Tipperary students win award for most innovative design in Southern region of competition

Students hailing from Tipperary have won an award for their eco-friendly fashion design, at the first ever National Relove Fashion Awards.

The event, held at the Rediscovery Centre, Ireland’s National Centre for the Circular Economy on April 30th, saw awards being handed to 24 winners who dazzled the judges and audience alike. Each award winner took home an upcycled trophy, an expert-led sustainable fashion workshop, and the overall winners from each region took home €500 for fashion related tools and equipment for their schools.

As a counter-movement to challenge fast fashion, the competition encourages teenage designers from across the country to showcase innovative, upcycled outfits made entirely from preloved textiles - transforming everything from old cushion covers to moth-eaten berets into stylish, wearable fashion.

READ NEXT: WELL DESERVED: Garda College bids farewell to Tipp hurling legend after 42 years of service

This year marked the competition’s expansion to 26 local authority areas, where over 400 young people aged 12-19 across Ireland were encouraged to rethink fast fashion and embrace creativity, building skills in reuse, repair, and redesign.

A total of 43 outfits reached the final, celebrating circular design, hands-on climate action, and the vibrant future of Irish fashion. Winning outfits included evening dresses elegantly upcycled from jeans, preloved shirts beautifully transformed into casual dresses, and a post-apocalyptic outfit crafted from old belts and roadside-found gloves.

The winners, listed below, were announced at the Grand Final, which was attended by over 150 people, MC performer Paul Ryder, and supported by the Department of Environment, the National Waste Regions, and the judging panel.

READ NEXT: UPDATE: Council approve anaerobic digestion plant for large Tipperary town

The panel of judges included Laura de Barra, author of No.1 bestsellers Garment Goddess, Gaff Goddess and Decor Galore; Lorraine Keane, IFTA-nominated broadcaster, journalist, businesswoman and philanthropist; Joanne Rourke, representing Dublin City Council and the National Waste Regions; and Arran Murphy, Programme Manager of Rediscover Fashion.

Southern Waste Region:

Students Megan Byrne & Eimear O'Gorman from Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed Thurles, won an award for the most innovative design in the Southern Waste Region part of the competition.

Arran Murphy, Head Judge of Relove Fashion and Programme Manager of Rediscover Fashion said “It has been incredible to see so many teenagers taking part in the competition this year. The dedication and creativity in each and every entry was astounding.

One of the best things about the competition is its ripple effects which reach beyond the participants, to friends, schools, and families - inspiring change, and promoting repair and reuse skills, which are so important for our circular future. We are unbelievably proud of how far this competition has come, and are delighted to be able to now offer it to teenagers across Ireland.”

Laura de Barra, judge of Relove Fashion author of No.1 bestsellers Garment Goddess, Gaff Goddess and Decor Galore, “It was stunning to see such innovative uses for items that usually cannot be used in circular fashion due to their composition or condition after use - such as tights, bedding, mixed synthetics and so on. The techniques used to elevate the designs were also extremely impressive, from crochet to detailed hand embroidery to patchwork. Undeniable talent in this room!”

Joanne Rourke, Relove Fashion judge representing Dublin City Council and the National Waste Regions, “I loved the story that the outfits told, and the strong message that they conveyed about the need for less consumption and more circular fashion. The Waste Regions are so proud to have been part of this competition since the beginning, we look forward to seeing it go from strength to strength. The practical design skills and problem solving capacity that students develop when working on their Relove Fashion projects are the sorts of skills needed to move towards a circular economy.

The Relove Fashion Competition proves that style doesn’t have to cost the earth - and that Ireland’s young people are ready to lead the charge for a circular fashion future!