Making Their Mark

Jonathan Anderson, from Magherafelt, fashion designer. 

Jonathan is a highly acclaimed designer known and is currently one of the most influential in the world.  He started his eponymous label JW Anderson in 2008 and served as Creative Director for Loewe from 2013 to 2025 before being named Creative Director for Christian Dior in 2025.  https://jwanderson.com

Sharon Wauchob, from Newtownstewart, fashion designer. 

Sharon graduated from Central Saint Martins and launched her own label in 1999.  A graduate of Central Saint Martins, she became a staple of Paris Fashion Week and has worked for luxury houses like Louis Vuitton.  Her work features high-end fabrics, intricate craftsmanship, and a signature mix of drapery and structure.  https://www.sharonwauchob.com

Katie Larmour, from Belfast, textiles designer. 

Katie trained in Applied Art at Ulster University.  After eight years working as an art and antiques dealer, she established her design studio Katie Larmour Linen.  She is well-known for her luxury "eco-chic" cushions and accessories made from repurposed antique Irish linen and is a key figure in the "heritage-meets-modern" movement.  https://katielarmourlinen.com

Orlagh McCloskey, from Derry / Londonderry, fashion designer. 

Orla studied Fashion Management at London College of Fashion where she met Henrietta Rix.  From there they went on to found global brand RIXO London. Together they have turned vintage-inspired prints into a cult favourite for celebrities and fashionistas worldwide.  https://rixolondon.com

Chris Sutton, from Belfast, image maker and fashion designer. 

Chris is a Belfast-born image maker with a reputation for crafting bold, cinematic visuals that bridge fashion, art, and storytelling. As the founder and creative director of the award-winning label VOIDOFCOURSE, Chris made an immediate impact when the entire first collection was acquired by Lady Gaga on sight—an early sign of the visionary approach that continues to define his work. Chris’s work has appeared in Italian Vogue, and V Magazine to name a few.  https://chrissuttonstudio.com

Patricia Grogan, from Belfast, Tailor. 

Patricia has a long history in both tailoring and fashion.  She was mentored by a London Saville Row tailor whilst doing her tailoring degree.  Upon graduating she recognised a gap in the market and set up a successful tailoring service to local actors, screen writers, politicians and celebrities including Rihanna – an appointment only made to measure service providing a high level of expertise in tailoring with a keen eye for fashion and style. https://www.cut-tailoring.com

Aoife Harvey, from Derry / Londonderry, fashion designer.

Young designer Aoife Harvey is a pioneering sustainable fashion designer from Derry / Londonderry who graduated from Ulster University’s Belfast School of Art.  Her designs are inspired by the textures of the Irish landscape and have been featured at fashion shows across the UK and Ireland, and most recently, at New York Fashion Week.  She also won BBC NI’s television series ‘A Stitch Through Time’ in August 2023. https://www.ahdesigns.co.uk

Ruedi Maguire, from Cookstown, fashion designer. 

Ruedi studied in Manchester graduating in 2010 and started his fashion career making Irish Dancing dresses.  He honed his construction and tailoring skills in some of the best studios NI had to offer at the time.  He has established himself as an accomplished designer with a flair for artistic interpretation.  He featured on RTE show The Fitting Room where he designed pieces for everyday people who struggle to shop on the high street. https://www.ruedi.co.uk

Patrick Scallon, from Irvinestown, fashion communications consultant. 

Patrick started in the fashion industry working as Assistant Communications Director for Maison Margiela.  He joined Dries Van Noten in 2008 as Communications Director and his roles involved every aspect of the company’s communications as well as organising twice-yearly fashion shows, exhibitions, events, and creative associations.  He now divides his time between Northern Ireland and Paris working as a freelance consultant having set up a boutique company called Potent Ideas on communications and cultural strategy for fashion companies. https://potent-ideas.com

Kate Grant, from Cookstown, model and brand ambassador. 

Kate made history as the first person with Down Syndrome to win a global beauty pageant, was a brand ambassador for Benefit Cosmetics and has modelled for River Island.  She has walked as a model in London Fashion Week and presented at the American Influencer Awards in Hollywood.  https://instagram.com/kategrantmodel

Katie Bryce, from Belfast, stylist, strategist, and creative consultant. 

Now based in London, Katie is a multidisciplinary creative working as a stylist, strategist, and creative consultant.  She is personal stylist to Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls) and Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing) and is also heading up Curation at Depop.  Clients include Vogue, Guinness, Ebay, Adidas, and Under Armour amongst others. https://www.katiebryce.com

Dee Graham, from Magherafelt, Tailor. 

Dee owns and operates Tailor Made, a bespoke, made-to-measure tailoring shop in Magherafelt.  He offers private, appointment-only consultations for personalised, high-end suits, overcoats, and apparel with a blend of modern and retro styles.  Dee has famously done tailoring for Graham Norton.   https://www.deegrahamtailormade.com

Timothy Gibbons, from Belfast, fashion designer. 

Timothy is a graduate of Central Saint Martins.  His work is at the intersection of fashion, costume, and sculpture. Known for his corseted hoodies and handmade approach, Gibbons draws on Irish craft traditions while merging them with narrative design, creating emotionally charged work for stage, screen, and print.  His pieces have been worn by stars like Charli XCX and Travis Scott.  https://www.timothygibbons.co.uk

Alice McGrath, from Omagh, fashion model. 

Omagh beauty Alice was thrust into global stardom after sharing a video of herself in full Loreto Grammar School uniform on TikTok. The then teenager was quickly snapped up by an IMG Models scout when the post of her eating lunch went viral around the time of her GCSEs during the second Covid lockdown in 2021.  https://instagram.com/alice_mcgrath_

Bryony Coles, from Belfast, editorial photographer and videographer. 

Focuses mainly on female empowerment, fashion and sustainability.  Her work photographing Saoirse-Monica Jackson was recently featured in Vogue magazine.  https://instagram.com/bry_coles

Jen Kelly, from Derry / Londonderry. 

Jen is a highly respected, Derry/Londonderry-born couturier based in Dublin who counts Princess Nourah of Saudi Arabia among his many clients.  He is renowned for his exquisite bespoke tailoring, spectacular wedding dresses, and high-drama aesthetic. Operating in the rarefied world of true couture and creating bespoke couture designs out of his period home, Kelly has spent over three decades crafting garments that bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and theatrical flair.  https://instagram.com/jenkellydesign

Eilish McCormick, from Antrim, Fashion Photographer.  Eilish works for international, Irish, and UK editorial and commercial clients.  She is recognised for her work in fashion and portraiture, often focusing on themes of quiet simplicity and landscapes.  Her work has been featured in publications like The Sunday Times Style, and Dazed. 

Anna Finnis, from Derry / Londonderry, is a young sustainable fashion designer who graduated from Belfast School of Art.  She specialises in garment construction and quilting design and is known for her corsets.  Her practice is rooted in traditional techniques and a deep respect for materials.  Her work was showcased at Ireland Fashion Week 2025. 

Gareth McConnell is a respected photographer from Carrickfergus, and founder and editor-in-chief of Sorika, an ongoing collaborative art and publishing project.  His work has featured in publications including Dazed, Frieze, and The New Yorker, and he has collaborated with brands such as Adidas, Chloe, and Nike. 

Mario Sierra, Mourne Textiles.  Mourne Textiles is a design-led manufacturer of handwoven products based in County Down.  For three generations their master-weavers have produced the mid-century visions of Norwegian design pioneer and founder, Gerd Hay-Edie.  The company is now led by Gerd’s grandson, Mario.  Mario is on a mission to make sure that he not only preserves the heritage of the NI textile industry but brings it back to life and through his project, Fibre to Fabric, is working to restore vintage flax processing and spinning equipment to revive the full natural fibre manufacturing process. 

Geraldine Connon, from Larne, is an award-winning fashion designer with more than 30 years’ experience in the industry.   She won Guinness designer of the year three years in a row, and her work has featured in international fashion shows, and she has written a book, The Russian Tailor of Belfast.

Niamh McCarthy, from Lurgan, embroidery design.  Niamh graduated from Ulster University with First Class Honours in Fashion and Textile design.  Her remarkable talent and creative abilities were acknowledged through the prestigious RDS Award for Emerging Maker of Embellished Textiles.  Niamh owns and operates an online embroidery business specialising in the creation of exquisite bridal jackets called Niamh Designs.

Siofra Caherty, from Armagh, founder of Jump the Hedges.  Siofra spent many years working in the fashion industry, from couture fashion with ThreeAsFour in New York to technical sportswear with Adidas in Germany, to costume breakdown with Game of Thrones in Belfast.  She now owns Jump The Hedges, a sustainable technical bag making company based in Belfast. 

Katie Ann McGuigan, from Newry, fashion designer.  Katie Ann gained experience working for MCQ in London and Marc Jacobs in New York before opening her eponymous label in 2017. 

Celeste Fitzpatrick, from Belfast, model.  Celeste is a rising star in the fashion industry, known for her work with major brands like Prada, Dior, and Saint Laurent.