Originating in Ireland, the flecked material is being picked up by designers and niche tailors alike.
“Rather than a particular type of wool, our Donegal items are so-called in reference to their pattern,” he tellsHowever, there was a time when it referred to a single type of wool made in a specific place. It originated in Ireland’s County Donegal as a handwoven tweed that paid tribute to the local surroundings.
Take a closer look at Walker Slater’s “navy” Donegal jacket and you’ll find flecks of green, orange, yellow and even pink“The flecking allowed weavers to reproduce their source of inspiration: the natural beauty of the Irish landscape,” Walker says. “Natural dyes made from berries and other plants allowed weavers to recreate the land, forming a natural symbiosis between the weaver, the cloth and their environment.
Of course, the aesthetic came to be appreciated by those who’d never set foot on the Emerald Isle, let alone County Donegal. “From an aesthetic perspective I believe Donegal patterns look very elegant as they break up a monochromatic plain weave and put a point of interest in the cloth,” Walker says. “Our Donegals tend to be very subtle in terms of contrasting flecks, but the principle is there that makes them a Donegal pattern.”