From heritage to high-fashion: Ireland stakes its claim with inaugural fashion week

As the number of global fashion weeks continues to climb, more regions are seeking to claim space on the international calendar: not only as cultural showcases, but as strategic platforms for creative communities. This month, Ireland joined their ranks, launching its inaugural Ireland Fashion Week, a five-day event that set out to both celebrate local design and position Irish fashion for commercial success on the world stage.

For founder Ashley McDonnell, the debut marks the start of efforts to structure Ireland’s fashion ecosystem for growth. When initially announcing the launch of the fashion week, McDonnell had said she sought to address Ireland’s lack of infrastructure and funding for emerging designers, an ambition that had already been reflected in strong early support. Around one million euros had been raised prior to the fashion week, while high-profile retail partners, including Primark and Marks & Spencer, lent their industry expertise to the programme.

Ireland’s entry into the global fashion calendar feels particularly fitting given its deep material history. The country’s textile heritage, rooted in linen, tweed, lace and wool production, remains internationally recognised, yet often underleveraged in a commercial context. The new fashion week sought to change that, offering a platform where heritage could meet marketability. And today’s designers are following suit, reimagining those traditions for a contemporary audience.

Nurturing new voices while celebrating storied heritage

From October 6 to 10, 57 designers participated across seven shows and five complementary events, blending the established and the emerging in a showcase of Ireland’s creative potential. From celebrated names like Paul Costelloe, who headlined the week, to final-year university students, the diversity on display was an intentional bid to nurture new voices while celebrating storied heritage.

Designer Aoife Mc Namara, Ireland’s first B Corp fashion brand, dedicated her show to the country’s wool industry, and with this, brought the conversation into the sustainable future. Her 20-piece womenswear collection, ‘What The World Wears’, honoured generations of makers who have kept the country’s artistry alive. Even Mc Namara’s choice of location, the grounds of Ballynahinch Castle, with its deep roots in Connemara’s landscape, underlined a commitment to building heritage and renewal. “Irish wool has too often been treated as waste,” a press release for the collection stated. “We wanted to restore its worth.”

Sasha Donnellan, a Mayo native and Esmod Paris graduate, was another to explore the circular future of Irish fashion. For her runway debut, Donnellan’s collection, ‘Lupus et Agnus’, merged French luxury craftsmanship with Irish storytelling. Held in Dublin’s Windmill Quarter, the designer touched on the interplay between structure and sentiment, while offering up modern interpretations of wool and plaid. Her focus on sustainability through deadstock fabrics and biodegradable fibres underscored the growing eco-consciousness within Irish fashion.

Next generation of Irish talent build on existing foundations

Donnellan wasn’t the only designer new to the runway. For many, Ireland Fashion Week represented a debut opportunity to host solo shows, a pivotal if not rare career moment at an event still in its infancy. Rachel Maguire, founder of celebrity-loved streetwear brand Rashhiiid, delivered the emotionally-charged collection, ‘I Survived Myself’, exploring personal themes of depression and rebirth, while setting “the standard for streetwear in Ireland”. Elsewhere, Bold Golf’s presentation at Dublin’s Teeling Whiskey Distillery fused golfwear with street culture, accompanied by an electric performance which served as a metaphor for the merging of heritage and modern identity.

The week’s Irish Sea Graduate Show, held at the Anantara The Marker Hotel, was a continuation of this, spotlighting the next generation of Irish talent. Curated by Anne O’Shea and Jess Colivet from hundreds of applications, the showcase featured 39 designers who presented work inspired by Ireland’s coastal heritage. Supported by Specsavers, the event drew a crowd of influencers, media, and industry leaders, underscoring how quickly Ireland’s creative scene is gaining traction.

Elsewhere, the fashion week paid homage to those holding up the foundations of Irish fashion. The Irish Roots Mixed Designer Show at Slane Castle brought together heritage houses and emerging brands to celebrate the country’s fashion DNA. Storied houses like Magee 1866, Avoca Ireland and Jack Murphy shared the stage with newer names including Amy Frankie Moroney and Mary O’Sullivan. Each collection reflected a dialogue between old and new, resulting in a show that tied together legacy and modernity.

While the global fashion calendar is increasingly saturated, Ireland Fashion Week’s inaugural edition established a strong foundation. Its ability to combine heritage craftsmanship, sustainable practice and ambition points towards a new phase for the nation’s fashion industry, a one that makes it a credible contender on the international stage. From castle grounds to city rooftops, from tweed to tech-infused textiles, Ireland proved it wasn’t merely participating in global fashion, it was defining what its future could look like.