[DESIGNER ANNOUNCEMENT] 📣 Irish Roots Show: Sasha Donnellan
Sasha Donnellan brings unique divergence in design to Ireland Fashion Week, bridging contemporary elements of feminine identity with traditional Irish heritage and literature.
Ireland Fashion Week are absolutely delighted to announce that Sasha Donnellan will showcase in the Irish Roots show this October 2025, joining an extraordinary collective of nine other remarkable independent and emerging Irish designers. Her participation marks a defining chapter in her mission to use ‘narrative-driven fashion collections as a medium to tell untold stories and bring forward Irish culture to a global stage’. 💫
About Sasha Donnellan ⭐
Established by Sasha following her graduation in 2024, this emerging brand has already made waves in the fashion world, debuting at London Fashion Week as part of the Cold Magazine showcase in February 2025. Hailing from Westport, Ireland, Sasha's creative vision is deeply rooted in Irish heritage, literature, and feminine identity. As a graduate of ESMOD Paris, where she specialised in luxury womenswear, she cultivated a profound respect for artisanship and the power of weaving personal identity into fashion design.✨
Sasha has gained invaluable industry experience at prestigious fashion houses including Vivienne Westwood, Dilara Findikoglu, and Nanushka, and is now channeling these insights back to her Irish roots. The brand's distinctive approach centres on exploring the tension between contrasts- such as bridal softness against military structure- creating garments that have meaning behind every stitch. ☘️
Drawing deep inspiration from celebrated Irish literary figures like Seamus Heaney and W.B. Yeats, Sasha weaves their themes into her brand's visual language through meaningful symbolism, compelling narratives, and carefully chosen fabric selections. Her designs often incorporate traditional Irish techniques and emblematic details, utilizing premium silk and knitwear to bring these powerful contrasts to life.🧵
Sustainability and intentional creation form the foundation of Sasha's brand philosophy. She champions slow fashion, producing small, intentional collections with purpose behind every piece. Garments are handmade and made-to-order (aside from the Aran Knit series), demonstrating a commitment to reducing waste and avoiding overproduction. Each creation is crafted using high-quality, full property natural fabrics selected for their longevity and connection to the narrative woven into each design. 🌱
The brand has earned impressive recognition, being named a "Designer to Watch" by Irish Country Magazine and featured in interviews across Cold Magazine, IMAGE Magazine, Galway City Tribune, and Galway Now. Pieces have been pulled for editorials in magazines such as Flanelle and Humble, and showcased at exclusive events including the Art of Styling Event hosted by Zeda the Architect. Notable supporters include Olwen Fouéré, Andrew Kimber of Overdue Magazine, and Wilson Ballerin of Cold Magazine.💫
Connecting primarily with audiences across Ireland, UK, Europe, and North America (particularly cities with large Irish communities), Sasha has cultivated a devoted following of culturally conscious millennials and older Gen Z individuals who value meaning, craftsmanship, and identity in fashion. Her following values heritage, literature, culture, and sustainable slow fashion over mass trends. 🌍
The brand's upcoming launches include an Irish Aran knit series featuring the Claddagh design and a Palestinian motif created in collaboration with the designer's Palestinian family (with profits from the Palestinian jumper donated to aid charities in Gaza), as well as preparing to launch the brand's first independent collection in Ireland this October. 🪡
Quote from Sasha Donnellan:
"Being part of the first Ireland Fashion Week feels incredibly meaningful. So much of my work is rooted in Irish history, craft, and emotion, so showing it here to an audience that truly understands it, feels like a full circle moment. It's the most exciting opportunity to connect with the community that shaped me, and to lay a foundation for future collaborations, growth, and bringing my vision home."
Sasha will present her work alongside fellow visionary designers in the Irish Roots Show (read more about our first Irish Roots designer announcement here!), with each participant producing bold reinterpretations of Irish tradition while still prioritising raw, authentic Irish design.
We're excited to witness Sasha's unique blend of time-honoured Irish traditions and cutting-edge contemporary style brought to life on the runway. Keep an eye out as we continue revealing our incredible Irish Roots designers in the weeks ahead- there's so much more to come! ☘️
The Ireland Fashion Week Team
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