Sponsors
CFW 2011 Designers
Belinda O’Sullivan (winner of “Designer of the Year” 2010)
Aidan Sheehan (winner of “Designer of the Year” 2009)
Competing for CFW Designer of the Year:
Cathy Jackson
Cathy studied and graduated from the Limerick School of Art and Design with a BA Honours Degree in Fashion Design in 2004.During her time spent studying she worked at her first job as an intern for Luella Bartley, former editor of British Vogue in Shoreditch, London on Luella’s Spring/Summer collection. It was here where she was inspired by her love of mix and match street fashion with a feminine twist and this trend continues in her work today.After graduating she worked in London for 2 years designing for a company that supplied to major high street fashion stores and it was here where she learned the ‘rag trade’ business and commercial end of the spectrum. Following on from this she was design co-coordinator to a sportswear design company who sold across the UK and Europe.For two years she worked as the head designer to an Irish Country Clothing company ‘’Lee Valley Ireland’’ designing their Men and Ladies Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer collections who sold across UK, Europe and the USA.Cathy Jackson is now the senior designer for ‘Calvin Klein Golf’ (Global) with PGB , their master licensee and designs their men and ladies Calvin Klein golf wear collections for worldwide distribution working with the team in Ireland and the head office in New York.She continues to work on her own collections and has showcased her collections every year since the inception of Cork Fashion week and is soon to launch her own website. For her Cork Fashion 2011 collection she is drawing inspiration from old versus new mixed together – old fabrics, old prints, vintage lace, cracked teapots and trinkets and designing a range – edgy yet girlie entitled ‘Tea-Party Time’Achievements to date:2011- Nominated in the category of ‘Irish designer of the Year’ in Faye Dinsmores Blog ‘Most Influential in Irish Fashion’2006 – Won special merit for the Irish Designer of the year in the BMW Irish Fashion Awards.2004 – One of eight finalists in the Irish Persil Fashion Awards showcased on RTE’s Late Late show.
Alice Halliday
As someone who cares strongly about the environment, Alice has been creating clothing and accessories, mainly from recycled materials, since the year 2000. She studied Art and Design at Warwickshire College, Leamington Spa, England. In May 2007, she graduated from the BTEC Diploma with a distinction and Student of the Year award.
Alice did her degree at the University for the Creative Arts, Epsom, Surrey, England. Graduating in June 2010 with a 2:1 (1st off a first) in BA (Hons) Fashion Design.
Her graduate collection ‘Soul Salvation’ was shown at Graduate Fashion Week, London on 6th June 2010.
The cape from her graduate collection was taken on tour by Florence + the Machine’s front woman, Florence Welch as part of her stage wardrobe for her tour of Australia and the US in Summer/Autumn 2010. This resulted in a great deal of publicity. Press release of the story was featured on Vogue.com, and in many newspapers and online articles and blogs, and a live interview with Alice regarding it was featured on BBC Radio Surrey.
March 2011, Catwalk of her graduate collection and interview with Alice Halliday, appears on Irish fashion TV show Off the Rails.
22-24th April 2011: Alice was featured as Blanaid Hennessy’s ‘Young Designer of the Year’ at Absolute Style at Set, Kilkenny.
Alice’s pieces have recently appeared in the editorials of None Magazine and Stellar Magazine.
Previously, Alice worked at Julien MacDonald, London and Emilio de la Morena, London.
She is now a self employed Fashion Designer, working from her home in Cork City center, currently busy carrying out commissions for clients and creating her new collection ‘Tea with Tamara’ to be showcased at Cork Fashion Week.
Pieces from her degree on sale at the ‘Narrative Thread’ exhibition, The Wandesford Quay Gallery, Cork City 16th-30th August
online shop: alicehalliday.bigcartel.com
Find her on Saturdays at the Skibbereen Farmer’s Market, once a month at the Pav Bar Boot Sale, Cork City and quarterly at Le Chat Noir Vintage Fair, The Flying Enterprise Complex, Cork City.
Current accessories stockist:
Turquoise Flamingo, 4 Washington Street, Cork City
Julie O’Connell
Julie is a BA honours degree graduate in Fashion Design. She studied at Limerick School of Art and Design
She is extremely creative & passionate about her work! She adore’s the fusion of casual and couture. As well as Designing, she love’s customizing garments already made and creating alternative plastic accessories. Her goal is to be as successful as those she has met so far working in the fashion industry and she thank’s Michael Gkinis (Tokyo) ,JJ Hudson aka Dr Noki (London), Miss Daisy Blue (Cork) and Krizia Robustella (Barcelona) for all their support and for sharing their tremendous innovation, creativity and most of all their knowledge and experiences within the fashion industry.
She is currently doing a fashion internship with Krizia Robustella in Barcelona & is working on the spring/summer 2012 collection called “LICK MY ICE CREAM BABY” !
She was thrilled to work at Barcelona Fashion.
Earlier in the year she worked with DR Noki NHS in London on Noki Noir pour Dandy Collection for London Fashion week showroom & also made pieces for Lady Gaga’s Latest video Judas and individual pieces for Jessie J. Working one on one with JJ Hudson aka Dr Noki was a tremendous experience.
In 2009 she spent time in Tokyo, Japan working with Micheal Gkinis, where she learnt how the Japanese fashion Industry works and of course sewing, pattern cutting and making actual garments!
She also got to experience Manic yet alluring,Tokyo Street Style and appeared In the July 2009 Issue of Kera Magazine.
Caroline Matthews
Caroline Matthews studied and Graduated from Leeds University with a BA Hons Degree in Fashion from the UK. Her misson is to create Contemporary bridal wear for stylish Brides, Her designs have been very well received both here in Ireland and the UK with her securing a stockist in Chelsea, London and a possible collaboration with a group of Irish designers in Dublin. Her gowns have featured in many bridal and fashion magazines both here and in the UK and her evening wear range has been worn by Ashling O Loughlin from TV3′s Xpose and also Sinead Desmond from Ireland AM.
Caroline began her bridal career working for the prestigious bridal designer Caroline Castigliano in the UK where she learnt skills to start her own Label. Other than designing bridal wear she has designed a fashion range which will be launched at the end of the year and an accessories luxury handbag range in the beginning of 2012.
In the 5 years she has had her business she has won 3 awards consecutively, the first in 2008 for the best New Direction/ Contemporary Designer with Irish Brides Magazine, in 2009 she took home the Best New Business in Munster with Kerry Enterprise Board and the most recent award in 2010 for the Kerry fashion Designer of the Year with Kerry Fashion Week
Shinto Benedict
He was spellbound by the amazing costumes of a group of dancers at the very young age of 6 years and ever since, he has had a keen eye for fashion. Yet, Shinto did not realize that he had a flare for fashion design and choreography until he was asked to organise a fashion show, which would become a great success, for his college day in 2004 when he was in his 3rd year of degree in Nursing in Kerala, India. Since then, he has designed a number of outfits for various shows including a few for Indian television and ads as well as bridal wear.
After moving to Dublin in 2009, he teamed up with accessories designer Jeeja Sebastian, make-up artist Jessy Thomas and fashion photographer Sachin Vijayan and their label is underway.
Shinto showcased his first indo- western collection titled-‘Apsara, the girl, the goddess and the Angel’ in Cabra, Dublin earlier this year (‘Apsara’ means ‘an angel’ in Sanskrit), which received rave reviews. His second indo-western collection titled ‘Moksha, from Darkness to light’ will be shown at the Festival of lights in Dublin later this year.
Shinto’s designs are strongly based on the bold and bright colours that are the quintessence of Indian fashion, but the outfits have a much wider international appeal. Currently he is working on his new collection titled ‘The Queen Who Crossed the Sea’, for Cork Fashion Week 2011. The collection is based on the Indian myth that the Queens a.k.a Maharanis of ancient India never crossed the sea, lest they might bring bad luck to their kingdom. Shinto’s Queen crosses the sea and indulges herself in the world! This collection is very personal to him as it reflects on his own spiritual and philosophical journey too.
Contact: shinto.benedict@gmail.com
Mob: 0876931425
Samantha Kennedy
Graduating with a BA Honours degree in Fashion Design in 2010, Samantha studied at the West Wales School of the Arts, where she received the Student of the Year 2010 award, with her graduate collection, Molly loves Bowie.
During her 4 years in college she worked with UK based magazine, Blown, as an assistant stylist, working on editorial photo shoots with photographers including Donald Christie, styling bands such as The Victorian English Gentlemen’s Club, and author Sarah Waters. From here Samantha got a job as one of the stylists for London based magazine, Caris. She did various shoots across the UK for this teen magazine. When she left college, Samantha got a job as the head stylist for Arc End Clothing Company, working on numerous shoots for their advertisements and website.
Samantha has since returned home, to Ireland, to focus on design, working on custom work from bridal to evening wear, in Cork City. She is currently working on her upcoming Fall collection for Cork Fashion Week 2011, Gypsy on Tour. To follow her progress and to find out more, check out her face book page, Samantha Kennedy Designs.
https://www.facebook.com/samanthakennedydesigns
Dalia
Dalia is originally from Lituania and has been living in Ireland for almost seven years. ”I really like what i do and will be willing to put in as much effort necessary. I have being doing this from thirtheen years old and still really like working with thread”.
Dalia says she has gained so much experience and personal experience from her designing and dressmaking and would realy like to go forward with it as a future career. ”I always seem to do somthing new and believe there is nothing too much when it comes to knited clothes.
Laura Jayne Halton
Laura Jayne Halton (27) is a Galway based fashion designer. Having originally studied Furniture design at Letterfrack, Laura Jayne has worked in this area both in Ireland, Australia and New York City. Whilst in New York she worked on contracts such as the design and project management of a bar on 7th Avenue in NYC, and her skills as an artist won her the contract to create the illustrations for Sarah Jessica Parker’s fragrance campaign website. Having experienced the energy of NYC,she decided to return to Ireland to study fashion design, having always had a penchant for it from day one it was the beginning of a a whole new love affair. Having featured in New York magazine, Fashionista and Vogue Italia following a visit to New York Fashion week this year, her styling and knowledge of fashion history and love of all areas of design from art to architecture greatly influence her designs.
The classic silhouette of the late 40′s and 50′s often give a starting point to her works,and she very much focuses on tailoring and luxurious fabrics and the ability of pieces to flow with the curves of the female form. Shortlisted as a finalist for the Irish Fashion Innovation awards,her design was grounded in its use of Irish wools and tweeds and its shape influenced by the NY skyline. She recently showed her AW collection at the Lunasa Fashion show as part of Cork Craft Month at the Wandesford Quay Gallery. She is currently based in Galway City, see www.laurajaynehalton.com for contact details and galleries of her work.
Competing for Best Newcomer:
Grainne O’Connor
After many years working in the education sector developing and utilizing her artistic and creative skills on a daily basis, Gráinne O’ Connor finally decided to formalize her life long interest in design and fashion when she enrolled in Mallow College of Design & Tailoring part-time City & Guilds Diploma in Fashion in 2008, which she completed in May of this year.
A highlight in Gráinne’s design journey so far was a fashion shoot with noted fashion photographer Miki Barlok, styled by stylist Kate Slattery. Gráinne designed all the unique pieces for this shoot, which was based on the Irish legend ‘Diarmuid & Gráinne’, with each shot telling a piece of the amazing story. The “Style Bible”, Ireland’s biggest online fashion beauty and lifestyle magazine, which featured the photographs, described this shoot as ‘stunning’. They also highlighted that “this dramatic and striking shoot tells the remarkable tale superbly”. The photographs also featured in the August 2010 edition of Cork Now magazine.
Diarmuid & Gráinne Photographs: http://www.stylebible.ie/Fashion/Features_Diarmuid%20and%20Grainne%20Shoot.htm
Her designs have been featured at many fashion shows, including the Mallow College of Design and Tailoring Shows, The Athena Fashion Show, and at the Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising Fashion Show in the Brehon Hotel, Killarney in June 2011. As a result of these shows Gráinne’s designs were featured in local newspapers. Working from her home in Cork City, Gráinne has continues to design many individual pieces.
Gráinne’s designs have been heavily influenced by her love of music – having in the past been inspired by the bodhrán. More recently, Gráinne drew inspiration from the well known song ‘Cosmic Love’ by Florence and the Machine. The challenge of designing pieces using such an abstract source, a song, as a source of inspiration was one that Gráinne relished and her collection captured the mood, the soul, the mystical themes and symbols of the song. Gráinne is looking forward to seeing this collection at Cork Fashion Week.
Louise Nyham
Louise is a Primary School Teacher who entered the fashion world just over two years ago. Louise is a student at Mallow College of Design and Tailoring where she is entering her third year of the city and guilds part time Diploma course in Fashion Design. Louise has been very successful the past two years in receiving awards for her designs in the college’s annual fashion shows. This past summer Louise continued her studies at Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design London where she successfully completed Fashion Design Summer Study Abroad, creating a collection based on the beauty and diversity of London’s streets.
The collection she will be displaying at CFW is a mixture of her designs over the past two years, a fusion of relaxed elegance with structured tailoring.
Her style and designs are a true self representation, stemming from an artistic and creative viewpoint, where strong inspiration and definite concepts depict the garments she creates.
Valerie O’Shea
Valerie O Shea is a 19-year-old budding designer from Glengarriff, West Cork. From a young age she has always had an interest in dress making and this continued into her teenage years when she chose to undertake a 2 year fashion design course in St. Johns Central College Cork. During this time she entered fashion design competitions including the annual Griffith College Reinvent Fashion Competition in 2011. She performed exceptionally well reaching the final 6 and had her outfit showcased in the college’s end of year show.
Valerie’s designs feature her ever-present girly and feminine twists while retaining an elegant feel. Some of her favourite fabrics to work with are lace and chiffon and she enjoys browsing through thrift shops searching for clothes and accessories that she can breathe new life into.
On deciding to enter Cork Fashion Week’s Newcomer Award, Valerie has challenged herself with the task of creating her first collection and set new standards for her to achieve. She is currently entering 3rd year in Mallow College of Design and Tailoring’s part-time City & Guilds Diploma in Fashion and in future year’s hopes to gain as much experience as she can and become a reckonable force within the fashion design world.
Ruta Jonauskaite – Ruta Fashion Diva
As someone who’s been interested in fashion from a young age, Ruta has pursued her career in several ways. Ruta first approached Lockdown when she was 18-years-old pursuing a passion for modeling.
Since then Ruta has been breaking into the fashion industry by hard work and dedication. She landed herself a spot in the Miss Cork Pageant. She made it into the final 8. She later earned herself a contract with Lockdown Models. She attended St. John’s Central College for a year and later on she switched to Mallow Design and Tailoring College to complete her course.
She has showcased her collections at Lockdown’s Design Show in 2009, the CFW Young Designer Awards in 2009 & 2010; Charity Show’s & the Clandestino Fashion Show wither her Salsa collection.
She work’s full time but every free minute is dedicated to creating designs. She also make’s hair accessories.
Her collection name is ”mystery dream” and was inspired by rock chick. She wanted to risk it and bring twist into her collection by making it more
glamorous and mysterious.
www.facebook.com/rutafashiondiva
These links contain further information:
http://lockdownmodels.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/rutas-progressing-to-new-heights-in-fashion/
http://stylebible.ie/Fashion/Features_Fashion%20Shoot%20by%20Ivan%20Begala.htm
http://lockdownmodels.wordpress.com/2010/06/
Urata Designs
Uruta studied fashion design and tailoring at a Lithuanian college(lietuvos dizaino ir siuvimo mokykla)
Urata is a professional designer with more than 25 years of experience.
She has a wide variety of skills making men & women’s casual & formal
clothing, to kids and babies, clothes for special occasions and all type of
alterations. She work’s in her own studio based in Ballincollig, Cork.
The name of collection is ”Fancy Diva”. The inspiration she got from experience in Ireland. Ireland and Irish people inspired her to make and design clothes for any event but the most inspired the fancy evening wear.
She wanted to show with her collection the glamour of evening wear and how much it could be the simple but glamorous in high ethics level.
Eileen O’Herlihy
Eileen O’ Herlihy comes from a scientific background but has always loved fashion and made own knitwear from an early age. When she moved to Mallow a few years ago she took the opportunity to gain training in sewing, designing and pattern drafting by enrolling in Mallow College of Design & Tailoring’s part-time City & Guilds Diploma in Fashion. Last year her collection won the best daywear category for second years at the college’s end of year fashion show. She is currently in her final year.
Eileen loves to work with a range of fabrics and textures to create garments with a twist. Her collection for CFW 2012 was inspired by volcanoes.
