Co Armagh designer Niamh McCarthy's unique jacket for Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's baby

Keeping up with the Kardashians has kept Niamh McCarthy on her toes.

The designer from Lurgan, Co Armagh, was commissioned to make a bespoke jacket order last September for Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's baby - Rocky.

After just five years in business, the small business owner said "it's a dream come true".

"We sell embroidered jackets all across the world and we specialise in vegan faux leather and denim jackets," explained Niamh.

"Back in September, I received an order that was delivered to Kourtney Kardashian in LA.

"I couldn't get over it when I saw the name came through and we were delighted with how it turned out.

"In the end we went with a skull design with red roses. It was quite a gothic theme but Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker love leather jackets, he's in Blink 182, so it's a very gothic style and it really suites the couple," added Niamh.

"We couldn't get over the order coming in, we're based in Lurgan, all of our jackets are hand crafted in Lurgan, we do it all in-house, we photograph everything, and we got an order that was going to LA to probably the most famous family in the world."

While Baby Barker may be the latest celebrity to wear an outfit by a Northern Ireland designer, they're not the first.

In 2023, Rihanna wore a red boiler suit designed by Jonathan Anderson from Magherafelt while models like Gigi Hadid have been spotted wearing wool wear designed by Portstewart's Hope Macauley.

For the last two years running, 'Niamh Designs' has sent jackets to every state in the United States.

"It started back in 2017, I graduated from Ulster University in fashion textile and design. I experimented a lot with my work, it was a lot of trial and error and a lot of hard work," said Niamh.

"I went to loads of networking events across Northern Ireland and there's lots of support out there for helping to set up a business.

"We made our first jacket in 2019 for a local lady, which was a child's jacket, than I made a wedding jacket and to date we've made 3,000 jackets and sent them across the world.

"In March 2023, I was absolutely delighted to win NI young business women of the year at the women in business awards, it's the greatest achievement of my life.

"Even an order from the Kardashian's wont top that!"

"I'm very, very grateful, I've a wonderful team in Lurgan, there are three of us and we work very hard."

Niamh's advice for anyone else thinking about starting a business is to go for it.

"There is no time like the present, you're never as young as you are today, start small, build on what works, if something isn't working, keep pivoting and keep trying."

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