By Anne Leung
Lizzie McGee – Winner
Lizzie is in her final year of Fashion Design at NCAD. Her work explores the idea that individuals are shaped and constrained by societal standards, much like a marionette controlled by a puppet master. This concept is embodied in one of the eight pieces within her collection, which reflects the theme of “Breaking the String” by encouraging the disruption of this cycle through self-discovery and fearless expression through clothing. Sustainability is central to Lizzie’s practice, who creates using deadstock, recycled fabrics, and off cuts of store-bought materials. By combining structured and organic silhouettes with vivid colours and bold prints, she invites the wearer to experience a sense of liberation and empowerment through self-expression.
Nicole Boyle
Nicole is a recent graduate of Griffith College, where she earned a BA in Fashion Design. She is a very feminine designer with a strong emphasis on bespoke fabric manipulation. She is currently working at Primark’s head office as a Product Technologist, where she applies her creative background within a commercial environment.
Malcolm Denby
Malcolm Denby’s the Serpent explores the tension between empowerment through shaping the body and the quiet pressure to conform to unrealistic ideals. A white backless maxi dress with an exaggerated sculptural collar forms the foundation of this look. Over the dress sits a black under-bust corset with hip gores, wrapped tightly by a gold serpent. The white represents an idealised sense of purity and perfection, while the serpent symbolises the subtle, yet persistent pressure and restriction imposed by modern beauty standards, particularly the expectation of a controlled, cinched, and disciplined body.
Olivia Chrachol
Olivia is a third-year Fashion Design student at NCAD. She is dedicated to creating garments made with care and respect for the world around us. She has completed projects such as Intimate Architecture, Denim Design, the Kid super group collaboration, the Barnardo’s upcycling project, and recently the ‘Women in Men Suit’ Creative Copying Archive project. She completed an internship at Diesel Ireland and is now working as a trainee seamstress at My Little Atelier. For the fashion show, she displays an embroidered, printed jacket and a flowing dress originally part of her Creative Copying project. Inspired by a 1950s blazer set from the NCAD archive and crafted from Bainín Wool, it features an inverted pleat, challenging gender norms and advocating for equality in fashion.
Orna Costelloe Dunne
Orna is a recent Fashion and Textiles graduate from NCAD with an interest in work that blurs the boundaries between fashion, art, and technology. Her practice spans a wide range of experimental pieces that combine sculpture and garment design. She works extensively with found objects and repurposed materials, integrating bold printed CAD designs and digital media. Her piece explores the ways in which humans waste time on social media and their phones. Using discarded technological cables woven into a sculptural garment, the work reflects on our entanglement with digital devices and the influence of technology.
Abby Cahill
Abby is passionate about sustainable fashion, and after completing her engineering degree, she decided to pursue her dream. She is eager to take part in PYD to challenge herself both creatively and technically, and to develop her skills as a designer. Abby creates feminine clothing that encourages women to embrace dressing up in their everyday lives and to feel confident standing out. Her designs are rooted in modularity, allowing the wearer to style each piece in multiple ways. She strives for sustainability and to work exclusively with natural materials. For the show, she was inspired by the beauty of nature seen through the lens of stained glass. The look features convertible trousers, a fitted blouse, and a versatile overskirt that can also be worn as a bolero, designed to evoke the form of a stained-glass lamp.
Judges:
Claire Garvey
Mar Knitwear
Rashiiid