This year’s edition of Dublin Independent Fashion Week (DIFW) saw the launch of two new initiatives, the DIFW Talent Directory and its first-ever membership programme. It aimed to centralise collaboration and the sharing of opportunities across the creative community in Ireland. It has also transitioned to a formal non-profit model, aiming to support and connect Irish designers. DIFW 2026 consisted of 40 events featuring over 140 independent designers. The highlights included the opening ceremony show “POSTMARKED” held in the GPO, the Pellador “Passage of Play” show, the TAIPPE X MISSCHIIF pop-up in LOOT, and the Closing Ceremony held in Epic (The Irish Immigration Museum).
The University Times caught up with some of the designers and makers involved in this year’s edition of DIFW to get their thoughts.
Ellen O’Donoghue
Ellen is an NCAD textile art and artefact student who recently showed her designs at DIFW’s “Common Thread”, “Scéalaithe”, and “POSTMARKED” events. Her work was also recently showcased within the pages of IONTAS magazine and Om Diva’s Drury Street window display.
UT: What has been your favourite part of getting involved in DIFW this year?
Ellen: My favourite part has been connecting with designers, backstage, media and anyone who’s creative who has taken part in DIFW. It was an amazing experience to organise a fashion show and connect with the emerging designers and creatives.
UT: What do you think of the team’s approach to championing independent voices in the design world?
Ellen: The DIFW board team is so supportive of emerging designers like myself and others who took part this year. I am a 3rd-year NCAD Textile Art and Artefact student, and I was surprised that my application got accepted, as I thought DIFW was more for graduates than students. But this DIFW year was amazing to support young emerging designers who are the future of fashion.
UT: Does the DIFW ethos align with your own approach to sustainability in your work?
Ellen: The DIFW ethos aligns with my textile practice. Sustainability is a key part of my design process. I always use deadstock materials, upcycling, or finding ways to reuse objects and turn them into embellishments on my garments. For example, in my “Lost in Transport” Collection, I went to Dublin Bus Lost and Found and collected unclaimed items like headphones, and I embroidered them onto my design.
Dolgeai Basco
Dolgeai is an NCAD print graduate who ran a workshop in the “Common Thread” showroom at DIFW. She can often be found at Dublin-based markets with her brand @doljayarxhive. Her work spans a variety of mediums and is typically rich in colour and soul.
UT: What has been your favourite part of watching DIFW evolve over the years?
Dolgeai: My favourite part of watching DIFW every year is seeing the possibilities of where art & fashion can be showcased outside the stereotypical settings of a museum or runway. It truly lets you be creative with the possibilities of using what’s accessible to showcase a variety of creative talent.
UT: What do you think of the team’s approach to supporting independent voices in the design world?
Dolgeai: The team at DIFW takes a careful approach by intentionally making sure new and diverse creators get a chance to be heard instead of only listening to the same famous people. Giving upcoming creatives like myself the opportunities to showcase what we love to do to a bigger audience .
UT: Does the DIFW ethos align with your own approach to sustainability in your work?
Dolgeai: Every year I volunteer with DIFW makes me open my eyes to valuing the resources of what we have around us, which is something I gravitate towards with my own creative work. It’s like a living Pinterest board of seeing the hard work and intentionality of what each designer highlights for their shows to influence me in ways I can repurpose & showcase said material.
Mar Kubiak
Mar Kubiak is a designer and photographer, and owner of the brand “MARMAR”, who organised the “Nature Breathing” show in the Mill Studios for DIFW this year, in conjunction with POVVUK and Orla Costelloe Dunne.
UT: What has been your favourite part of seeing DIFW evolve
Mar: I took part in DIFW last year in 2025, and that was already a big step for me, and it felt huge just being part of it then. This year you could really see DIFW step up their game. From the beginning of the coffee morning, we got inspirational talks, and it’s great to see them get sponsored as well. I mean, seeing it go from IMMA last year to the GPO and EPIC museum, it’s just incredible the amount of work the team has put in — and the number of designers who took part this year, and so many events happening. It’s so nice to see growth and just have that sense of community still.
UT: What do you think of the team’s approach to amplifying independent voices in the design world?
Mar: I think they’re doing the best they can; this really feels like an opportunity for small and upcoming designers. It feels very personal, and you can feel the love coming from DIFW, really trying to help out and create this creative community in Ireland.
UT: Does the DIFW ethos align with your own approach to sustainability in your work?
Mar: I think the DIFW ethos aligns with me, yes! They have a lot of designers this year that challenge fast fashion. I upcycle and use second-hand and sustainably sourced materials, and it’s great seeing DIFW support designers like myself. I think it’s a step in the right direction, and having that kind of attitude towards sustainability is great.
Mihai Mar
Mihai Mar is the owner of the brand Mar Knitwear and the chairperson of DIFW.
UT: Since you’re the chairperson for DIFW but also see the designer perspective when showcasing your work, I’d love to hear about your opinion on how DIFW is evolving and how sustainability is being considered when selecting designers.
Mihai Mar: DIFW was founded in 2023 by a group of young designers who felt there wasn’t an organised system in place for fashion talent to showcase their work in Ireland. It’s grown tremendously over the past four years, and it’s been such an honour to witness its development, not only as one of the founders but also as a designer myself. As working designers based in Ireland, we have a strong understanding of the fashion landscape here; we’re not trying to mimic the systems that work in London or Paris Fashion Week; we truly want to create an accessible platform where designers can connect, collaborate, and express their creativity without any barriers. At its core, DIFW is all about community. It has always been one of our core DIFW pillars.
With yearly designer selection, it’s quite inspiring to see how designers implement sustainability into their business practices, so they honestly make the job quite easy! I always say that designers are natural problem solvers, and with the fashion industry being one of the most troubling polluters, it’s wonderful to be able to learn from my peers and how they approach eco-conscious design.
As DIFW grows and evolves to increase access to opportunities for independent Irish creatives, one can only imagine how much fun next year’s edition will be- bring on DIFW 2027!
