Aoife Harvey, a graduate of NWRC who has just won ‘A Stitch Through Time’ Pic: : Stephen Davison
Aoife Harvey (24) beat three other local designers to win the popular sewing competition, which aired just weeks after she graduated with a first-class honours degree in textile art, design and fashion from Ulster University.
The programme, presented by Claire McCollum, was actually filmed last year.
A Stitch Through Time seeks to combine a passion for fashion with inspiration drawn from the rich Ulster-Scots legacy in Northern Ireland’s textile history.
Aoife revealed that she was inspired by her background growing up in Derry, hearing stories about her family members who worked in the city’s shirt factories.
She said: “My mum can sew, and when I was younger, I would always have her alter clothes for me because I am too short for most of the clothes I buy.
“It is truly special to represent Derry, as I grew up hearing stories about the rich textile history in Derry and its shirt-making factories.
“Whenever I’m in Derry, I always pass by the “A Stitch in Time” sign above the Rosemount Shirt Factory, and it feels amazing to think that I am now going on a show called ‘A Stitch Through Time.’
“When I was young my granny would often share stories about her aunts who worked in the shirt factory in Derry.
“She would also tell me about how her mom would upcycle and sew flour bags into pillowcases and shirt collars.
“It makes me incredibly proud to be upcycling clothing in my fashion designs today, just like she did.
“I have always been a creative person from a young age, participating in competitions and studying arts and crafts for the past eight years.
“It was during my time at Limavady NWRC that I truly started taking fashion design seriously and realized it was my true passion.
Aoife beat three other contestants in Monday’s final episode
Viewers of the final episode saw Aofie race against the clock to create a Dolly Parton-inspired corseted look, made out of 234 strips of reclaimed upholstery fabrics, which received tremendous praise from the judges for its shape and technical structure.
She also recalls an awkward moment when it was between her and another contestant during the build-up to the winner being revealed.
“About an hour before the filming of it, the producers told us to prep a family member for a phone call which would be one of us telling them that we had won,” Aoife explained.
“So I get my mummy on the phone to tell her we’re about to find out who wins and she might get a call.
“But then two hours passed and my poor mummy was sitting at home wondering if I had actually won.
“Then I just remember blacking out, thinking, ‘right okay, they’re about to say a name here’. And when they called it, I went numb.
“I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t even cry.
“I was in pure shock. I eventually went and rang my mummy for that phone call, and that’s when the tears started.”
Aoife added that, due to the timeline of production, the hardest part was keeping the fact she had won quiet for a year.
“It’s been really good for me as it’s coming out just as I’ve graduated, but it was really difficult to keep it a secret for a year.”
However, despite the world having just found out she won, Aoife has been busy making her next moves in the fashion industry with her label AH Designs.
She said: “I’m just back from Northern Fashion Week in Manchester and was the only designer from Northern Ireland who took part, so that was absolutely amazing.
“I’m also about to do a runway show with ACA Models called Project Fashion, so it’s just all very exciting.”
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