DESIGNER TO WATCH – STEPHANIE FINNEY

Amidst the high-profile glamour of well-established Irish fashion designers, new talents are emerging on the scene to show their collections for the first time. It’s always exciting to see what the fresh perspectives they bring to the table—part of the fun of fashion is that it’s constantly evolving. But we believe now more than ever the future of fashion and design needs our support and encouragement. One of the ways we’re continuing to do this is with the Brown Thomas ‘Designer to Watch’ 2021 bursary award in association with NCAD. This year’s deserving recipient is Stephanie Finney. A final year fashion design student in the National College of Art and Design who impressed the judges based on the strength of her collection Easing Restrictions, which was inspired by the change in society’s attire due to the recent pandemic. Bookmark her name now.

THE PRIZE: As the winner of the prestigious award, Stephanie will receive a bursary worth €4,000, as well as a valuable opportunity to be mentored by the Brown Thomas executive team. Stephanie’s collection will also be displayed at Brown Thomas’ CREATE this July. CREATE is Brown Thomas’ showcase of the best and brightest Irish designers now in its 11th year.

THE NEW ORDER: “This pandemic has changed our lives drastically and the aim of the collection is to adapt fashion to cater to our new needs,” says winner Stephanie Finney. “My research began with a poll asking my peers directly how they adapted the way they dress due to Covid-19. I used these responses and my own experience to drive the collection. Working from home, midday runs, swimming, golf, tennis and hikes are a few of the things that have been permitted throughout lockdown. I have found that people have become more passionate and selective about their fashion as they have been limited to their public activities. The focus of Easing Restrictions was to create clothing that is flexible for all situations during the pandemic, both casual and formal.”

FUTURE FASHION: “Brown Thomas is immensely proud of the role we play supporting the most promising young Irish fashion designers through this award with NCAD,” Shelly Corkery, Brown Thomas Arnotts Fashion Buying Director says. “Identifying and supporting the next generation of design talent is a core part of our business and this is what the award consistently does. Discovering new up-and-coming designers who are creating modern collections is always exciting and keeps us evolving and moving forward.”

The two finalists this year were Karan Burness for her collection A Hunt for Memories and Louise Cleary with her collection X4.

More to read more on previous winners of the Brown Thomas Designer to Watch bursary award in association with NCAD

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Inspired by Stephanie’s work? Check out the collections and work from the rest of the CREATE 2021 lineup in Push for Progress.