Fashion guru John Rocha, fresh from showing his autumn/winter 2010 collection at London Fashion week, will be honoured in Galway at the Golden Egg Irish Fashion Innovation Awards which will take place at the Radisson Blu hotel on Thursday March 18.
The Hong Kong born designer, who hit the headlines recently when America actress and musician Courtney Love raved about his spring/summer collection, will walk away with the “The Contribution to Irish Fashion Award”.
John Rocha moved from Hong Kong to London in the 1970s to study fashion and his choice of Irish linen for his graduate collection inspired an eventual move to Dublin in the 1980s. He has lived there for the past 22 years, working closely with his wife and business partner Odette.
Over the years he has expanded his portfolio to include interiors, architecture, crystal and jewellery. He has received many awards including “British Designer of the Year” and a CBE in recognition of his long-standing contribution to the fashion industry.
However it was the designer’s innovation and highlighting of Irish crafts and materials in his creations that clinched this year’s “Contribution to Irish Fashion Award” for him. People attending the local event can view his spring/summer collection at the show.
The Irish Fashion Innovation Awards aim to help showcase and provide recognition for talented Irish designers and fashion students. The finalists in the “Designer of the year” category will attend and take their collections to the catwalk on the night. Among them are some of the most exciting and upcoming names in Irish fashion: Joanne Hynes, Helen James, Eilish Boyle, Yasmin Vellosa and Heather Finn.
Sharing the catwalk will be the finalists in the “Student,” “Accessory” and “Jewellery” Designer of the Year. The brief for entries was to develop their design with Galway as the theme. The judges will include international award-winning jewellery designer Slim Barrett who is originally from Athenry and who designed Victoria Beckham’s wedding tiara, Deirdre McQuillan, Irish Times fashion editor, fashion guru Eddie Shanahan and TG4’s Paisean Faisean presenter Blathnaid Ni Dhonnchadha.
The awards are a celebration of Golden Egg’s 10th year in business. The company publishes the magazines Galwaynow, Limericknow, and Weddingsnow.
Tickets for the event are €40, and are available from the Treasure Chest, Les Jumelles, Revive Café or from (091 ) 384350 or www.goldenegg.ie A fundraising raffle will be held during the show in aid of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute.
