After many years of planning the much-anticipated Dublin Fashion Week has made it's debut. The brainchild of Sonia Reynolds, a former top model turned event planner, DFW plans to bring together some of Ireland's top fashion talent and showcase them to the press, buyers and customers.
Unfortunately, most Irish fashion designers have a profile in Ireland that is disproportionate to their commercial feasibility. They face difficulties in getting buyers based around the country to see their collections, and in many cases have to book expensive stands at foreign fashion weeks in order to get the opportunity to sell to these buyers. It's a tough business to be in.
Their support from indigenous buyers will be enhanced by an organised environment, in which their collections can be seen, considered and bought. The designers participating in the inaugural event are those that have shown an ability to meet commercial and manufacturing deadlines over the past number of years.
Designers participating to date include; Mariad Whisker, Joanne Hynes, Lainey Keogh, Lucy Downes, NC Kilkenny, Elva Robbins, Deborah Veale, Antonia Campbell Hughes, Helen James, Leigh Tucker, Rachel Mackay, Margaret O’Rourke (Mo Muse), Claire Ann Lawler, Vivien Walsh and Lou Lou Belle, Eilis Boyle, JH Collection, Aideen Bodkin, Caoimhe O’Dwyer, Jennifer Kinnear, Armadilo Designs and Sian Jacobs.
In the Odessa Club on Monday evening, Sonia Reynolds hosted a cocktail reception to celebrate the launch of DFW. In association with ABSOLUT, the party was well attended by people from the Dublin style stratosphere. Among them were writer and broadcaster Triona McCarthy, solicitor Barry Lyons, fashion editor Bairbre Power, writer Quentin Fottrell, designers Mairead Whisker, Rachel Mackay, Paula Marron and Ciara Silk (who, ironically, specialises in fabric printing!).
Dublin Fashion Week runs from the 17th - 21st October in The Morrison Hotel.
