On Thursday 22 March, LYIT Fashion students Niamh Porter (Raphoe), Amy Devlin (Convoy) and Helen Murray (Dunfanaghy) will know their fate as they have qualified as finalists in the Irish Fashion Innovation Awards: Student Designer of the Year 2018. This is a highly regarded contest for fashion designers and students from fashion colleges throughout Ireland, showcasing the highest expression of creativity from the most innovative designers in Ireland. It is an opportunity to give young, up and coming designers an invaluable connection to the public.
Niamh, Amy and Helen responded to a brief which asked them to design a look that innovates for how we will dress in 10 years’ time. The design should reflect perceived future lifestyles and be based on science fact rather than science fiction. Obviously, they impressed the judges and are now going to be profiled with all other finalists in the GALWAYnow magazine and receive radio and television press coverage. Helen Murray one of the finalists, mentioned, "it was a lot of hard work, but a great opportunity to get your name out there and have it associated with a competition of such distinction. It's also a great opportunity as a student designer to really experiment and to go all out with your designs".
This is Niamh’s second year in a row to make the final; she commented, “I'm thrilled to get a second chance at this competition. Last year, I played it safe with my designs, but this year I'm more confident and have been more experimental with my design. I'm really excited to return to Galway to see my work on the catwalk - it's a fantastic night!"
One overall winner will be selected by the judging panel on the night of the event. The winner will be chosen by secret ballot and will be announced at the Fashion Innovation Awards ceremony in the Galmount Hotel & Spa, Galway. Designers will be judged on innovation, design integrity and choice of materials.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Fashion with Promotion is currently in its third year of being taught at LYIT but already they are seeing the fruits of how valuable the skills and expertise of its future graduates will be. The intention of the course is to prepare students for employment or to exist as a designer.
Sharon Maxwell, LYIT Fashion Lecturer, outlined, “I'm so proud of our designers, their final designs look amazing. This is the second year that our students will have their work on the catwalk of what is referred to as 'the Irish Fashion Oscars'. It is the main platform for Irish Fashion students where they will compete with final year students from other fashion colleges in Ireland".
Best of luck to all involved in the final! For those considering a career in fashion, why not check out the BA in Fashion with Promotion (LY447).