It is that exciting time of the year again – Galway Fashion Week! I simply adore the Irish Fashion Innovation Awards and what they represent. The Awards organised by Galway Now Magazine to offer support to both established and also emerging designers. As you know, on Floralesque, I firmly believe in helping to promote Irish Design and these Awards do so much to help support Irish Designers and Makers and offer many a wonderful opportunity to showcase their amazing work. They also act as a great stepping stone for emerging designers to show off their first collections.
Galway Fashion Week takes place from 30th March to 01st April and there are multiple events on that you can go to. The events that are on this year are all listed below – and of course, first up has to be the amazing Irish Fashion Innovation Awards.
Irish Fashion Innovation Awards
These Awards continually aspire to showcase the most cutting-edge designers and are recognised as a launching pad for Ireland’s most talented fashion creatives and I for one am counting down until the night. And the Awards this year are being held in the Radisson Blu Hotel again this year and it is such a fantastic place to host the Awards as the hotel knows how to host a great event!
The 2016 Fashion Innovation Awards were one of my favourite events of the year and you can read all about them here.
The 2017 Awards are taking place on March 30th and tickets to the Awards can be purchased here. Designers, industry executives, stylists and influencers will be in attendance on the night and ticket holders can expect a jam-packed evening of entertainment including a special after party with Galway Favourites the Amazing Apples.
If you love Irish Design or Fashion in general then these are such a great night out. And due to the success of the Awards – other events have also sprung up to create the Galway Fashion Week and they are pretty amazing in their own right.
Business & Product Development Workshop
This workshop is a solutions based workshop for designers and makers in the fashion, homeware and craft sectors addressing issues of branding, design, marketing and the logistics of selling.
I have been to workshops like these before as am often involved with my dad’s business and I would say that they are certainly more trade focused rather than for members of the public that are not directly involved in the industry. But what I will say is that if you are in the industry Eddie Shanahan is amazing to hear talk and to get talking to. Tickets can be purchased here.
Reviving Retail Workshop
A stimulating and innovative look at the key challenges and opportunities for retailers across a wide range of categories including fashion, accessories, menswear, homeware, craft, jewellery and pharmaceutical. Topics will include branding, marketing, sourcing, service and the integration of online and traditional retail formats. Tickets can be purchased here.
Galway Fashion Trail
As you may remember I have attended and loved the Galway Fashion Trails in the past. They are arranged by Galway Now magazine and they do the most wonderful job arranging them to really highlight the best elements of Galway retailers and often also include local designers that can showcase their work as well.
There will also be a Bloggers Breakfast before the Galway Fashion Trail. These are great fun and I loved this one! The Spring Galway Fashion Trail in March 2016 was one of my favourite trails – it was fun and the style on show was just stunning. You can read all about it here. And you do not need to be a blogger or in any way involved in social media to attend the Fashion Trail.
For details on all events and updates as they happen – make sure to click ‘going’ on this Facebook page.
