09/11/2026
A single piece of Carrickmacross lace can take hundreds of hours to create.
Discover the remarkable work of the Carrickmacross Lace Co-operative, whose members have kept the intricate tradition of Carrickmacross lace-making alive for generations. Their work features in the “Standing Ground: Ireland-France, Savoir-Faire, Innovation and the Future of Crafts”, opening soon at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks.
Explore how traditional expertise continues to inspire contemporary craft practice in Ireland and beyond.
This new temporary exhibition highlights the work of Irish designer Michael Stewart, founder of the Irish fashion atelier Standing Ground, and winner of the inaugural LVMH Savoir-Faire Prize in 2024, through the lens of exceptional craftsmanship and savoir-faire from France and Ireland.
It features two dresses shown in Paris in July 2026: a Carrickmacross lace dress, hand-drawn by Michael Stewart and worked by Monaghan artisans over 4,000 hours, alongside a black corseted embroidered dress created with Maison Vermont's exceptional savoir-faire and over 500 hours of work.
📍 National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks
📅 Opening 11 November, running until 10 January, 2027
https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Decorative-Arts-History/Exhibitions/Standing-Ground
The exhibition is organised by Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI), in collaboration with the French Embassy in Ireland and the National Museum of Ireland, and funded by DCCI with support from Maison Vermont and LVMH Métiers d'Excellence.
Design & Crafts Council Ireland Ambassade de France en Irlande Vermont Paris LVMH Métiers d’Art