Ireland is Hosting Its First Ever Independent Fashion Weekend
The first-ever Dublin Independent Fashion Week is set to take place from 20-22 October, showcasing sustainable works from some of the foremost self-made designers in the country.
From 20-22 October, sustainable and unique clothing will be appreciated in The Chocolate Factory, as Irish designers from all over the nation host the inaugural Dublin Independent Fashion Weekend.
Eight Irish designers, who specialise in unique and repurposed craftwork, will be exhibiting their works at Dublin Independent Fashion Weekend, as well as panels, live music performances and visual art displays. Ríon Hannora, Aisling Duffy, Laoise Carey, Mar Knitwear, The Zero Waster, Shock of Grey and Seeking Judy, will be accompanied by sound artist Sloucho, Podcaster PJ Kirby and visual artist Aisling Phelan.
In a bid to champion Irish designers, the idea evolved into a weekend of celebrations for the creative fashion minds we have on the Island. With a central focus on “the act of knowing where your garments come from and creating pieces sustainably”, most pieces being shown are one-of-a-kind projects.
Each designer has been allocated their own pop-up showroom, showing attendees an isolated glimpse of their individual creative processes and aesthetics.
Seeking Judy
Seeking Judy have established themselves as so much more than just a fashion brand. It has become a space for creative expression. They have managed to transcend Dundalk by adding depth to the brand through constantly facilitating creativity in Dublin. Encompassing youth culture whilst dropping signature pieces have seen Seeking Judy be one of the most exciting independent fashion brands in the country.
Ríon Hannora
Ríon Hannora utilises traditional textile works, combined with repurposed garments for a signature elegant look. Dedicated to zero waste, clothing is “rejuvenated into bizarre and wonderful garments that could stand alone or on display in a museum”. Bridging the gap between fine art and fashion, her works are wearable art. Drawing on her experience on YSL’s A/W 2020 collection, adding a sustainable angle to her projects keeps the grace but cuts the waste.
Aisling Duffy
Techniques such as patchworking, screen-printing & embellishment are at the core of each of Aisling’s collections – a reflection of her background in surface design and work in the textile industry. Her grungy take on frills and flowers provide a perfectly contrasting aesthetic.
Laoise Carey
An advocate for the slow fashion movement, Laoise’s products repurpose vintage fabrics and breathe new life into garments. Her clothing can be made from a range of fabrics such as vintage upholstery as well as clothing. Finding her source material from Flea markets in Ireland, London, Paris and Amsterdam, no two pieces are alike. She’ll be taking her projects from Tipperary to Dublin to exhibit her unique style.
Mar knitwear
The weather’s getting colder and you can’t keep those jorts on forever. It’s time to start realising the potential of knitwear. The queer design label has gone from Creating outfits fit for Pride 2023 to more rugged collections, resulting in a variety of designs that is one of the most diverse in the indepentdent Irish fashion world. All of their pieces are made-to-order, one-of-a-kind garments that are hand-knitted using natural and repurposed materials.
The Zero Waster
Using Anthotype print methods, The Zero Waster’s collections give a fascinating perspective of how we use fashion. Combining functionality with sustainability at its core has resurrected and subverted abandoned pieces of fabric. Repurposing fabric into a bag with a seatbelt strap not only looks fantastic, but you can rest easy knowiong the works are made as ethically as possible.
Shock of Grey
Sock of Grey founder, Sarah Carroll Kelly makes bold, unique, handcrafted statement jewellery from unpredictable materials, such as wood, brass, plastic, silicone and acrylic. From her studio in Dublin 8, she creates her eye-catching earrings and necklaces which are hard to go unnoticed on any fit. Pushed to creativity by the shock of that first grey hair, Sarah has been nominated for multiple awards for craftsmanship and sustainability.
