Offaly designers aim for place in world final

TWO Sacred Heart School students will take part in the Dublin City Final of the acclaimed Junk Kouture fashion design competition on Wednesday evening (May 7).

Field of Dreams is the entry from Róisín Berry and Fiadh Connelly and they created their design from silage bale netting.

Junk Kouture places the focus on the use of recycled materials and this week's event will be celebrating Ireland’s most creative young minds at The Helix.

After two successful Regional Finals in March, 60 talented design teams from across the country will gather in the capital to battle it out for a place in the Junk Kouture World Final 2025.

Celebrating its 15th year of creativity, innovation, and climate-conscious design, Junk Kouture continues to champion the next generation of Irish creatives.

Each design featured in the show is aligned with at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encouraging students to use fashion as a vehicle for change and to address environmental and social issues through their creativity.

Recognised as an SDG Champion by the Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications in Ireland, Junk Kouture is proud to empower young minds to innovate for a better future.

Young designers aged 12–19 will take the stage, showcasing incredible wearable works of art, crafted entirely from recycled and repurposed materials in a high-energy, performance- based fashion show like no other.

The event promises a night to remember, beginning with pre-show entertainment courtesy of Junk Kouture’s event partners, including a live DJ set to set the tone for an evening of dazzling designs and unstoppable talent.

This year’s prestigious judging panel features some of the fashion and entertainment industry’s brightest stars including Claire Garvey, renowned Irish couture designer, Mariusz Malon, fashion designer and Junk Kouture alumnus and Zeda the Architect aka Oyindamola Animashaun a visual artist, stylist, journalist and producer. Guiding audiences through the night will be presenters India Sasha and Fionnuala Moran.

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For those who cannot attend at the Helix, RTÉ will air the event on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Monday, May 19 at 7pm. As part of the event coverage, RTÉ will also speak with Clodagh Ramsey, the 2024 Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year, about her inspiring journey on RTÉjr’s climate and nature podcast, Ecolution. The special episode will be available on Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts right after the show airs.

At the end of the night, 10 design teams will be crowned Junk Kouture World Finalists, earning the chance to represent Ireland and compete against peers from the UK, USA, France, Italy, and the UAE later this year at the global showcase of youth creativity.