Wearable art, created in isolation – Jen Nollaig

The Dublin-based designer shares her wearable art lockdown project, ‘Me, myself & eye’

Artist/designer Jen Nollaig developed a colourful collection of intriguing works centered around upcycling old eyewear frames, during the weeks of lockdown in March/April 2020. Nollaig has built a unique niche for herself in customised artworks, and has produced pieces for clients in the UK, NYC and Ireland.

“In lockdown, I needed to anchor my mind to something that made me feel at peace,” she explained, “so I started to do what I love most and create. For me this offers a way to escape; this is what this new collection is inspired by, a personal journey of escapism in isolation, an attempt to capture the current sentiment of the new days and feelings that I am experiencing.” Above: One of the new works: ‘Processing’ is created with layered cocktail sticks, hand painted and finished off with painted compressed polystyrene balls from an old bean bag.

Eyesolation - 1 - Eyestylist — Eyesolation 1 by Jen Nollaig worn by the artist

The works in the new series include ‘Eyesolation’ – produced out of a deconstructed diamond belt Nollaig found in a charity shop and customised with ‘googley eyes’ fromher children’s craft box.

Adjustments have been made - 1 - Eyestylist — Jen Nollaig wearing Adjustments have been made

For ‘Adjustments have been made’ – the artist says she broke apart old eyewear frames to use as the base and layered crayons and colouring pencils on top.

100% Optical 28 FEB - 2 MAR 2026, Excel London

Previous works by Nollaig with an Xmas ‘glitter’ and ‘bauble’ theme earned her the headline ‘Ireland’s most Christmassy woman’ (Irish Times in 2019). A custom design she created for a client in New York (@happyhappyphoenix) for the Afropunk Brooklyn festival brought the designer attention in WWD and Teen Vogue. Photographs by Jen Nollaig featuring the artist. Follow Jen Nollaig and hew new works on Instagram @jen_nollaig.