Folkster - Born in Ireland

Folkster is an independent Irish fashion and lifestyle brand, founded in Kilkenny in 2008 by stylist and creative director Blanaid Hennessy. (Seen here on the left with her sister Roisin Hennessy the head of Folkster Bridal) Photo (c) Studio Brown

What began as a tiny vintage store has grown into one of Ireland’s best-known independent destinations for bridal, bridesmaids and occasionwear, with our flagship Folkster store and Folkster Bridal in Kilkenny, and customers finding us online at Folkster.com.

Through everything, we’ve stayed proudly independent, family-run and very much customer-focused.

Right Now at Folkster

We’re currently in an exciting new chapter.

After some real challenges in the years following Covid, we made a choice: to focus on what we do best - helping brides, bridal parties, guests and families find the perfect outfit, in person, with real care and attention.

That means our main focus today is Folkster Bridal and our Kilkenny flagship, alongside a smaller, carefully chosen online collection.

Every piece we bring online is one we really believe in, and we’re adding new styles and restocks regularly as we grow. If you don’t see everything you’re picturing just yet, it’s because we’re building this next chapter steadily, thoughtfully and with our customers at the centre of every decision.

Sign up to our newsletter here to be the first to see new styles and restocks.

Thank you for shopping independent, and for being part of this next chapter with us.

Designed by Folkster

Our Folkster collections are designed here in Ireland by our team, while our Folkster Bridal collections are carefully sourced and hand-picked from designers around the world.

From the cut of a sleeve to the exact shade of a bridesmaid dress, we obsess over the details — choosing fabrics, developing colours, refining fits and working closely with our trusted production partners to bring each collection to life.

FIT is Queen at Folkster.

Fabrics and quality matter enormously too, of course - but we are always thinking about how a dress actually feels on you. The draping. The boning. Where a waist sits. Whether you can wear a bra. How something moves when you walk.

We are always thinking about you because our customers are a huge part of that process. We listen. A lot! (We LOVE a yapping session) :D 

We pay attention to what you love, what you wish was different, the colours you’re looking for, how a dress feels when you put it on and what would make it work even better. That feedback genuinely helps shape what we design next.

Alongside our own collections, we hunt down pieces from smaller independent clothing, jewellery and accessory brands that we think belong in the Folkster world. (We call these Folkster Finds.)

The Folkster Family

Folkster really did begin as a family affair.

Blanaid was joined in those early years by her siblings Eoin, Roisin and Aran, along with her mam Kay and dad Joe - photographing collections, buying vintage, helping with bridal, shooting videos, delivering stock and doing pretty much whatever needed to be done.

Over the years, that little family team grew into a Folkster family of more than 80 people.

We experienced the big retail years and loved so much about them, but along the way we also learned something important about ourselves: Folkster is at its best when we can stay close to our customers, close to our product and close to one another! 

Today, we’re a close-knit team of around 15, with many of our team having been part of Folkster for a decade or more.

We’re incredibly proud of the knowledge, creativity and care they bring to Folkster every day - and hugely excited about growing Folkster again in a way that feels right for us, through our Kilkenny flagship, e-commerce and, in time, wholesale.

Our senior team includes:

Paula Doolin - Head of Operations
Roisin Hennessy - Head of Bridal
Kerrie Woods - Head Designer
Elluz Rivero - Warehouse & Preorders
Nerea Fernandez - Buying & Data Analytics
Sarah Healy - Bridal Manager

Alongside them is our brilliant team of stylists and bridal consultants - the people who make Folkster feel like Folkster.

We want Folkster to be a respectful, positive, creative and rewarding place to work, and creating that environment is at the forefront of how we train and support our team.

Designed in Ireland. Worn Around the World.

Over the years, Folkster has been featured in Vogue UK, ELLE Japan and leading Irish and international bridal and fashion publications.

Our designs have also been worn by some incredible women in the spotlight, including Angela Scanlon, Amy Huberman, Vogue Williams, Katja Mia, Sinéad Kennedy, Jennifer Zamparelli, Aideen Kate, Erin McGregor, Éadaoin Fitzmaurice, Ailbhe Garrihy and Aoibhinn Garrihy.

But one of our favourite things is still seeing our customers wearing Folkster. At a wedding. At a party. As a bridesmaid. Walking down the aisle. Or simply wearing something that makes them feel completely themselves.

If that’s you, please tag us #Folkster - we genuinely love seeing where our pieces end up.

Come Visit Us

For all that happens online, we still LOVE meeting our customers in real life.

The chats. The trying-on sessions. Helping someone find the dress. Meeting brides, bridesmaids, mams, sisters and friends.

It has always been one of the very best parts of Folkster.

Come and see us at Folkster, 27 Patrick Street, Kilkenny, or visit Folkster Bridal for our private bridal experience.

 Find information on our walk-in store >>HERE<<

Planning your bridesmaids?

Book a private Folkster Bridesmaids appointment >>HERE<<

Looking for your wedding dress?

Book your Folkster Bridal appointment >>HERE<<

Shopping online? Find shipping and delivery information >>HERE<<

And come say hello on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok:

@SHOPFOLKSTER

Thanks for finding us.

Whether you’ve been shopping with Folkster since the tiny vintage-shop days or you’ve just discovered us today, we’re very glad you’re here.

Born in Kilkenny. Designed in Ireland. Made for wherever you’re going next.

P.S. You may have read that Folkster recently went through SCARP, a restructuring process designed to help viable Irish businesses move forward. We’re incredibly grateful to have successfully completed that process and excited to put our full focus back where it belongs - creating and sourcing beautiful things and dressing our amazing customers.