[DESIGNER ANNOUNCEMENT] 📣 Graduate Show: Meet Aoife Harvey, Niamh McGovern, Holly Bell, Sarah Raleigh and Tess Carter!

From coastal landscapes to sociopolitical movements, these five emerging designers transform personal narratives and environmental consciousness into wearable art that defines tomorrow's fashion.

Jul 14, 2025

This October 2025, Ireland Fashion Week proudly presents an extraordinary collection of emerging designers who represent the next generation of Irish fashion excellence. Through the Irish Sea Graduate Show, we celebrate five remarkable graduates; Aoife Harvey, Niamh McGovern, Holly Bell, Sarah Raleigh and Tess Carter, whose innovative approaches to design, sustainability, and storytelling are reshaping the landscape of contemporary fashion. These visionary creators bring fresh perspectives rooted in Irish heritage while boldly addressing the future of conscious design and authentic expression. ⭐

Meet the Designers 🎨

Aoife Harvey

Graduate of Ulster University - BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles

Aoife Harvey is a pioneering sustainable fashion designer from Claudy, County Derry, whose innovative upcycling techniques have earned both national and international recognition. Her brand, AH Designs, transforms discarded materials such as denim, leather, and upholstery into striking, wearable art through methods including patchwork, visible mending, and zero-waste construction. Inspired by the textures of the Irish landscape and the Japanese art of Kintsugi, Aoife celebrates imperfections and visible repair as integral to a garment's beauty and character. Her graduate collection, "Waste to Wardrobe," earned her a place on the shortlist for the 2023 Irish Design Awards and has been showcased internationally at the Paris International Upcycling and Sustainable Fashion Festival. Winner of BBC Northern Ireland's "A Stitch Through Time" (2023), the 2024 Ulster Tatler Commitment to Fashion Award, and a 2023 Northern Ireland Women's Award for Achievement in STEM, Aoife has established herself as a leading voice in sustainable fashion. Her work attracts stylish, eco-conscious individuals who value creativity and sustainability, with notable supporters including influencer Emma Neill, artist Reevah, and comedian Anna Clifford. Currently preparing to launch a new limited-edition collection focused on upcycled denim, AH Designs offers both bespoke clothing and a circular fashion rental service, promoting clothing reuse and longevity.

“Ireland Fashion Week is an incredible platform to showcase sustainable design and creativity on a national stage. I'm proud to represent the values of upcycling and slow fashion, inspiring others to see beauty in reclaimed materials and mindful making.”

Niamh McGovern

Graduate of Limerick School of Art and Design – BA Fashion Design

Niamh McGovern has rapidly established herself within the international fashion scene following her graduation from LSAD. Currently based in west London with her own studio, her brand NMCG draws inspiration from her Irish heritage while exploring the fascinating tension between traditional Ireland and contemporary youth culture. Her impressive industry trajectory includes internships with renowned Irish designers Sharon Wauchob, Sinead O'Dwyer, and Stephen McLaughlin, followed by work with international talents such as Ancuta Sarca, Rebecca Tembo, and Richard Quinn. This diverse exposure has equipped Niamh with a sophisticated understanding of global fashion while maintaining her distinctive Irish perspective. NMCG champions inclusive fashion that transcends traditional boundaries, believing that fashion is for everyone regardless of age, gender, or size. Her target audience consists of fashion-forward individuals aged 20-40 living in cities where open-minded fashion flourishes - those who actively seek out independent and emerging designers creating clothing beyond typical fast fashion offerings. With a new collection following her graduate work set to release in mid-August, Niamh represents Ireland's emerging presence in the global fashion industry.

“As a graduate designer at the start of my career, being part of Ireland's first fashion week is an incredible milestone. I'm excited to be part of Ireland's emerging presence in the global fashion industry.”

Holly Bell

Graduate of Ulster University – BA (Hons) Textile Art, Design and Fashion

Holly Bell is an innovative fashion designer whose practice transforms emotion into wearable art through a deeply personal approach to garment construction. Specialising in materials with a past, Holly works with upcycled fabrics and second-hand hardware to create tactile pieces rooted in storytelling and possibility. Her design process is methodical and intentional - she approaches each piece with thorough consideration, ensuring every detail serves both aesthetic and functional purposes while minimising construction errors. Holly finds inspiration in shapes and textures associated with happiness, particularly botanicals compelled by her own experiences with anxiety and escapism in nature, which she translates into garments using specialist techniques including pattern cutting, draping, and fabric manipulation through both hand and machine processes. Holly’s aim as a designer is to make emotion wearable - creating pieces that don't just sit on the body but support it with sensory features, allowing escapism when anxious and allowing wearers to hold onto clothing for longer. Her sustainability practice encompasses both environmental and emotional dimensions -her final year collection upcycled pre-loved fabrics passed down through her family, allowing memory and emotion to guide the design process while honouring generational textile histories. Featured on the cover of IRL Magazine Volume 7 and recognised with the Edge Excel Award 2025, Holly's work appeals to individuals of all ages who could benefit from sensory features that provide calming properties when feeling overwhelmed, creating inclusive designs for both men's and women's clothing.

“Since being at university my eyes have really been open to the talent that is emerging from Ireland and it would be a privilege to share this experience and build connections with them as I feel so much can be done when a community is at work together.”

Sarah Raleigh

Graduate of Limerick School of Art and Design – BA Fashion Design with Collection Design

Based in North Kildare, Sarah Raleigh is a womenswear designer whose creative vision channels the power of personal stories and sociopolitical movements into meticulously crafted garments. Her brand, SAHRA by Sarah, was born in 2024 when she received her first independent commission during her final year at LSAD, marking the organic beginning of a practice that celebrates storytelling through fashion. Sarah's design aesthetic is defined by clean tailoring and experimental fabric manipulation, with every piece addressing deeper narratives - from the Feminist Movement to Women's Reproductive Rights. Her commitment to sustainability manifests through her made-to-order approach, prioritising Irish materials and handcrafted techniques that minimise waste. Working exclusively with the female form, Sarah creates for women aged 20-40 who seek experimental, textural pieces that challenge conventional boundaries. Her practice champions Irish business and craft while using fashion as a vehicle for social commentary and personal expression.

“Ireland Fashion Week is an incredible opportunity for new graduates to meet fellow creatives and industry professionals. It is so important to build up the Irish Fashion Industry to advertise the amazing talent we have here and to try and keep more artists and designers working in Ireland.”

Tess Carter

Final Year Student in Ulster University – BA (Hons) Textile Art, Design and Fashion

Currently entering her final year at Ulster University, Tess Carter is a textile and fashion designer whose practice is profoundly rooted in the wild coastal landscapes of Northern Ireland, focusing particularly on knitwear. Growing up between the Copeland Islands and Rathlin, Tess draws creative energy from the dramatic seascapes that shaped her childhood, working with locally sourced materials including 100% Rathlin Island wool and hand-gathered shells. Her brand, Tess.textiles, represents a radical approach to slow fashion that explores connections between land, sea, and memory through tactile, meaningful garments. Sustainability is central, not as a trend, but as a value embedded in every stage of making. Tess seamlessly blends traditional hand-knitting techniques with contemporary machine-knit innovation and experimental surface techniques, creating pieces that honour materials and their origins. Selected as a Future Island-Island Project Designer to represent Ulster University, she has collaborated with Cancer Focus NI on community-based environmental solutions and participated in high-level design sprints focused on UV-safe public spaces. Her work targets conscious consumers aged 20-35 across Northern Ireland, the UK, and Europe who value handmade, story-driven pieces that connect them to place, nature, and craft heritage.

“Ireland Fashion Week is an incredible platform to share the stories woven into my designs, rooted deeply in the landscapes and heritage of Northern Ireland. I'm honoured to present work that celebrates sustainable craft and connection to place, and to join a community passionate about meaningful, slow fashion.”

The Irish Sea Graduate Showcase 🌊

Each graduate designer will present a singular look that encapsulates their unique vision and approach to contemporary fashion. This showcase represents more than a runway presentation - it's a declaration of Ireland's emerging creative force and a testament to the power of conscious design, authentic storytelling, and innovative craftsmanship.