User:E.burke2/sandbox

Career
Neillí Mulcahy is best known for being an an Irish women's clothes designer. Neillí became one of the founders of the Irish Haute Couture group along with Ib Jorgensen, and Irene Gilbert to promote Irish fashion all over the world. She had an impact in Irish fashion and being responsible for getting Irish fashion recognized by others around the world. She attended school at the Grafton Academy of Dress Design to study fashion. Once finished her schooling she trained under the French designer Jacques Heim for six months in Paris which played a vital role in her career in couture. This is where she learnt her craftmen ship. She opened her haute couture store that specialised in bridal wear and evening dresses in 1951 on South Frederick Street at the age of twenty-seven. Once she began making her own designs she was an advocate for using Irish materials like wool, linen, poplin and tweed for her evening ware. She debuted her first show in her home in  Lissenfiel Rathmines Co. Dublin. in Neillí was also known for collaborating with Irish manufactures to develop her own patterns and textile colours. Business developed in America and Germany where she built a loyal relationship with clients. Neillí began mailing over her designs for those overseas wanting modern but traditional Irish designs. She declined the pressure of going into mass production. She shut down her store in 1970 after 19 years in business. Before retiring from fashion completely she became a fashion consultant. Her work was displayed in an exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland.

She was commissioned to make designs for CIE, Great Southern Hotel. In 1963 she designed the Aer Lingus uniforms made of McNutt tweed from Donegal. The outfit consisted of a three piece suit with gloves and a matching bag. Mrs Mary O’Kelly the wife of President Seán T O’Kelly was Neillí's distinguished clients. Where she designed her outfits in 1959's first state visit to America by the Irish president.