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ATU fashion students champion sustainability, heritage, and innovation on the runway at end-of-year showcase
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) unveiled its Graduate Fashion Showcase on Wednesday, 20 May. The main gallery of the Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny, home to the AIB Portrait Prize Exhibition, became the backdrop for emerging Irish fashion talent in the Northwest.
The annual runway event brought together students from all years of ATU’s Fashion Design with Promotion programme. It offered them a platform to present their work in its most complete form, with fully realised collections brought to life on the runway.
This year’s showcase highlighted the programme’s growing reputation for innovation, sustainability, and industry‑ready craftsmanship. Lecturer Sharon Maxwell described the evening as “a celebration of the extraordinary creativity, resilience, and innovation of our emerging graduate designers.” She noted that each collection reflected strong technical skill and craftsmanship, as well as “deeply personal stories and forward‑thinking approaches to sustainability and contemporary fashion.”
Second‑year students worked under the theme Reimagined. They partnered with Letterkenny Tidy Towns to transform unwanted and preloved textiles sourced from local charity shops. The brief encouraged them to view discarded materials in a new way and to show how contemporary fashion can emerge from what already exists. Their work reflected the programme’s commitment to circular design and community collaboration.
Third years developed their collections under the theme Perspective, exploring how meaning shifts through different viewpoints. Drawing on influences such as mindfulness, mythology, nature, and identity, they created collections ranging from sculptural and introspective to playful and expressive. Sustainability remained at the core, demonstrated through students’ use of recycled fibres, deadstock, and ethically sourced materials.
Refraction by Saoirse Bannon
Fourth-year designers collaborated with industry partners including McNutt of Donegal, Magee 1866, Donegal Yarns, Orla Vera Accessories, and Cooneen. Challenged to reimagine remnant and deadstock textiles, they produced contemporary and bold silhouettes that celebrate the heritage and manufacturing excellence of the Northwest whilst gaining valuable real‑world design experience.
As the final collections appeared on the runway, Lecturer Eilish Kennedy reflected on the impact of seeing the garments in motion. She said the pieces “carry a different kind of power once they are on the body.” She added that the students’ commitment to sustainable practices and material innovation resulted in collections that are “both visually compelling and socially conscious. Clothes are the architecture for the body, and seeing these garments in movement on the runway allows the full vision and emotion of the work to come alive.”
Guests at ATU’s End-of-Year Design Fashion Show in the RCC Letterkenny
The showcase also celebrated the achievements of three of the programme’s alumni who are making their mark in the fashion industry since graduating from ATU last year. Hollie Marie Gallagher, Emma McKinney and Anna Ní Mháirtín each showcased a look with Anna also acting as MC on the night.
Hollie Marie Gallagher, featured in The Irish Times Magazine’s “50 Key People to Watch in 2026”, is known for her avant‑garde sculptural designs worn by Laura Whitmore. She founded Dare to Howl, a sustainable experimental fashion rental platform. Her designs have been shown at Dublin Independent Fashion Week and Drawing Cabaret Couture. They are stocked at The Slow Concept Store, and she returns to Ireland Fashion Week 2026.
Emma McKinney, founder of Maniac, continues to build momentum. Her garments are sold through one of Dublin’s leading boutiques that champions independent Irish fashion. She also works as a designer for Hunter Apparel Solutions. Her work featured at Ireland Fashion Week 2025, and she returns this year with bold, distinctive designs.
ATU Alumni Emma McKinney
Anna Ní Mháirtín’s brand, Annastasia Studios, presented an eight‑look collection at Sweden’s Spring Inspiration Show. Her work has been featured in L’Officiel Baltics and The Irish Times. Based in Dublin, she freelances with brands including Sarah Lorraine, Nimiiny, and Rashhiiid. She will also showcase as part of the Irish Edit at Ireland Fashion Week 2026.
The evening concluded with the announcement of this year’s award winners. The awards recognised excellence in sustainability, innovation, entrepreneurship and design.
- Shannon Black – Second Year Sustainability Award, sponsored by Letterkenny Tidy Towns and presented by Anne Condon
- Alexandra Brozova – Level 7 Designer of the Year Award, sponsored by Donegal Designer Makers and presented by Hannah McGuinness
- Elizabete Klova – Sustainability Designer Award, sponsored by McNutt of Donegal and presented by Stacey McNutt
- Elizabete Klova – Fashion Entrepreneur Award, sponsored by Donegal Local Enterprise Office and presented by Sinéad Milligan
- Aoife Brogan – Innovation Award, sponsored by Caroline Kilkenny and presented by ATU’s Dr Fiona Crowe
- Declan Kerrigan – Level 8 Designer of the Year Award, sponsored by McElhinney’s Stores and presented by Lynsey McGarrigle-Carlin
For more information on the BA in Fashion Design and Promotion, visit: Fashion Design with Promotion – Atlantic Technological University
ATU’s Department of Design and Creative Media will officially open its Design + Creative Media Graduate Showcase Exhibition on the Letterkenny campus on Thursday 28 May at 6pm. Final-year students from Animation, Fashion Design with Promotion, Film & Media Production, Graphic Design & Illustration, and the Certificate in Digital Photography programmes will present their final-year projects. Their work will be on display and open to the public until 4 June 2026.
Photo caption: ATU staff, designers, and models with prize winners at ATU’s End-of-Year Design Fashion Show in the RCC Letterkenny. Seated from left are Aoife Brogan, Elizabete Klova, Declan Kerrigan, Alexandra Brozova and Shannon Black. Photos: Clive Wasson
For media enquiries, contact:
Aidan Haughey
Communications Manager
Tel: 086 086 6913
E: aidan.haughey@atu.ie
