Supermodel's 'full circle moment' as Ireland Fashion Week impresses

**Supermodel calls Ireland Fashion Week a ‘full circle moment’ as event impresses**

Ireland Fashion Week is being staged at multiple venues across the island.

Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha has called Ireland’s fashion scene “amazing” and said a national fashion week “should have probably happened years ago” after visiting the country for the first time.

Leading figures from the fashion world, including activist and model Alana Hadid, gathered at Slane Castle in County Meath earlier this week as Ireland Fashion Week began.

Now in its second year, the six-day event features more than 80 designers and is presented as a celebration of Irish fashion, culture and creativity, with shows, talks and exhibitions taking place around the country.

Rocha, whose career has lasted more than 20 years, said modelling at the event felt like a “full circle moment”, because she was first discovered at an Irish dancing competition as a teenager.

Although she grew up closely tied to her Irish heritage on both sides of her family, and spent 18 years as a dancer, Rocha said she had never before had the opportunity to visit the island.

“I’m very proud of, the fact that I am Irish, I am an Irish dancer, and it is the special thing about me, and so now it’s exciting to bring myself here.”

Rocha said she had been “truly wowed” by the scale and quality of the homegrown design talent on show, and hopes the event will help creatives build successful careers without feeling they need to leave the country.

“I really hope that this does much more than just shine a light,” she told BBC News NI. “That it actually really helps them to maybe stay here or to really figure out what’s the next steps for them.”

Rocha added: “They’re not just sort of good. They’re amazing.”

While much of the fashion industry centres on “The Big Four” — London, Paris, Milan and New York — Rocha said smaller fashion weeks can still benefit communities.

In a changing, digital-first industry, designers can be “really just honing their craft” at home, she added.

Comparing the event with the TV show Project Runway, which Rocha hosts, she said it is important to “expose the next generation” to fashion and show them “that this is local” and accessible.

“I think if we’ve done that, we’ve done a good job.”

Now in its second year, the festival has grown significantly since its 2025 launch and serves as a platform to help designers create opportunities at home and overseas.

As an all-island event, the programme includes several designers and brands from Northern Ireland.

The event comes as Irish fashion is enjoying a breakthrough moment, with internationally recognised designers such as Sinéad O’Dwyer, Simone Rocha and Jonathan Anderson drawing on their heritage in their collections.

In December, the prestigious French fashion house Dior — led by Magherafelt-born Anderson — will stage its first runway show in Ireland.

Atelier by Charlotte & Tess designer Sarah Jayne Lavery has urged Irish designers to take part next season.

Ireland Fashion Week runs until 12 October, with eight shows and more than 80 designers.

Now in its second year, the event has attracted high-profile international names such as Anna Hadid, the eldest sister of supermodels Gigi and Bella.

It is hoped that an Irish industry “ecosystem” can be built in the future.

A number of sponsors, including M&S, Primark and Visa, are involved in this year’s event.

Ireland Fashion Week founder Ashley McDonnell said this year’s edition is focused on “building on the momentum” of 2025 and showing what can be achieved when Irish fashion is treated as an industry rather than a collection of individual successes.

She said the island has “extraordinary designers”, but that talent needs to be matched by “building an ecosystem” of investment, commercial opportunities, international exposure and stronger support structures.

This year’s programme reflects that goal. Alongside runway shows, it includes industry discussions, graduate showcases and networking events aimed at connecting designers with buyers, investors and international media.

Among those taking part was County Tyrone designer Sarah Jayne Lavery, founder of Charlotte & Tess, based in the Linen Green in Moy, and its in-house label Atelier, which launched just two years ago.

After showing her collection as part of the event’s Irish Roots presentation, she described the experience as a milestone.

“Having my own brand and designing is genuinely a dream of mine,” she told BBC News NI.

Lavery was one of 11 designers chosen for the showcase after an application and interview process.

Her collection included Irish materials such as Donegal tweed, Aran wool and linen, reflecting the show’s emphasis on heritage and craftsmanship.

Finding out that Hadid would wear one of her designs was an unexpected highlight.

“She was our final look. I didn’t know that she was walking for me until I arrived... I was just delighted,” she explained.

The designer believes events like Ireland Fashion Week help shift perceptions of the industry and place creatives on “an international stage”.

“I think Ireland is a really creative space at the moment. I think it’s very exciting,” she said.

She said organisers were shining a spotlight on Irish talent and putting “fashion at the forefront”.

This year’s theme was “Coming Home”, celebrating Irish creativity, heritage and designers returning to present their work.

For Lavery, the message was straightforward.

“We have so much talent and creativity here, we have so many beautiful fabrics that lots of the designers are using.

“I would encourage any Irish designer to get involved next year.”

The next generation of fashion talent is also being showcased at the event, with Belfast-based knitwear designer Grace Bowman “honoured” to be among 44 creatives selected for the graduate runway showcase.

“That extra support, that extra exposure, the networking – it’s all so important to build a community here in Ireland, as well as spreading our design around. We’re really making everyone have access to Irish design,” she said.

The 22-year-old, who launched her own label after studying at Ulster University and completing a placement with Inis Meáin Knitting Company, takes inspiration from the Irish landscape and traditional Irish craftsmanship.

Bowman will present a collection combining deadstock linen and organic cotton with abstract Celtic knot motifs and hand-embroidered details.

She said it is “so important” to look back at traditional techniques and “embrace them” alongside contemporary design methods.

“I’m from Belfast so the linen industry has such an historical impact here. It’s great to be able to use that within my work and really have Irish materials supported within our industry,” she said.

“I’m very excited to see everyone else’s work on the runway... It will be a fantastic showcase of Irish design and an amazing platform for emerging designers.”