Mayo student a winner at national Relove Fashion Awards

IRELAND’S next generation of fashion design talent proved that the future is sustainable at the first-ever national Relove Fashion grand final.

As a counter-movement to challenge fast fashion, the competition encourages teenage designers to showcase innovative, upcycled outfits made entirely from preloved textiles - transforming everything from old cushion covers to moth-eaten berets into stylish, wearable fashion.

Among the winners was Elżbieta Klonowska from St. Louis Community School in Kiltimagh, winning the Best Evening category in the Connaught/Ulster waste region.

This year marked the competition’s expansion to 26 local authority areas, including Mayo County Council, where over 400 young people aged 12 to 19 were encouraged to rethink fast fashion and embrace creativity, building skills in reuse, repair, and redesign.

A total of 43 outfits reached the final, celebrating circular design, hands-on climate action, and the vibrant future of Irish fashion.

Arran Murphy, head judge of Relove Fashion and programme manager of Rediscover Fashion, said: “It has been incredible to see so many teenagers taking part in the competition this year. The dedication and creativity in each and every entry was astounding.

“One of the best things about the competition is its ripple effects which reach beyond the participants, to friends, schools, and families - inspiring change, and promoting repair and reuse skills, which are so important for our circular future.”