The winners of the award-winning Relove Fashion Competition were announced at a virtual event at the Rediscovery Centre on Thursday the 25th of February. The virtual event showcased all eighteen finalists and the overall winner was announced by broadcaster Lorraine Keane.
The Relove Fashion competition was open to secondary schools in the Eastern Midlands Waste Region and it encouraged students to take a deeper look at how their clothing is made. Ten local authorities came together, with the Rediscovery Centre, to create the Relove Fashion competition to help students explore creative reuse options such as upcycling, repairs, alterations, and mending. Students were challenged to design a unique piece of sustainable fashion and to enter to win the top prize of a €1,000 fashion design pack from the Rediscovery Centre. The competition is funded by Westmeath County Council in conjunction with 9 other Local Authorities: Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Meath, South Dublin and Wicklow.
The virtual final was hosted at the Rediscovery Centre and all eighteen finalist designs were revealed and broadcast around Ireland. The finalists were given feedback from judges Arran Murphy, Rediscover Fashion Programme Manager, Joanne Rourke, Eastern-Midlands Regional Waste Management Plan Office, and broadcaster and founder of Fashion Relief Lorraine Keane.
The category winner for Best Tailoring was Ian Concannon Athlone Community College, Best Casual was Maria Candela, Alyssa O’Leary, Sarah Ambrose, Roisin Moore, and Fina Torrecilla from St Raphaela’s Dun Laoghaire, Best Evening was Sarah Fogarty Malahide Community School in Malahide, Most Innovative was Lily Hemus Cnoc Mhuire Secondary School in Longford, and the Overall Winner was Rebecca Power Muckross Park College in Dublin. All eighteen finalists won a free sustainable fashion workshop by the Rediscovery Centre's Rediscover Fashion social enterprise. The overall winner won a design pack from the Rediscovery Centre worth €1,000.
Lorraine Keane, broadcaster and founder of Fashion Relief: “I have always had a genuine love for fashion but I am also conscious of the significant natural resources and materials that are used to make clothing and how quickly some of it is disposed of. I am a huge advocate for sustainable fashion and it is inspiring to see that these students were able to make such amazing designs from materials that would have otherwise been sent to landfill. These emerging designers have proven that clothing you no longer want can be remade, reused, and upcycled into wearable and versatile fashion items.”
Joanne Rourke Eastern-Midlands Regional Waste Management Plan Office: “I am delighted to be involved with the judging of the Relove Fashion Competition for a second year in a row. In the fashion design process, the reuse of materials isn't always considered when designing clothing. We already have vast amounts of clothing in the world that could be successfully reused or remade into new clothing. It is important that sustainable and circular design principles are used in the production of textiles. The Relove Fashion competition has given me hope that the next generation of designers will bring sustainable fashion into the mainstream."
Cathaoirleach Ken Glynn “I am delighted to congratulate Ian Concannon on his win for the Best Tailoring Award. This is a high accolade to achieve and points to a successful career in the fashion industry if Ian decides to follow that path. I wish him every success in the future”.
Winner of the Best Tailoring Award Ian Concannon “I’m super happy and proud of myself for accomplishing this and getting an award from the Relove Fashion competition, all the hard work and time really paid off”.
Content Last Updated/Reviewed: 26/02/2021
