A shuttered vintage shop in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, might seem an unlikely starting point for a streetwear collection. But when Belfast label Apache Tribe discovered hundreds of garments left untouched since the 1990s, it found a wardrobe spanning generations, from early twentieth-century tailoring to the colourful fashions of the 1970s.
The resulting Manorhamilton collection puts these forgotten clothes back into circulation, with a healthy disregard for keeping things classic. Silk-lined wool coats, heavyweight fisherman’s jackets, patterned dresses and leather outerwear have been repaired and reworked with graphic embroidery and street-art-inspired appliqué. Original silhouettes meet the irreverence of Belfast’s underground creative scene.
Apache Tribe has a history of its own. Established in 1990, with flagship stores in Belfast and Dublin, the independent streetwear label emerged from a culture of hip-hop, graffiti and DIY fashion before relaunching in 2024. Today, its garments are designed, embroidered and screen-printed in Belfast, maintaining the hands-on approach that defined its earliest years.
For the accompanying editorial, the team travelled to Galboly, an abandoned village hidden in the Glens of Antrim. Against weathered stone cottages and a landscape slowly reclaiming its surroundings, the collection finds an appropriately atmospheric setting. Both the clothing and location offer glimpses into lives and histories that might otherwise have disappeared.
At a time when fashion's obsession with novelty makes even last season feel ancient, Apache Tribe finds plenty worth revisiting. These pieces have already survived decades and Apache finds a way to extend the lifespan of the clothes, with new messaging that carries even more meaning.
