Limerick school’s carnival creation wins Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year Award

Lauren O’Neill pictured wearing the creation Carousel Couture which was named Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year, designed by her self and fellow students Alexandra Giltenane and Sarah Kinnane

placeholder image — Lauren O’Neill pictured wearing the creation Carousel Couture which was named Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year, designed by her self and fellow students Alexandra Giltenane and Sarah Kinnane

Students from Salesian Secondary College, Lauren O’Neill, Alexandra Giltenane and Sarah Kinnane also scooped the Dublin Designer of the Year Award

A TEAM of Limerick students has claimed one of the most coveted titles in sustainable fashion, after their carnival-inspired creation was crowned Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year.

Students from Salesian Secondary College, Lauren O’Neill, Alexandra Giltenane and Sarah Kinnane won the overall prize with Carousel Couture, a funfair-themed design, made from hi-vis vests, binbags, pipes, cardboard and old toy animals, with the merry-go-round shape representing circularity in fashion. They walk away as World Designer of the Year and Dublin Designer of the Year.

Sixty design teams from around the globe arrived in Dublin for the Junk Kouture Festival of Creativity and Circularity, taking to the stage on Tuesday night in the Helix for the Junk Kouture World Final. The teams from Ireland, the UK, France, Italy, the USA and the UAE presented breathtaking couture designs made entirely from recycled materials, from coffee pods to bike chains and even the tarpaulin off the back of a lorry.

Selected from the 2024 - 2025 cycle of Junk Kouture, the designs were evaluated by a prestigious judging panel of experts in sustainability, fashion, education, and entertainment: Cory Infinite, a creative director and multidisciplinary artist known for championing individuality and self-expression through fashion; leading Irish designer whose work bridges fashion, culture and media Claire Garvey; and Zeda, Dublin-based visual artist, stylist and creative director. Fionnuala Moran of RTÉ 2FM was on presenting duties.

Celebrating 16 years in Ireland this year, the Junk Kouture final taking place in Dublin showcases Ireland’s pivotal role in promoting youth creativity and circular innovation.

All Junk Kouture participants are required to align their designs with at least one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. By doing so, Junk Kouture encourages young people to link their creative process to global initiatives, building a deeper understanding of the challenges we face and the solutions needed to shape a meaningful future.