Aoife Dunican - The Stylebob
IN CONVERSATION WITH THE STYLEBOB
We caught up with Aoife Dunican who recently presented an evening of spring styling in our Magee at South Anne Street store in Dublin, we caught up with her on her inspiration and favourite pieces from our SS26 collection for men & women.
Aoife Dunican, image consultant and personal stylist, founded her personal and corporate styling service, The Stylebob, to help clients cultivate confidence, presence, and impact through considered dressing. Here, she shares her style tips and what she loves about Magee 1866.
What do you most love about Magee 1866?
It probably sounds like a cliché, but my first memory of Magee is actually my father. I remember being about six and he walked into the room wearing cords and a beautiful tan and green Magee sports jacket. I knew by the way he walked into the room that he felt he had a presence and it showed. It was style, but it was also heritage. I understood very early that clothes could change how someone carried themselves.
How did you get into your styling career?
I’ve always loved style, not just from a fashion point of view, but the craftsmanship of it — the cut, the fabric, the self-expression and the confidence it can give someone.
What fascinated me most was how much style communicates. I worked in professional services and I always knew if someone loved their look by the way they carried themselves. We give little clues about ourselves all the time, often before we ever speak, and what we wear is a big part of that.
I love the work I do now because I get to help men and women all over the world use style for confidence, impact and communication.
What’s your most asked wardrobe dilemma for men and women — are they different?
Women almost always say: “I have a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear.” They’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Men say something different but mean something similar. They feel they’ve been wearing the same thing for years and don’t know how to evolve their style without getting it wrong.
Irish fashion and sustainability is having a moment. What are your thoughts?
I actually think Irish fashion has always been sustainable — we just didn’t call it that. Our textiles were practical: wool for warmth, tweed for durability, linen for breathability. They were made to be worn and kept.
“Our textiles were practical: wool for warmth, tweed for durability, linen for breathability. They were made to be worn and kept.”
True sustainability isn’t just about buying less; it’s about buying well, caring for pieces and wearing them for years. A good wool jacket might be an investment initially, but you’ll still be wearing it a decade later — and that’s the most sustainable wardrobe there is.
What do you love most for men and women from this season’s collection?
I’ve completely fallen in love with the tumbled linen blazers. I expected them to crease, but they actually soften and settle with wear — they feel like something you could wear for ten years and never tire of. For men, there is a beautiful warm brick-toned jacket that is incredibly flattering on Irish skin tones. It feels modern and relaxed but still polished, which is exactly how men want to dress now.
What is it about Donegal tweed and Irish linen that makes it stand out?
Irish linen has a softness and ease that makes it almost addictive to wear. It washes beautifully and improves over time — it’s one of those fabrics you genuinely look forward to putting on. I even have a pair of Magee linen pyjamas and they make going to bed a pleasure.
Donegal tweed fascinates me for a different reason. I visited the Magee mill and realised how complex the process is. What looks simple is actually incredibly intricate — the flecks, the weaving, the dyeing. That complexity is what gives the fabric its character and why it works with so much in a wardrobe.
What makes something timeless?
Timeless doesn’t mean old — it means adaptable.
You can take a tweed blazer from the 1980s and wear it today with modern denim and instantly it feels current again. It’s less about the garment itself and more about how it’s styled. When something is well made and well proportioned, you can keep reinterpreting it — and that’s what makes it last.
Top spot to visit in Donegal — where to stay, see and eat?
I love Lough Eske Castle as a base. From there, get into the car and do a day trip to Slieve League — the walk alone resets you.
Explore SS26 Here
