CKM Irish Milliner of the Year 2016 at KFW

I am so honored to be chosen as Irish Milliner of the Year for 2016 at KFW Irish Fashion Industry Awards. Below is a report of the night.


Kerry Fashion Week & KFW Irish Fashion Industry Awards

in association with Image Magazine, Lancome Paris and Dunnes Stores


Hundreds gather in the Kingdom to celebrate the very best of emerging and established talents within the Irish Fashion Industry. 

The 8th annual Kerry Fashion Week (KFW) in association with Image Magazine, Lancome Paris and Dunnes Stores was an overwhelming success attracting they very best in the Irish fashion industry, along with crowds of fashion lovers, to KFW events in both Tralee and Killarney.


The highlight - the 8th annual KFW Irish Fashion Industry Awards in association with Image Magazine, Lancome Paris and Dunnes Stores took place on Friday 4th of March in the Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney. Winners included Danielle Romeril (Designer of the Year); Fiona Mulholland (Accessory Designer of the Year); Carol Kennelly (Milliner of the Year), Colin Horgan, (IMAGE Breakthrough Designer); Sinead Burke (Irish Fashion Blog) and Mike Bunn (Irish Fashion Photographer). Full list of the winners in each of the 16 categories are listed below.


The KFW Awards opened with new collections from KFW’s exclusive retail partner Dunnes Stores, including looks from Lennon Courtney, Paul Costelloe, Carolyn Donnelly - The Edit and the new collection by Paul Galvin for Dunnes Stores entitled ‘Push’. Guest designer on the night was Helen Steele who showcased new looks from her S/S collection. The 300 guests then enjoyed the KFW Finalists Fashion show featuring looks from each of the 34 fashion finalists collections. Models on the evening were from Upfront Model Management in Kerry and Lockdown Models in Cork. Production was by Ray Stack. Hair was by the Sean Taaffe Group and make up by Lancome Paris. 


The night was mc’ed by TV presenter and broadcaster, Sybil Mulcahy and Kerry based fashionista and journalist, Orlagh Winters hosted Live from the KFW Red Carpet.


Anticipated almost as much as the KFW awards is the annual winner of the Lancome Best Dressed Lady. Judged by Roisin Tierney Crowe, Communications Manager, L’Oreal, the winner was Helen Quealy Murphy who was resplendent in Irish designer Synan O Mahony. 


In attendance at the KFW Irish Fashion Industry Awards was Paul Galvin and his wife Louise Duffy, designers Sonya Lennon, Carolyn Donnelly, Helen Cody and Xpose presenter and model Glenda Gilson (on behalf of Great Lengths) Minister Jimmy Deenihan, top male model Gary Talbot and Melanie Morris, Editor in Chief, Image Magazine and chairperson of the KFW judging panel. 


Earlier in the week, a capacity crowd attended the opening Kerry Fashion Week event, the KFW Kerry Designer & Boutique Show in association with Kellihers Toyota on Wednesday 2nd of March in Ballygarry House Hotel in Tralee. The Show was opened by the award winning bridal designer, Delphine Grandjouan, and premiered her new Bridal Collection. The show finale was last year’s winner of KFW Kerry Fashion Designer of the Year, Catherine Kelly. Other designers featured include well known milliners Carol Kennelly and Aoife Hannon and womenswear designers Tina Griffin, Clodagh Irwin Owens and Karyn Moriarty. There was also new collections from top Kerry boutiques, MacBees Killarney, Hannons of Castleisland, Jasmine, IOTA, Carraig Donn, Annburys, Paco, Divas and Dudes, Friendtex and many more. Guest boutique on the evening was Phoenix - V (Cork) and Kerry Fashion Week’s Associate Sponsor and exclusive retail partner, Dunnes Stores, showcased their new Spring 16 collections. There was also the latest in fashionable menswear from Suits Select and Ryles of Tralee.


Winners Irish Fashion Industry Awards at the 8th annual Kerry Fashion Week (KFW) in the Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, County Kerry


Irish Fashion Designer of the Year [sponsored by Lancome]

Danielle Romeril 

Irish Fashion Stylist of the Year

Brian Conway

Irish Fashion Make Up Artist of the Year

Judy Wong

Irish Hair Stylist of the Year [sponsored by Great Lengths]

Trudy Hayes

Irish Fashion Photographer of the Year  [sponsored by Absolut]

Mike Bunn

Irish Fashion Model of the Year

Louise Byrne – Morgan

Irish Fashion Blog of the Year

Minnie Melange – Sinead Burke

Irish Fashion Businessperson of the Year

Chupi Sweetman Durney – Chupi


Irish Independent Fashion Retailer of the Year

Miss Daisy Blue, Cork – Breda Casey

One to Watch

Alanna McIntyre – Womenswear

Irish Accessory Designer of the Year [sponsored by Wazp]

Fiona Mulholland, Mulholland Jewellery

Irish Milliner of the Year [sponsored by The Shelbourne]

Carol Kennelly

Irish Student Designer of the Year

Sarah Murphy – Griffith College

Kerry Fashion Designer of the Year

Greta Lelyte – Menswear

IMAGE Breakthrough Designer

Colin Horgan – Womenswear

Irish Fashion Designer of the Year [sponsored by Lancome]

Danielle Romeril