‘Catch Yourself On Wee Fella’ began through research into the Northern Irish troubles, inspired by Izzy Burton’s dad who he is Northern Irish and grew up amongst the chaos and anarchy of the troubles in Belfast. Through exploration of the political ‘peace’ murals and religious stained glass, Burton aimed to explore the division of Northern Irish society, from a perspective of someone who had heard many stories of violence and separation, but not witnessed it first-hand.

Burton gathered research through talking with her dad about his time in Ireland. Burton also went to Belfast where she saw the murals and churches which inspired the idea of using stained glass. She saw the heavy focus on imagery, so through use of textiles and print, aimed to incorporate these images in her collection.

The collection fits into autumn/winter 2023 and is intended for men but can be worn by any gender as it features skirts, typically worn by women. Burton wanted to portray the lives of the young men of the troubles as they were at the time. Vulnerable and susceptible to the crime and violence around them. The collection features woollen garments including cable knit, important in Irish heritage, along with tufting with wool and corsetry, pulling in the body to keep heat in. The use of profanities and bold prints is radical, in your face, a statement; political design aimed especially at British youths.

Accompanying the collection, Burton produced technical packs and hand drawn illustrations for each garment. Producing the collection involved studio time, outsourcing a knitter and learning how to tuft and crotchet. Burton crocheted accessories which she will develop further down the line. Burton focused on sustainability throughout, including the initial toiling process and buying second-hand wool from charity shops and Facebook Marketplace for experimenting and parts of the final collection.