It was during a trip from Cork to Connemara that I became interested in the Irish sweater. This simple, thick garment, made to protect against wind and humidity, also conveys a kind of naive mystique. Each pattern has a meaning: the honeycomb stitch for work, the Irish stitch for strength, and the diamond stitch for wealth.

 

Born on the Aran Islands in the late 19th century, it was first designed for fishermen braving the cold and damp Atlantic. Woven from pure new wool or merino wool, it offered warmth and durability. And then, as is often the case, the item lost its original purpose. In the 1950s and 1960s, images of celebrities—Grace Kelly on a yacht, Marilyn Monroe during a photoshoot, Steve McQueen in "The Thomas Crown Affair"—were enough to transform this utilitarian garment into a global icon.

 

Today, each Irish sweater perpetuates this dual heritage: that of ancestral know-how and that of a look that has become universal. Wearing it means warming yourself with soft, durable wool, but also with a living tradition, at the crossroads of history and legend.