Health, Beauty and Lifestyle with Denise McNamara

A young west of Ireland designer is going back in time to breathe new life into our fashion heritage. Sasha Donnellan has recently graduated from Esmod Paris which is regarded as one of the world’s top international fashion schools, dating back to 1841.

Sasha delved into traditional craftsmanship when it came to producing her first fashion collection, which has been captured in a stunning lookbook set in rural farmland in Mayo.

“I believe that heritage fashion can be brought into a modern context by creatively blending traditional techniques with contemporary design and storytelling.”

Her collection certainly stood out from the array of sophisticated garments created by her French classmates, she admits.

“Not many other young fashion designers think of incorporating cable knit with silk bridal dresses,” she laughs.

The native of Westport who went to secondary school at Sligo Grammar School was originally going to study law and business in Dublin but after a health scare when still a teenager, she decided to follow her passion and was accepted to Esmod Paris to study a BA in Fashion Styling and Pattern Making in November 2020.

Her research of the Irish fashion industry led to her to learn about traditional techniques, such as limerick lace-making, hand-weaving and embroidery.

“I began to reimagine them through a contemporary lens, playing with structure, layering, and unexpected materials, to create pieces that felt both timeless yet bold.”

During her stint in Paris she had access to the finest fabrics but opted for colours and material rooted in history for her three college collections. The last one, ‘It Was Mine First’ is inspired by Irish women.

“Amidst the shadows of discrimination, violence, and marital shackles, women have woven a tale of unrelenting strength, persisting against all odds.

“Despite having their identities taken away, they both fought back in pursuit of taking back what was rightfully theirs first,” reads the citation explaining the creative process behind it.

“Rustic influences are conveyed through fabric selection, colour palette and Galway shawl references. It remains feminine through bridal inspired details however keeps an edge with military undertones.”

Her fashion idols are Simone Rocha and JW Anderson – “I love how they have incorporated Irish culture into the mainstream while being authentically true to themselves”. She first fell in love with fashion through British designer Vivienne Westwood.

Her own favourite items of clothing happen to be shoes – Miu Miu steel toed black boots, a pair of Margiela Tabi cream ballet flats and a pair of bright red Ganni cowboy boot mules.

The favourite piece she has created is a trench cape crafted from cotton gabardine, featuring puffy sleeves with Irish wool knitted cuffs, a knitted collar adorned with Irish harp buttons, and a large cape attached at the back of the neck that drapes over the shoulders like armour.

“It has asymmetrical flaps, blending elements of traditional military wear with a subtle femininity. I lined all my outerwear with dark red silk, symbolizing the bloodshed in Ireland’s fight for freedom.”

Sasha is currently doing an internship in London with Dilara Findikoglu, a Turkish designer who has been called ‘London’s Buzziest Young Designer’ by the New York Times.

She will work there until the end of the year, after which she plans to return home to create her second collection before heading back to Paris.

In five years, when she will be 27, she sees herself working in a fashion house with a team of like-minded creatives.

“While I aspire to launch my own brand one day, I’m in no rush, I want to build a strong foundation first. My goal is to gain experience as an art director, overseeing the creative vision of a brand and shaping its visual storytelling. I’m also keen to deepen my understanding of marketing and business management, essential skills before taking the leap to establish my own label.”

Pictured: Jasmine and Ellen wear silk sets with tartan wool shawls over them.