The event returns to Dublin’s Smock Alley this November, with three times the number of designers taking part compared to last year.
Ríon Hannora, originally from Cork, is one of the founding committee members of Dublin Independent Fashion Week (DIFW), now in its second year.
DIFW was born from a group of fashion industry friends who recognised the need to support independent designers.
The eight designers behind the event are curating and self-funding it, with some financial support from the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland.
“One of our main goals with Dublin Fashion Week is to celebrate each other. We’re not competitors, and there’s room for all of us,” Ms Hannora said.
“There aren’t many good opportunities for fashion designers in Ireland… this event gives people a reason to stay and do their work here rather than moving to London or Paris.
“There’s a serious lack of funding and few places to even showcase your work. It’s a lot of work for us.
“We’ve become like colleagues, co-workers, and collaborators, which is really new and nice for us,” she added.
Last year, it took place over a weekend, but this year it has expanded to a week-long programme featuring designers including Aisling Duffy, Laoise Carey, Sarah O’Neill, Sarah Carroll Kelly, Mihai Mar, Megan McGuigan and Aisling Phelan.
“It’s bigger this year than last year when there were only eight designers; this year there are 24,” Ms Hannora said.
“It’s been like having two full-time jobs at the moment, organising the event.”
Ms Hannora designs each of her garments to resemble a “walking piece of art”, drawing inspiration from a variety of sources.
With wide-ranging influences, from amateur graffiti and club culture to the Baroque era, her creations often sit in the grey area “between fine art and fashion”.
Ms Hannora said, while she enjoys seeing her pieces worn by the likes of Kate Nash and CMAT, she feels her garments are “an extension of herself and have their own stories to tell”.
“That story might involve playing at Glastonbury or performing at Electric Picnic,” she added.
She is currently working on a new collection of clothes, set to launch in about two weeks, coinciding with Dublin Independent Fashion Week, which will run from November 11 to 17 in the Banquet Hall of Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre.
One of the week’s highlights will be the two-day Irish Design Showroom on November 15 and 16, where 20 designers will transform the space into immersive, showroom-style exhibits, inviting attendees to step into their creative worlds.
Each brand showcased is committed to sustainable practices, proving that Irish fashion can be both stylish and socially conscious.
DIFW will also introduce its Ones to Watch feature, giving six emerging talents a platform to shine.