Throughout Irish history attempts have been made to hold fashion weeks, seeing limited success. Many consider the Irish Export Fashion Fair 1964, held in Dublin’s Intercontinental Hotel between April 20 to 24, as the nation’s first fashion week. The Export Fair saw a wide range of both Irish designed and manufactured clothing displayed along with a catwalk show featuring models such as Adrienne Ring and Grace O’Shaughnessy and a discussion between presenter Gay Byrne and Irish designer Irene Gilbert. The Irish Export Fashion Fair would continue until 1972.
Following decades saw a continued effort to establish and carry on hosting fashion events in Dublin, through the likes of the Irish Fashion Group founded in 1979 by the Goods Council. Comprised of 19 Irish fashion manufacturers, the group hoped to promote womenswear designed by Irish companies. Interestingly, Jimmy Hourihan, a leading Irish designer of the time, emphasised the importance of buying from local designers. This sentiment struck me. Today, in an era when poorly produced clothes outsourced from international locations dominate the clothing market, the words of Hourihan continue to ring through.
In 1983 the Futura Fashion Fair debuted, which hosted 280 stands showcasing almost 700 fashion ranges from Irish and international designers alike. By 1989, as the Irish Fashion Group celebrated its 10th birthday, it had banded together with the Futura Fashion Fair to showcase a number of Autumn/Winter collections from 34 Irish manufacturers. This collection saw fabrics native to Ireland dominate, with the likes of tweed and wool being crafted into culottes, coats and jumpsuits.
“The number of designers involved increased to 24 the following year, with the reported sales revenue of the 2006 DFF coming to more than than €1.5 million”
The next venture towards an Irish fashion week would take the form of the Dublin Fashion Festival (DFF), which ran from 2005 to 2018 and was founded by former model Sonia Reynolds. The first DFF took place in the Morrison Hotel on February 6 and featured 20 designers. The number of designers involved increased to 24 the following year, with the reported sales revenue of the 2006 DFF coming to more than than €1.5 million.
This brings us to the present day and the birth of Dublin Independent Fashion Week (DIFW).
Launched in October 2023 at Dublin’s Chocolate Factory, DIFW was founded by 7 independent Irish designers who wanted to provide a platform for emerging and established Irish designers to exhibit their talent. The event hoped to discourage designers from joining the long list of Irish expats taking their talent overseas.
The inaugural event quickly gained traction in the cultural zeitgeist, going on to almost double in size for its sophomore collection. Trinity News headed down to explore the week’s events.
Day 1 – Panel Discussion and Solstice by Seeking Judy
A coffee morning held in Fade Street Studios and a panel discussion led by District Magazine’s Dray Morgan, who interviewed the DIFW committee members, kicked off the week’s events.
The 2024 committee is composed of “slow fashion” designers Laoise Carey, Aisling Duffy, Ríon Hannora and Sarah O’ Neill along with slow-knitwear designers Mihai Mar and Megan McGuigan and sustainable jewellery designer Sarah Carroll Kelly.
Explaining the inspiration behind the event, they detailed how the idea came from their involvement in Trinity Fashion Society 2023, pointing out how, as designers, there wasn’t a space for them to display their work.
“We should just put on our own. Why would we encourage someone else to do this? Why don’t we do it ourselves?”
Ethos of sustainability, slow fashion and promoting ethical production are at the heart of DIFW.
When asked about implementing sustainability into the creative process, fashion designer Sarah O’Neill of The Zero Waster, said: “I believe, as a designer, that we all have a responsibility to adhere to certain ethical environmental standards.”
“I don’t believe there’s such a thing as sustainable designers and non sustainable designers. I feel like it’s a part of my work to challenge the norm and try to eventually have all designers have environmental standards embedded in their process.”
“I think that as a collective, we have really tried to champion other designers in terms of sustainability,” O’Neill said.
She continued saying how she loved “the challenge of trying to find different ways of reusing this material” ranging from wet suits to seatbelts and reworking them back into circularity.
When asked for advice on how to become more ethical in one’s fashion Aisling Duffy said: “I think for anyone, it’s about starting small. It’s about understanding why sustainability or why self fashion is important.”
“The most sustainable wardrobe you can have is what you already have,” she said.
Speaking about the evolution of Irish textiles, Mihai Mar discussed how globalisation has seen a decrease in the local production of knitwear and lace noting how “things are cheaper to produce abroad”.
Emphasising the importance of presenting a contemporary view of what knitwear is, Mar noted how a significant driver behind the week is to encourage fashion students to stay in Ireland and help to grow the Irish textile culture.
This sentiment was echoed by Megan McGuigan who, while acknowledging the amazing experience that comes with moving to cities like London and Berlin, touched on the importance of promoting Irish heritage: “We have our own culture, and we have our own history, and it’s really important to have somewhere to show that.”
By providing this space for Irish designers, McGuigan hopes “to give someone an option” to stay.
When asked what sets Dublin apart from other cities’ fashion scenes, Sarah Carroll Kelly said: “Dublin has some of the most vibrant, creative people in it, and I don’t think that’s represented necessarily.”
“I think that’s why this group coming together is important,” she said. “All of us are kind of, you know, big personalities, super creative people, and we’re trying to bring as many people as we can along with us.”
From Kelly mentioning how 20 Irish designers came to support her exhibition in London Fashion Week last year to Ríon Hannora’s emphasis on collaboration between independent designers, the strong sense of community present within Dublin fashion is clear.
“We’re trying to build a community of people,” said Hannora.
“I think there is room, and there’s space for all of us to exist in the same place at the same time. I don’t think any of us see each other as competitors ever.”
She went on to say how “if someone’s machine is broken or someone needs tools, there is someone there to help”.
Offering advice to aspiring designers hoping to legitimise themselves O’ Neill emphasised not being afraid to ask for advice and also to let go of perfection: “Once you put yourself out there, you’ll gain confidence, you’ll get that audience, and you’ll learn how to develop things from your mistakes.”
Touching on the exponential growth of DIFW Mar said how a mixture of funding from the DCCI Craft Council, Irish Design week, the committee members taking on the role of events organisers and also expanding the team to involve a graphics team, photographers, and fashion writers has facilitated the events expansion.
“It’s been really, really amazing to grow and have more people involved. I think that’s our plan for the future. Keep it going, get more people involved, and beyond just showcasing designers,” he said.
The panel discussion concluded which was followed by the showcase of Solstice by Seeking Judy, a luxury knitwear line by Megan McGuigan.
A brand deeply rooted in Irish heritage and storytelling, McGuigan captivated the audience with a show that merged fashion, sculpture, performance and sound, creating an immersive experience. Inspired by Ireland’s landscapes, particularly the karst Burren, Irish folklore, and the ancient Sídhe (fairy people), the collection honoured the traditions passed down from McGuigan’s grandmother, who first taught her to knit.
On the runway, this inspiration translated to hand-knitted dresses adorned with celtic-knot motifs, while fabric was folded and reimagined to echo the Burren’s rugged terrain. Rippled textures evoked the harsh landscapes, and delicate lace captured the etherealness of the Sídhe. Set against an eerie soundtrack, models wandered through a smoke-filled room, in front of a woven sculpture by McGuigan herself, which stretched across 4 supports, mimicking the dramatic sweep of the Irish landscape. Each dress felt like a tribute to Irish folklore and the fairies, with intricate lace trailing behind the models as they moved, lending an otherworldly, fairy-like quality to the presentation. The show was a powerful fusion of tradition and innovation, with Solstice offering a captivating journey through Ireland’s rich heritage and mythical landscapes.
Day 2 – Aisling Duffy
On the opposite end of the spectrum from Solstice was Aisling Duffy, a brand that draws inspiration from dreaming, whimsical femininity, and a touch of nostalgia. “Aisling means dream,” Duffy explained before the presentation. “And I’m always just away — it kind of makes sense that that’s the work I create.”
The show perfectly captured this dreamlike essence. The catwalk opened with a model gliding across the room to a live performance by musician Amy Michelle, embodying innocence in a light blue babydoll dress with a ruffled collar, clutching a heart-shaped pillow — a signature Aisling Duffy look. A fresh palette of pastels followed, with more babydoll dresses showcasing puffed sleeves, floral patterns, as well as patchwork techniques.
“It was a collection that felt like a daydream — sweet, nostalgic and a blend of soft femininity with a touch of rebellious charm”
Adding a contrasting edge to the hyperfemininity, Duffy incorporated screen-printed 90s grunge motifs, not just on dresses, but jeans layered under delicate lace skirts. Models carried the brand’s iconic star bags and oversized bag charms, along with dramatic ruffled 3D-printed umbrellas created in collaboration with FiveOneSevenEight. It was a collection that felt like a daydream — sweet, nostalgic and a blend of soft femininity with a touch of rebellious charm.
Day 3 – Pellador
Wednesday saw Limerick based fashion label Pellador take to the pitch presenting their debut runway show aptly named First Touch.
Upon entering Fade Street guests were greeted by yet another total transformation of the space. Benches, akin to those seen on the sideline of football pitches, lined the room along with a faux grass runway. The energy was electric as attendees eagerly awaited the kickoff of the brand’s SS25 collection.
The UEFA Nations League anthem blasted through the sound system as two models walked out to open the show accompanied onto the pitch by two children. These “player escorts” have been a part of soccer tournaments since around 2000. This detail went a long way in making the Pellador show feel like you were truly on the sidelines of a match.
Blue lights and smoke filled the faux arena as the models paraded out, adorned in various knitted jumpers, sweater vests and T-shirts all of which bearing traditional celtic emblems. The collection was cleverly threaded together so as to illustrate a contemporary take on motifs intrinsic to Irish tradition. Pellador founder and designer Greg Hall also incorporated his printmaking background into this collection, playing with prints and placing various celtic symbols evocative of Ireland’s rich heritage, on the denim trousers being worn by the models.
A delicate, dreamy lace tote bag designed by one of DIFW’s ones to watch Niamh Saunders stood out against the wave of streetwear inspired looks helping to illuminate the collections versatility when it comes to styling.
“The show’s final whistle saw one of the models sustain keepie-uppies for what one can only call an incredibly impressive duration”
A football boot tuned bag also stood out illuminating the brand’s ability to combine playfulness, functionality and fashion. The show’s final whistle saw one of the models sustain keepie-uppies for what one can only call an incredibly impressive duration.
Speaking to Trinity News after the show about where the inspiration came from to start the brand Hall spoke about how he had been doing printmaking and graphic design for around a year before releasing he wanted to start a fashion brand.
“Honestly I just thought that I may as well start the brand drawing inspiration from the things I’m most passionate about,” Hall said, noting his childhood has a source of inspiration. “For some reason I kept going back to my childhood and what I was most passionate about then and I thought that’s the thing that I will, you know, continue to be passionate about which is like football and then also celtic design.”
“If I’m going to start a brand I may as well make it about something I love.”
Day 4 – Wahala by Tobi Balogun
For Tobi Balogun, DIFW was about “returning to centre” and sparking conversations on colonialism and rediscovering lost culture through his clothing concept, WAHALA. Continuing with street style set by Pellador’s show, Balogun transported the audience to an Afrofuturistic realm, shaped by sustainability clothing processes. Water, soil and other natural elements were heavily embedded in the designs, alongside references to both Yoruba and ancient Irish culture.
Irish Design Showroom Day
The penultimate days of DIFW saw the festivities bid farewell to the stained glass windows of Fade Street for those of the Smock Alley Theatre. Over both the Friday and Saturday the showroom welcomed industry professionals, the press and public alike.
“Each brand curated its own immersive space, from couture to crochet, from knitwear to workwear, the space allowed guests to shop collections directly from Friday’s exclusive live-model presentation”
Irish design was brought to the forefront at Smock Alley, showcasing the work of over 20 independent fashion, jewellery and accessory designers. The event offered a rare opportunity for the public to catch a glimpse into the creativity within Ireland’s fashion scene. Each brand curated its own immersive space, from couture to crochet, from knitwear to workwear, the space allowed guests to shop collections directly from Friday’s exclusive live-model presentation.A standout moment came on Saturday with a performance by BIIRD, an all-female trad band, accompanied with dancers, all dressed in the designers’ creations, bringing the garments to life through performance and music once again.
The message of the day was clear — Dublin Independent Fashion Week was a call to support local talent. It was a rallying cry to empower a community of creatives to continue producing their art in Ireland. Without support from the public and organisations like the Irish Design Council, art cannot be produced in this country, and we risk losing more Irish artists to fashion hubs like London or Berlin. Saturday’s showcase, and the week as a whole, provided a vital platform for creatives nationwide to continue developing and cultivating their work at home, ensuring Ireland remains a vibrant home for innovation and design.
