KILKISHEN’s very own Michael Stewart was among the stars of Haute Couture fashion week in Paris.
London based Michael made his haute couture debut in the Irish Embassy in Paris on July 6th and has been the talk of the fashion eco-system since. Among the attendees at the intimate event which had a capacity of 150 was Anna Wintour, global editorial director of Vogue Magazine, sitting front-row.
Thirty six year old Michael made history by becoming the first independent Irish designer to grace the official Paris Haute Couture calendar.
When presenting his couture collection, Michael sent out an eclectic assortment of breathtaking gowns in a myriad of colours, some featuring meticulously sculpted bodices, others showcasing his skilful draping. To close out the show, supermodel Kristen McMenamy walked barefoot in an ethereal white gown made from Carrickmacross lace, covered in delicately embroidered dragonflies and vines.
Appearing at the end to give his bow, Michael wore a caramel coloured double-breasted jacket, cream trousers, a blue shirt and a brown and blue tie. The Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI), with support from The Heritage Council, announced that it had provided funding for the full couture gown made entirely from Carrickmacross lace.
Stewart’s brand, Standing Ground, was established in 2022. From day one, it was not intended to be seen as a traditional ready-to-wear label, but as a demi-couture evening-wear house focused strictly on bespoke, made-to-measure craftsmanship. His designs have been seen on celebrities including Tilda Swinton, Florence Pugh and Beyoncé.
A graduate of the Limerick School of Art and Design, Michael was the first ever winner of the Kildare Village Fashion Bursary, graduating from the MA programme at the Royal College of Art in London in 2017 where he studied under the uncompromising avant-garde designer and fashion educator Zowie Broach. He has lived in London since his graduation.
In 2023, he participated in Lulu Kennedy’s Fashion East fashion incubator and was awarded the LVMH Savior Faire Prize 2024 for commitment to craft which included €200,000 in funding, a year’s mentorship and a collaboration with the Parisian embroidery atelier Vermont Paris as well as work for Dior’s haute couture show and Kate Moss’s recent Met Gala look designed by Anthony Vaccarello at YSL.
Michael previously credited his grandparents for helping to nurture his talents. His grandfather was a painter who taught him to draw and paint while his grandmother was a seamstress and he was fascinated by her work on the sewing machine.
