David Keenan:

Singer-songwriter

I’ve always scoured charity shops for, as I call it, Saint Vincent de Paul Couture. If I go there and get a pair of trousers that are repurposed or 30-years old, or a pair of shoes that somebody else has worn-in, I love the buzz of that. The coat I’ve got on me now is one I got a few weeks back at NCBI – it’s a woman’s black coat but it fits me perfectly. You just can’t walk into a fast fashion shop on Grafton Street and get something like that. It’s the thrill of the seek in the charity shop.

A charity shop is ambiguous in terms of gender and androgyny. I’ve always picked up clothes that are androgynous looking – that’s always appealed to me. You can look like yourself. You can express yourself. And it’s more ethical as well. You know that something has a story: it’s the repurpose of the recycle. It’s not just disposable clothes.

My grandfather passed away recently, and I have his tweed jacket. It’s like a coat of arms there that I will wear, and keep. It’s heritage. It needs some refurbishing, so I’m gonna get that done around the collar. You can reinterpret a piece of clothing with a sewing machine. It’s really about individuality and looking beyond the disposable, oversaturated, capitalist culture that’s been rammed down our throats.

The difference between when I moved to Dublin in 2017 and now is amazing. There’s so many more young people that seem to be individualistic in how they dress, more conscious of style, and expressing themselves. It’s an art!

David Keenan’s latest single ‘Radiate A Smile’ is out now

It’s time to Reverse the Trend. Recent research from the Environmental Protection Agency has revealed we should be doing more to make sustainable decisions when it comes to fashion.

With the ongoing climate crisis, it’s never been more important for us to think about our purchasing habits more consciously. It’s time to buy less, choose well, and look after our clothes - to get the most out of them.

Thinking sustainably presents us with the opportunity to be more inventive, more thoughtful, and more ethical in what we wear. Borrowing clothes from friends, going to swap shops, buying from charity shops, and renting clothes are just some of the innumerable ways in which we can rewrite the narrative when it comes to being on trend and looking fashionable, while also having fun and being creative!

We spoke to influencers, local musicians, designers and artists about sustainability - and what it means to them. Read the full feature in the Hot Press Annual 2025