Mar Knitwear is the independent fashion label of Mihai Mar, a Romanian-born and Ireland-raised queer designer based in Dublin, who works with Donegal Yarns to create dreamlike designs. The queer-led label emphasises heritage and ethics in its production of striking, story-based designs. The up-and-coming designer was recently revealed to be the creative mind behind Pugsley Addams’ iconic striped jumper in Wednesday Season 2.

Mar has a naturally tactile approach to design, and while studying at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), he fell in love at first touch with knitting machinery. “I was amazed by their creative potential and knew this was something I wanted to dedicate myself to.”

And dedicate, he did. Mihai went on to study his craft further in England and the Netherlands, as well as travelling to Seoul to gather inspiration for his art, before returning to Ireland. That’s when the mindful maker put all of that research into action by beginning the queer-led Mar Knitwear.

Fibre arts have a long history of political expression and resistance, from the Suffragettes to the Chilean Resistance, and the rise of craftivism. Mar’s knitwear and practice is a protest against fast fashion, with the label’s use of sustainable, natural fibres such as those made in Kilcar by Donegal Yarns for Studio Donegal, and recycled materials to create pieces that last. This sustainability is an oasis amidst the myriad of poor-quality materials and planned obsolescence that is rampant in society today.

With ethics at the heart of his practice and label since before its inception, “material choice is one of the most immediate ways to put that into action”. Mar recalls the first time he encountered Donegal Yarns wool, years ago, while working with the designer Liadain Aiken, “I remember finding the whole experience really therapeutic. The texture, the natural scent, the way the yarn moved through the machine”.

“It all felt so grounding. There’s something incredibly special about the character of the Donegal yarn; it carries this raw, tactile quality that instantly connects you to its place of origin and to the generations of craftspeople who’ve worked with it.” This history, rooted in the materials and process, brings a story and a sense of identity to each knitwear piece.

Mar Knitwear partnered with Donegal Yarns last year during Dublin Independent Fashion Week. Building on that collaboration this year, he said he “wanted to take that exploration to the next level, creating a strong commercial line that highlights the richness and potential of unique yarn.”

Mihai infuses a sense of sanctuary to clothing, citing it as a force behind his creation of the curious and rebellious collection titled Merits Over Mischief. The designer describes a recent trip to the Alishan Mountains in Taiwan as a source of inspiration: “While wandering through the deep mist surrounded by ancient trees, we stumbled across an elementary school.”

“The scene was hauntingly beautiful, and I couldn’t shake the image out of my head. I started imagining uniforms for the misfit student at the back of the classroom, the one who’d rather be out in the dense mist catching frogs and getting into trouble”. Mihai brought these images and feelings home to loop them into his work.

Queerness is also woven into the nature of the brand, shaping Mar’s perspective and process, who sees his knitwear clothing pieces as “genderless, wearable art pieces”. Mihai expresses his queerness through the clothing, its presentation and context. “It’s about creating a fully realised world where identity, emotion, and craft all intertwine.”

See more of Mihai’s work at mar-knitwear.com, or browse yarn selections at studiodonegal.ie and follow them on social media.

With a mission to preserve the tradition of hand weaving, Studio Donegal is a staple of the tweed industry in Ireland. They are passionate about preserving the skill of hand weaving and its cultural heritage. All their products are 100% hand-woven, 100% hand-made, 100% made in Ireland. Moreover, they use only 100% wool, a sustainable material that they source mostly in the form of yarn spun by Donegal Yarns, who are located just around the corner from Studio Donegal in the village of Kilcar.

Are you a passionate knitter yourself? Then you have a unique chance to win 1kg of Soft Donegal Knitting Wool (21 colours to choose from, retail value €138) and a couple of metres of Handwoven Donegal Tweed Fabric (retail value €230). Just head to GCN’s Instagram competition and try your luck!