Fashion's finest take their bows

The best of Irish design strutted its stuff on the catwalks at the Dublin Fashion Week finale

VETERAN DUBLIN designer Richard Lewis was last night presented with a lifetime achievement award at the finale of Motorola Dublin Fashion Week, part of the event's inaugural annual fashion awards held at chq in Dublin docklands.

Winners in the other categories were John Rocha (designer of the year), Michael Leong (Lancome technical award), Sharon Wauchob (international achievement), Havana (fashion boutique of the year), Edmund Chesneau (accessories designer of the year) and Eilis Boyle (Brown Thomas best newcomer).

John Rocha, winner of the designer of the year award, said: "I would like to thank my darling wife Odette who has supported me throughout my career. For someone like me who came from Hong Kong . . . if I can do it anybody can - though it's taken me 25 years."

Lewis said: "I was really chuffed to be the first to receive this award. To get it from my peers, from people I respect, is really flattering." The awards, hosted by broadcaster Lorraine Keane, were followed by a retrospective of Lewis's work featuring pieces from his collections loaned by longstanding clients such as former model Sharon Bacon, Monica Murray, Mary Finan and Tona O'Brien.

The first piece out, his confessed favourite, was a black jersey dress with beaded basque from his winter 1978 collection bought by Bacon when she was 17. Other buyers included Miranda Iveagh, Bernadette Madden and the late Terry Keane - who bought two.

The audience of 400 watched a collective show which brought together the autumn/winter collections of Irish designers working here and abroad.

For Sharon Wauchob from Newtownstewart in Co Tyrone, a successful designer now based in Paris, it was the first time she has shown in this country. She is one of only a handful of independent designers on the official Paris catwalk schedule, and probably the only one who is as knowledgeable about sheep farming as she is about fashion.

"It is quite unexpected for me to show in Ireland - it all started for me when I left home at 18 and went to London nearly 20 years ago," she said.

The show opened with her luxurious feathered embellished coats, lovely chiffon pleating and handpainted silk chiffons which sell in Ireland in Havana in Donnybrook.

The show also featured work from Helen James, Rachel Mackey, Jennifer Rothwell, Eilis Boyle, Joanne Hynes, Pauric Sweeney (who flew in from Florence), Helen Cody and John Rocha, with a selection from his autumn/winter collections.

At the end of Dublin Fashion Week's seventh season, "buyers are now taking it seriously," said event organiser and founder Sonia Reynolds.

"We are getting more of them including from the UK and Spain and a better calibre of buyer from established upmarket boutiques around the country who are looking for quality rather than quantity. Next season we plan to expand and have more public fashion shows."

Originally set up as a trade show for buyers and designers, Dublin Fashion Week has been including more public events.

This season, as well as the awards and collective show, there were a number of talks aimed at fledgling designers but open to the public, covering subjects such as setting up a business, attracting investment, as well as marketing and ethical aspects.

Young Irish designer Helen James, who makes handprinted silk accessories, has exhibited with Dublin Fashion Week since its inception. "It is what has built my brand," she said.

"I started with one stockist and now I have 13 regular customers and their orders are increasing every season - that's what you need as a small business."