{"id":174781,"date":"2026-03-25T15:57:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/174781\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T15:57:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:57:12","slug":"queens-university-fashion-show-explores-womens-experiences-through-student-design-the-irish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/174781\/","title":{"rendered":"Queen\u2019s University fashion show explores women\u2019s experiences through student design \u2013 The Irish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Queen\u2019s University fashion show is using student design to explore themes of change, identity and women\u2019s experiences in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s annual showcase, staged by the university\u2019s Fashion Society and titled Equinox, took place at Carlisle Memorial Church and brings together student designers to present work inspired by the transition from winter into spring.<\/p>\n

The show uses that seasonal shift to reflect what has been a difficult period for women in Northern Ireland, while pointing towards a more hopeful outlook.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a relatively awful winter, not just weather-wise, but an awful winter for women in Northern Ireland,\u201d said the society\u2019s events co-ordinator Odhr\u00e1n Fitzmaurice.<\/p>\n

\"First<\/a>\"Mazda6e<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the designs, we wanted to show a transition into something more hopeful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PICTURE:Model James Gilliland wearing a design by Sarah Sloan of Sarah Marie Design during Queen\u2019s University Fashion Society\u2019s show at Carlisle Memorial Church. PICTURE: ALI AKBERALI @ayusufali06 (Ali Akberali) <\/p>\n

Across the runway, that narrative was reflected in both the materials and the structure of the show itself, with heavier winter fabrics gradually giving way to lighter, more expressive spring looks.<\/p>\n

\u201cFabric-wise, there\u2019s a lot of winter knits at the beginning,\u201d added Fashion Society president Alex Natin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen as we move through the show, we go into more florals, more spring and summer elements.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just about the clothes themselves, but how they\u2019re styled and presented.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the start, looks are more covered, and then as the show progresses, there\u2019s more confidence in what\u2019s being shown.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about breaking down boundaries and allowing people to express themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

All proceeds from the show will go to Women\u2019s Aid, the society\u2019s chosen charity partner this year.<\/p>\n

Explaining the decision, Odhr\u00e1n said the society wanted to support the organisation\u2019s work in tackling domestic violence and abuse.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the rise of violence against women in recent years, especially in Northern Ireland, we wanted to support the work they do.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a prevalent issue, especially because the fashion industry has always depended on the work of powerful women.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: Student group to light up Belfast City Hall in pink to show dangers facing women<\/a><\/p>\n

\"PICTURE:Model Aoife Devlin wearing a design by Izzy Boomer of Izzy Boomer Studio at Queen\u2019s University Fashion Society\u2019s annual show at Carlisle Memorial Church. PICTURE: ALI AKBERALI @ayusufali06 (Ali Akberali) <\/p>\n

The showcase featured 48 pieces from a range of student designers, offering a platform for emerging creatives to present their work in a professional setting.<\/p>\n

For Alex, the opportunity to spotlight student talent is at the heart of the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to be able to give people that platform,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have so many talented designers involved in this and to see their work come together like this is really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the designers involved is Sperrin Design founder Karen Hegarty, who graduated from Ulster University in 2024 and was recently selected as part of a team of creatives to help style Derry Girls actor Saoirse-Monica Jackson for a Vogue photoshoot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are people who have put so much into this,\u201d Alex added.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome designers have produced multiple pieces, and the level of detail and effort that goes into that is incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the show itself presents as a coordinated production, both organisers said the work behind the scenes is a year-long process involving extensive planning, collaboration and problem-solving.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something we\u2019re thinking about as soon as the last show ends,\u201d Alex said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a year-long process, and there have definitely been a lot of sleepless nights along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: \u2018It\u2019s been a long time coming\u2019 say coastal town\u2019s residents as it\u2019s named best place to live in Northern Ireland<\/a><\/p>\n

\"PICTURE:Model Lyndzey Paulino wearing a design by Mya Toland of Eerie Lady at Queen\u2019s University Fashion Society\u2019s showcase in Belfast. PICTURE: ALI AKBERALI @ayusufali06 (Ali Akberali) <\/p>\n

From sourcing materials and coordinating designers to securing a venue and shaping the overall creative direction, the scale of the production has continued to grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year especially has been a big undertaking,\u201d Odhr\u00e1n added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with a larger venue and bringing in different elements and collaborating with different people and groups has been a lot, but it\u2019s been worth it to see everything come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

That collaborative element has become an increasingly important part of the show, reflecting a wider creative community within the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve worked with so many different people to make this happen,\u201d Odhr\u00e1n added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a real sense of everyone contributing something to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: IFTA Awards 2026: Northern Irish stars among standout looks on red carpet in Dublin<\/a><\/p>\n

\"PICTURE:Model Mary McNeil-White wearing a design by Anna George of Izabella Designs during Queen\u2019s University Fashion Society\u2019s annual show. PICTURE: ALI AKBERALI @ayusufali06 (Ali Akberali) <\/p>\n

The pair also credited the society\u2019s creative director Zoitsa Choy, saying the event would not have been possible without her input.<\/p>\n

For them, the result is more than a successful show, but a reflection of the ideas, concerns and ambitions of a new generation of designers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about more than just putting clothes on a runway,\u201d Odhr\u00e1n said. \u201cIt\u2019s about what those clothes represent and the stories behind them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd being able to share that with an audience is what makes it all worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A Queen\u2019s University fashion show is using student design to explore themes of change, identity and women\u2019s experiences…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":174782,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[15970,1242,9,24,63,7475,122,124,123],"class_list":["post-174781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-queens","tag-belfast","tag-fashion","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-queen-s-university","tag-queens","tag-queens-headlines","tag-queens-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=174781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=174781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=174781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}