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Fashion

20th May 2025

Final call for designer applications ahead of the inaugural Ireland Fashion Week

Kat O'Connor

Ireland Fashion Week takes place this October

Irish designers across the country, and afar, are urged to submit their applications by the end of this week for a chance to participate in what is set to be the most important fashion showcase the country has ever seen.

Whether you’re an established powerhouse, an emerging designer, or a rising student talent, this is your chance to take the stage during the first-ever Ireland Fashion Week this October — a nationwide celebration of Irish creativity, culture, and global influence.

Each application will be judged by an array of key industry insiders tasked with selecting between 50 – 60 designers to show front and centre throughout the week, across Flagship, Spotlight, Graduate, and Independent and Emerging designer shows. 

These designers will have their work seen by global media, international buyers, cultural icons, and thousands of attendees across Ireland, with support from industry-leading partners including DS Automobiles, Medik8, SOSU Cosmetics, Bare by Vogue, and National Beauty. 

At the helm of this revolutionary festival of fashion is Ashley McDonnell, a powerhouse in the luxury and tech space.

With a career spanning global technology and luxury houses, alongside an unmatched passion for championing homegrown talent, Ashley’s vision for Ireland Fashion Week is bold: to place Irish design on the world stage, celebrating its heritage, sustainability, and future-forward innovation.

With a deep-rooted passion for Irish design, Ashley has spent years building bridges between Ireland’s creative talent and the world’s biggest fashion players. Her global network and industry expertise are set to make Ireland Fashion Week a major force in the international fashion calendar.

Ashley says, “The idea to create a nationwide Ireland Fashion Week came from a realisation that Irish fashion designers were lacking both the platform and the funding to showcase across the country.

“By creating an entity dedicated to producing events and experiences around the country, we’re now in a position to bring a world-class fashion week to the island and help brands with the funding of their shows, subsiding selected designers and offering incredible additional support.”

“Ireland Fashion Week is a testament to the incredible creativity of the Irish people – both at home and abroad. We will see the best of Irish talent across fashion, design, music, film and beyond all coming together for the inaugural Ireland Fashion Week.”

With an electric mix of runway showcases, cultural experiences, and game-changing conversations, Ireland Fashion Week is set to be the must-attend event of 2025. 

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