Local entrepreneur launches new ‘hipster culture’ website

PROMOTING the work of artists is not easy in any economic climate, but that could be about to change with the launch of limited edition t-shirts, courtesy of Clondalkin entrepreneur Lisa Haskins.

Haskins (28) has developed a start-up website Sohipster.ie, which caters specifically for ‘hipster culture’ and launched the new venture at the Kildare Art Gallery on Sunday.

The site showcases a collection of limited edition t-shirts with signed and dated certificates by Irish artists to ensure “originality and quality.”

Haskins features the work of Irish artists Cathal Manning and Jonathan Dickson in her first line of t-shirt creations.

“People are buying a little piece of art to take home,” said Haskins, a sales and marketing coordinator in Carton House, Maynooth.

The former journalism student at Ballyfermot College of Further Education, has invested considerable time, effort and money into the launch of the website, understanding how difficult it can be for artists to promote their work to a wider audience.

Lisa said: “Sohipster.ie is something I have always wanted to do and it is a mere baby step toward something much bigger that I desperately hope to achieve. I understand how much artists struggle to get their work seen, projects funded and the challenges ahead with digital design.

“Alongside that I am a small start-up so buying from me means that people are buying locally and supporting local start-ups and creatives. “

 The site also contains pieces collected by Irish fashion and interior designers to feed an insatiable appetite for good quality vintage goods.

Lisa says the start-up focuses “attention to Ireland’s current ‘so hipster’ culture”, to “further celebrate Irish music, culture, art, food, beer, local companies.”

She continued: “Many of the old-fashioned pay and collect products from a page on the site called The Market have been collected and handpicked by Irish designers in fashion and interior design.  On top of that Sohipster.ie offers a fantastic online collection of retro wonders, the chance to have beautifully personalised fabric designs made, offers buyers a truly unique and very creative shopping experience.

“The Kildare Art Gallery really shined a light on just how incredible our artists are here in Ireland and I only hope that the t-shirts help to fund them for bigger ventures nationally and internationally.”