31 Chapel Lane is an online shop founded in 2012 by Damien Hannigan and Joi Fu. Based in Co. Cavan, Ireland, 31 Chapel Lane designs and manufactures high quality home wares and accessories using Irish linen and tweed. Damien and Joy “endeavor to bring the quality and splendor of Irish craft into everyday living”, and to achieve this their approach to design is one of simplifying. From choosing the fabrics to photographing the end product, they continually edit any superfluous details and resist the urge to add more. 31 Chapel Lane also offers a bespoke custom service for private and corporate clients.
The Shopkeepers
Damien Hannigan left his native Co Cavan to study architecture in Dublin, and has since worked in Dublin, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Joi Fu, who is from Sydney, Australia, has worked in the banking and finance industries. They met in Hong Kong and started 31 Chapel Lane when they moved to Ireland together. They have a shared vision for the brand, Damien overseeing the creative direction of the company, whilst Joi manages all the processes associated with owning and running an independent business. They are inspired by art, architecture, books, and travel. They enjoy travelling as much as possible, mentioning Ghent in Belgium as a recent favourite destination. They can find it difficult to relax as 31 Chapel Lane is an extension of themselves and their lives, but always manage to find the time to enjoy long weekend breakfasts with friends. A meal they find particularly satisfying, when the full promise of the day lies ahead.
On The Future of Retail
“Retail will always require a presence on the street. If only for the fact that streets and towns and cities would be very boring without them. Perhaps it is the case that for certain goods or services an online shop enables you to choose your lifestyle but for us, at least, the online element has only changed the final stage of the process; how we interact with the customer. It is a shiny new interface to an otherwise age-old industry comprised of weavers and spinners and farmers all tied to a location.”
Photographs courtesy of 31 Chapel Lane
