Robyn Lynch SS21: An ode to cycling and her Irish roots

Robyn Lynch is an Irish designer based in London who previewed her SS21 collection in January, introducing Womenswear into her repertoire for the first time. A graduate of the University of Westminster’s Menswear MA her eponymous brand was launched in 2018 and weaves an aesthetic DNA that pays tribute to youthful styles and her Irish upbringing and culture. 

Robyn tells us the decision to make menswear came naturally as she has always been drawn to it. Last year marked a turning point, as this collection was presented during what would have been womenswear week. She decided to experiment with womenswear and see what happened, adapting and refining her signature shapes and patterns to a womenswear block.

For Spring/Summer 2021, Robyn Lynch drew inspiration from Taz Darling’s photographs of the Tour de Ireland in 2008. This collection is an evolution of Lynch’s signature, looking to the past, present and future to create hybrid casual and practical pieces.

Thinking about the sponsorship logos printed on cycling jerseys, and our obsession with branding she printed the logos of the companies on the Baldoyle Industrial Estate in Dublin on some of the pieces. Aside from referencing logo mania, Robyn has a personal connection to these companies, they’re like her sponsors.

The logos from the industrial estate include Pearl Deli, run by Robyn’s family; David Thomas Design, which lent Robyn her first ever sewing machine; Franey Hardwood Products, who built a display stand for Robyn’s BA in 2016, and Baldoyle Print, which still prints all of Robyn’s linesheets and lookbooks.

Robyn blew the logos up and played with scale, printing them on cycling jerseys, as well as jerseys that are cut up into hybrids. Key is a cotton T-shirt with towelling panels that has the cycling jersey on the back, then two cycling jersey panels to loosely zip over the front. The result: the effect of a cycling jersey but worn in a relaxed way.

Cycling jackets, cut longer in the back, come in a roomy cut or more fitted for women. Other zip-ups come with panels of merino wool cable knit, the contrast between the stitch on the nylon reflects how Irish kids dressed when Robyn was growing up. Cable knit is pushed further with deep arm-hole vests with a loose silhouette. These have hidden pockets in a nylon panel, as well as cyclist pockets in nylon on the back.

For this first season with womenswear, Robyn cuts skirts short and long. There’s a bib-front mini that’s sliced at the sides with a mesh lining, or a long nylon skirt that’s almost to the floor, with a contrast side panel with an elasticated waist. There’s also shorts in the collection across all ideas of gender, either cut loose with panels of towelling and nylon, or sliced at the side with cropped Lycra leggings beneath.

To show the collection, one of Taz Darling’s photographs served as backdrop for a film shot by Danyal Fox. It’s mixed with footage from the Baldoyle industrial estate, shot especially by Robyn’s dad.

Director Robyn Lynch
Co-director Michael Lynch
Cinematography Danyal Fox
Grading Alex Magill
Backdrop photography Taz Darling
Music featured by Kouslin
Styling Ben Schofield
Casting Emma Matell
Make-up Kristina Ralph Andrews
Hair Christopher Gatt
Lookbook photography Andrew Nuding
Show notes Charlie Porter

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