Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon close fashion line
Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon have confirmed their hit fashion label, Lennon Courtney, has ceased production.
Lennon Courtney launched in 2013 and was hugely popular for their unique personal styles. Their first collaboration included a full knitwear range.
The fashion duo had never met before when they were first paired together on RTÉ's Off the Rails as co-hosts in 2008, but they hit it off and it would prove life-changing for them both and would mark the beginning of over a decade of collaboration.
Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon at the opening of Clarins Boutique and Spa on Wicklow Street, Dublin. Pic: Brian McEvoy
But after 13 years in business together, the pair have confirmed that their fashion label has ended production and will now be 'rested'.
Speaking exclusively to EVOKE, both Brendan and Sonya confirmed they were taking a break from their fashion label - but insisted they still remain great friends.
Brendan told us: 'We're resting it. I'm focusing on my own furniture designs. All is good though. We're still great friends.
'But there are a couple of reasons why. I don't want to go into it just now but we're resting it. It's not gone forever.
Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon pictured this afternoon at the launch of the RTE New Season Schedule at Montrose. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins, Dublin
'It didn't go bust at all. We both had big projects and different things. It was taking more and more time and we felt that we are not giving it the love it needs so let's take a year off.
'Everyone agreed that was okay so we have taken a break.'
Sonya added: 'It was time. We're sad for the people who loved Lennon Courtney. It's having a little lie-down at the moment.'
After five seasons as an independent label, the influential pair joined forces in 2015 with Dunnes to create the Lennon Courtney at Dunnes Stores collection, making their designs available to a much wider audience.
Off The Rails: The Complete Collection, pictured Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney. Pic: RTE
The first contemporary collection landed in September 2015, inspired by and named for some of Ireland's biggest fashionistas: Amy Huberman, Vogue Williams and Angela Scanlon.
In 2019, Sonya previously told us: 'It was the best decision for so many reasons – we’re more accessible, we have a partner who can support us to deliver product and it gives us more freedom.
'It’s so tough for any emerging designers and 95pc don’t make it to collection two. It’s been gruelling and you work so hard… Dunnes has offered a totally different perspective.'
Then in 2023, after seven years with Dunnes Stores, the design duo unveiled an exciting partnership with Kilkenny Design.
Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon, The Restaurant. Pic: Brian McEvoy
'We're giddy with excitement. We have such huge belief in our brand and we felt that it was an opportunity to internationalise it and reframe it. So we kind of ripped it up entirely,' Sonya told EVOKE at the time.
'We made a very, very tough decision to walk away from Dunnes Stores. We'd already been approached by a couple of UK retailers who were interested. So, we knew there was value in the brand,' she previously added.
