Meet the Tipperary teen who is breaking barriers through fashion, modelling and TikTok

A talented Tipperary teenager who has earned a place in the Junk Kouture World Finals speaks to Tipperary Live about his striking sustainable fashion design inspired by coffee sacks, South American history, and high fashion.

Joseph Monaghan, who is a fourth year student in Newport College, impressed judges with his elaborate creation which transformed discarded materials into a runway-ready outfit that drew admiration both for its craftsmanship and its powerful visual impact.

The inspiration for the design came during an ordinary trip for coffee with his mother at the Old Barracks Roastery in Birdhill.

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"I saw these coffee bean sacks and they came from all over the world: Guatemala, Brazil and all these South American countries," Joseph explained. "I asked what they were doing with them and they said they just sent them back and discarded them. I said, 'That won't do.'"

After collecting the sacks, Joseph began exploring ways to build a concept around them.

"I was wondering how I could expand on the South American theme," he said. "I've always been very into European history, and the Spaniards conquered South America. I looked at their battle wear, their armour and everything, and those silhouettes really inspired the design."

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The finished piece featured a dramatic hat, armour-inspired details and carefully crafted elements made from recycled materials.

"Coffee sacks were the main starting point," he said. "Then I wanted to expand on the coffee theme as well, so I used coffee pods. I also used my own bed sheets."

Joseph, who is also a keen painter, incorporated another personal touch into the design.

"If you go up close to my design, you can actually see bits of paint on it as well," he said. "I decided to use natural dye, so I used coffee to dye my bedsheet."

The ambitious project took around five months to complete.

"It was an intensive five months, let me tell you that," Joseph said. "Fashion is always something I've been very passionate about and when I got the opportunity to make this, I wanted to really give my time to it and do it to the best of my ability."

Despite the challenges, he said seeing the materials come together was one of the most rewarding aspects of the process.

"My favourite part was the patchwork on the inside," he said. "When I saw these coffee bags slowly getting sewn together to make this outfit, you really get to see how you can turn something so mundane into something high fashion."

Beyond the design itself, Joseph says Junk Kouture has helped him grow in confidence and find a platform to express himself creatively.

"My favourite part of my Junk Kouture journey as a whole is being able to show myself off on social media and have a platform to express myself creatively," he said.

Joseph’s TikTok account ‘ransacked.jk’ has amassed close to 80,000 likes and hundreds of thousands of views, with one particular video garnering close to 500,000 views.

The experience also helped him embrace greater visibility as a young person with a physical disability, as Joseph has Cerebral Palsy.

"Before Junk Kouture, there was a lot of fear about putting myself out there," he said. "Especially having a physical disability. Being able to show that in such a beautiful light was so special for me."

He added that the competition has allowed him to build lasting friendships.

"I have some very close friends from this endeavour now," he said.

While Joseph's design earned praise from judges, his confident performance on the runway also caught attention and may have opened the door to a future career.

"Modelling is always something that I wanted to be in," he said.

Since competing, Joseph has already begun taking steps towards that goal.

"I've just recently got my digital shots done for modelling agencies," he revealed. "I actually got asked when I was up there, 'Do you do modelling?' because they said I was very confident."

Although he had little formal modelling experience before the competition, Joseph embraced the catwalk challenge by creating a character for himself.

"I had this very stone-cold model face when I went out," he laughed. "When I watched the videos afterwards, I was like, 'I locked in.'"

Looking ahead, he hopes to combine his passion for fashion with a commitment to greater representation within the industry.

"Modelling is something I see myself doing," he said. "I think that because I have the poles and I have the disability, there is an opening for more inclusivity. If I'm able to be the face of that, I'd definitely go for it because I'd love to break the stereotypes."

Having secured a place in the Junk Kouture World Finals and gaining confidence both on and off the runway, Joseph Monaghan is proving that with hard work, determination, and some recycled coffee sacks, anything is possible.