St Joseph's Catholic Church in Caledon, Co Tyrone and (inset) stock image. Photo: Google Streetview.
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08 Oct 2025
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08 Oct 2025
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County Derry fashion designer Aoife Harvey with her design for Ireland Fashion Week
County Derry fashion designer Aoife Harvey is all set to shine at Ireland Fashion Week.
The Claudy designer will be taking part in the very first Ireland Fashion Week in the Marker Hotel in Dublin which kicked off yesterday (Monday) and runs to Friday.
Speaking to the County Derry Post, Aoife shared her excitement leading up to the event saying: “I’m absolutely honoured to be taking part in the very first Ireland Fashion Week, showcasing alongside 40 other incredible emerging designers. The theme this year is The Irish Sea, which really inspired me to create a piece that feels connected to home and to nature.”
She continued: “I’m truly excited for the show. I’ve had the privilege of showcasing at the Paris Sustainability Festival in 2024 and Manchester Fashion Week in 2023, but to now present my work here in Ireland feels incredibly special. This event is such a powerful moment for Irish fashion, and I’m so proud to be part of it, standing alongside so many talented designers. It feels like we’re really putting Ireland on the global fashion map, and that makes me both proud and grateful.”
Sharing more about the piece she created for the event Aoife said: “For my garment, I’ve worked entirely with reclaimed materials sourced here in Ireland. I wanted to carry the spirit of sustainability into the heart of my design, while also grounding it in Irish tradition. I’ve also collected beautiful shells from local beaches, which I hand-embroidered onto the corset. Every detail brings a little piece of the sea to the runway.
ABOVE: Aoife Harvey design for Ireland Fashion Week
“The fabrics I’ve chosen are in soft, calming tones — a palette that reflects how the beach makes me feel: relaxed, peaceful, and at ease. I patchworked these fabrics together, paying homage to the traditional Irish practice of patchwork, where mending and making was both a necessity and an art form.
“To finish, I’ve used gold hardware throughout, inspired by the Japanese technique of Kintsugi — the art of repairing broken pottery with gold. It’s a philosophy that sees beauty in imperfection and in renewal. For me, that’s exactly what this garment represents: taking fabrics that others may view as broken or unusable, and piecing them together to create something new and beautiful.”
To keep up with Aoife’s journey follow @ah.designs___ and @irelandfashionweek
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