that retains a love of handcrafted ideals and craftsmanship.
“Harlow&Harvey is about strong silhouettes and beautiful cuts, what of the body is revealed and concealed, ” Sarah explains. “So the designs feature a lot of interesting cut outs. Also, the notion of structure and texture is played with, by incorporating fringing detail on a lot of my garments.”
Designed, constructed and hand-fi nished in the Galway-based studios, Harlow&Harvey is currently a bespoke label, tailor-making every garment to fit each client’s individual requirements. There is a wide selection of luxurious fabrics and styles from which to choose, ensuring that each piece is a custom-made one-off. The label also extends to accessories such as headpieces and jewellery, and has attracted fans like Sharon Corr, Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Suzanne Jackson and Daniella Moyles.
Sarah draws on her unique visual and aural sensitivity for inspiration. She explains that everything from architecture to intriguing personal stories have kickstarted her collections in the past. “The huge ‘inside out’ Lloyd’s Building in London was one inspiration; the story of an eccentric mother and daughter that lived outside New York with 50 cats in a house called ‘Grey Gardens’ was another. Anything can inspire, if you take it, shake it upside down and reassemble it – that’s the beauty of it.”
The multi-talented Sarah is also a DJ, and is currently developing striking designs around the intersection of her two passions. “I am about to launch a T Shirt line called NOT YOUR GIRLFRIEND which is also the name I DJ under. I really wanted to go back to basics and do something which is all about the fusion between music and fashion,
which is a place within fashion that truly inspires me. We just did a beautiful shoot incorporating projections in The Chocolate Factory in Dublin. It was awesome!”
You can rent Harlow&Harvey designs from Covet and Frock&Fabulous, or visit harlowandharvey.com for more designs and information on commissions.
NOT YOUR GIRLFRIEND fashion and music events happen monthly in The Bernard Shaw and Twisted Pepper, and information can be found at facebook.com/notyourgirlfriend