This Is What Irish Girlhood Looks Like on a Runway
Debuts and Insights at Ireland Fashion Week
Backstage in Dublin at Ireland Fashion Week, the air was full of heat, steam and nerves. A hum of creativity that felt truly alive. Between garment bags, curling irons and camera flashes, a quiet intimacy took place. The day before the show, looks were being steamed and prepared with care as the team assembled pieces from Sasha Donnellan’s debut collection, Lupus et Agnus, The Wolf and the Lamb.
Photo: Guilherme Reshende
These lines lived and breathed in lace, silks and Irish heritage, blending softness with striking contrasts. They felt alive long before they reached the runway. Up close, the buttery silks were soft, the delicate ruching caught the light and the tension between fabrics, tweed and tulle, wool and satin, told a story of balance and admiration. Even before the audience took their seats, the collection was already pulsing with life. Following the show, designer Sasha Donnellan spoke with Kwanele Nomoyi, reflecting on the moment with equal parts relief and elation.
“I feel exhilarated, to say the least, it’s my debut, right?” she said, smiling, still glowing from the runway.
When asked about her favourite look, Donnellan immediately pointed to the finale dress: a piece inspired by Irish High Crosses, adorned with pearls and intricate cording that shimmered under the lights. She described it as her personal tribute to Irish artistry and endurance. Looking ahead, she expressed optimism for Ireland’s growing place on the international stage:
“The community is already there,” she said. “What I’m looking forward to now is the platform, having our work recognised here and abroad.”
Celtic Fairytale in Fabric
The collection “Lupus et Agnus” meaning The Wolf and the Lamb, tells a story of purity, endurance and quiet defiance. The collection carried bridal undertones infused with Celtic charm and symbolism: crosses, brooches and the gleam of brass buttons anchoring each look. Touches of tweed and plaid appeared alongside Aran-knit sweaters embroidered with the Claddagh and Donnellan’s signature lamb motif. Ethereal silhouettes met Irish heritage in an elegant collision.
One standout piece was a Celtic motif halter dress, backless and delicately embroidered with pearls. It embodied the spirit of the brand; soft, sacred and strong. The interplay between structure and sentiment was at the heart of the collection: corsets and boning sculpted the waist while lace-up detailing and sheer panels whispered of sensuality. Light peaches, ivory and shimmering whites glowed under the runway lights, each movement ceremonial. It was a celebration of talent, craft and womanhood intertwined.
Photo: Guilherme Reshende
The Rush of Girlhood in Backstage
Behind the curtain, intensity reigned; laughter, panic, pins between teeth. Models, stylists and dressers shared quick glances of reassurance as garments transformed from fabric to feeling.
“It was all intense dressing,” one model whispered, half-dressed and glowing under the backstage lights. “But it felt so nice to be part of something so special.”
Chaos existed, yes, but beautiful chaos. With Poland’s Next Top Model filming onsite, the buzz reached fever pitch. Yet beneath the noise, there was unity, a sense of shared purpose, a rush of girlhood. The layered wool cape jacket became a moment of collective effort: heavy, sculptural, intricate. It required teamwork to fasten and yet on the runway it glided effortlessly, its structure disguised as grace.
An Artistic Debut
Sasha Donnellan’s first runway collection carried the quiet confidence of a designer who knows her vision. Educated at ESMOD Paris and previously working with Vivienne Westwood and Dilara Findikoglu, Donnellan merges Irish storytelling with Parisian precision. Her approach to sustainability is equally deliberate, using deadstock suedes, silks and wools. The garments seemed to whisper of the past, of heritage reinterpreted through the hands of a new generation. It stands for a new kind of Irish dream. Lupus et Agnus was a declaration. A story of feminine strength told through silk and structure. Beneath the fabrics and flash of cameras, a new chapter of Irish fashion unfolded; thoughtful, sustainable, emotional.
Sasha Donnellan’s debut didn’t just introduce a designer; it announced a movement. Her work captures the heart of a generation that values meaning over noise, feeling over flash. This was not just fashion, it felt like sisterhood stitched in silk, a celebration of identity and a promise that Irish fashion’s next chapter will be written with tenderness and strength. She is, without question, one to watch.