Relove Fashion Competition – Grand Final Success!
The Relove Fashion Competition is a national sustainable fashion initiative open to secondary school students across Ireland. This year, both of our school teams travelled to The Rediscovery Centre in Dublin on Wednesday, the 30th, to take part in the Grand Final. The competition is organised through a partnership between the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices, the Government of Ireland, and the Rediscovery Centre, Ireland’s National Centre for the Circular Economy.
Our students have been working on their outfits since September during Art class with the guidance and support of their Art teachers, Susan Crowley and Amanda Mc Donnell, focusing on sustainability and creativity. The competition required entrants to create outfits using no new materials—items had to be sourced from wardrobes, charity shops, reuse channels, or donated by friends or family. Participants used a range of creative reuse techniques, such as repairs, alterations, upcycling, repurposing, and traditional textile skills like sewing, knitting, crochet, and embroidery.
As part of the submission process, students were asked to:
- Write up their research findings, including information on the fabrics used and the environmental and social impacts of these materials.
- Submit a Storyboard and a Video of their outfit to showcase the design process and construction methods.
Judges for the competition included Arran Murphy, Laura de Barra, Joanne Rourke, and Lorraine Keane.
Three of our teams were shortlisted for the interview stage:
- Team 1 – Clodagh Rice & Ultan Gill
- Team 2 – Veronika Zbigley
- Team 3 – Thomas Mongan, Tadhg Traynor, Noah Kirwan & Cliodhna Hanniffy
These interviews were informal and gave students the opportunity to discuss their inspiration, design process, construction, and the challenges and successes they experienced throughout the project.
We’re thrilled to announce that Team 2 and Team 3 progressed to the Grand Final, with Veronika Zbigley winning Best Casual Outfit in the Eastern/Midland Region for her bold, expressive design and clear sustainability focus.
Veronika’s outfit was inspired by the baggy, layered style of singer Billie Eilish, a look she personally admires. Her materials were thoughtfully sourced—many from her childhood wardrobe and others from local charity shops. Items included jackets, t-shirts, trousers, patches, and even elements from an old Halloween costume, all brought together through clever repurposing and creative layering.
In her own words, Veronika shared how the competition transformed her relationship with fashion:
“Taking part in this competition changed my relationship with my clothes because I have learned that everyone should be sustainable when it comes to clothing, as a lot of clothes end up in landfills and oceans. I’ve realised it’s fun to make new outfits from old clothes that no longer fit, and now I ask myself if I really need a new item before buying it. If I can’t reuse an old piece, I’ll donate it instead of throwing it out.”
Congratulations to all involved for your hard work, talent, and commitment to sustainable fashion!
