It seems that the Paul Mescal effect has reached the Kardashian clan.
On Wednesday, 21 Aug, 11-year-old North West - daughter to Kanye West and Kim Kardashian - was snapped wearing a black and white striped jersey featuring collar and cuffs from famed Irish sportswear brand, O'Neill's.
Khloe Kardashian, auntie to North, posted a series of selfies with her famous family to her 307 million Instagram followers, and fans were quick to spot the Irish garb.
The brand, of course, were quick to take the comment section, asking: "Does this mean Collab?"
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Founded in 1918 as a manufacturer of Gaelic footballs, O'Neills has become the largest sportswear manufacturing company in Ireland, but reached international fame in 2020, when Maynooth actor Paul Mescal wore his GAA shorts and iconic gold chain in the smash hit, Normal People.
Of course, the global popularity of Irish design is not just down to Paul.
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Over the years, our small country has become increasingly popular in the world of high fashion, inspiring many young designers to take pride in the nation's cultural symbols and sporting colours.
In 2018, an Irish hurler-turned-model named Oisin Murphy appeared in Vogue Paris wearing a Cushendall GAA jersey designed by O'Neill's. You can see him pictured below alongside fellow model Adwoa Aboah.
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A year later, a young Japanese model called Ryoki was featured on a Tokyo street style website. He stood out from the crowd thanks to his 2002 Ireland jersey.
The post stated: "Sporting a blunt bob, Ryoki is dressed in a green Umbro soccer jersey, which he tucked into grey Balenciaga cropped pants and cinched with a Comme des Garcons leather belt."
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In 2020, off the back of his success in Normal People, Paul Mescal put O'Neills via a GQ editorial shoot, featuring a £10,000 Hermès pullover paired with "vintage shorts by Kildare GAA".
A pair of the actor's on-screen shorts later went up for auction alongside a signed script some other merchandise to raise money for Ukrainian filmmakers.
The shorts went for €550.
Go behind-the-scenes of @mescal_paul's GQ shoot https://t.co/3gmhrRf6Bw pic.twitter.com/HdrI8wpaz8
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) October 19, 2020
In 2023, Derry-born designer Jonathan Anderson wore an Ireland rugby shirt to take a bow at the end of his Milan Fashion Week show.
This year, it was announced that the celebrated designer, who once dressed Rihanna for the Superbowl, was set collaborate with Guinness on a fashion collection.
According to a press release, "unexpected detailing as a pearl-effect jersey is embroidered to recreate the creamy Guinness head. A handknitted jumper in cashmere blend yarn merges Guinness iconography with the signature playful approach Jonathan Anderson is known for".
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Today, smaller Irish designers like Megan Nolan Walsh and Limerick-based artist Greg Hall are carving out successful careers in Irish iconography, with vibrant MNW Claddagh scarves and Pellador FC jersey jumpers.
Irish trend-setters like James Kavanagh, Andrea Horan, and PJ Kirby are often spotted wearing these designs, and now it seems North West had jumped on the bandwagon.
We can't wait to see who flies the flag next.
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