The organisers of Dublin Fashion Week, which ended yesterday at the Morrison Hotel, claim that the event attracted Irish, British and continental buyers and resulted in €l million of sales for the 21 designers who took part.
"It has been an enormous success," said Sonia Reynolds, the event organiser.
"It has generated new clients for Irish designers. From both the buyers and designers' point of view it was a huge bonus to have everybody under one roof, even late in the season, for four days."
Those who took part included established names such as Mariad Whisker, Lucy Downes and Leigh Tucker, as well as newcomers such as Sian Jacobs and Éilís Boyle.
Open to trade and press only, the event was established as a platform for a growing number of Irish fashion designers, many of whom are forced to show at expensive trade exhibitions abroad to meet Irish and international buyers.
The next event, provisionally set for mid-February, is expected to attract even more exhibitors and buyers as well as featuring workshops for students and designers introducing them to various aspects of the industry.
"This is a positive step for Irish fashion," said designer Deborah Veale, one of the exhibitors.
"Even though it was held late in the season, it succeeded and we had a fantastic reaction from established department stores as well as smaller boutiques around the country. I think attitudes towards Irish designers are changing. There is support now.
"The whole event was good for everybody in the industry."
