Dublin Independent Fashion Week (DIFW) returns in 2025, with a range of queer talent ready to hit the runway. The event takes place from September 22 to 28, with the lineup promising social mixers, workshops, exhibitions, showrooms, fashion shows and much more.
DIFW is a designer and community-led collective dedicated to championing Ireland’s emerging and established creatives. Now in its third year, the 2025 event will be more than just a series of shows across the capital; it will be a multi-sensory experience that blurs the lines between fashion, art and performance.
One of the exciting queer talents to look forward to at Dublin Independent Fashion Week this September is the co-founder, Mihai Mar, who is also the creative director of Mar Knitwear. The brand’s upcoming showcase at DIFW will present the latest collection, ‘MERITS OVER MISCHIEF’, through Ireland’s first fashion-focused life drawing event.
Hosted at Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre, Mar wanted to invite audiences into a slower, more intimate encounter with the collection. Through interactive life-drawing sessions, guests can engage directly with the intricate textures, craftsmanship, and narratives behind each piece, while movement and sound elevate the atmosphere.
This is Mar Knitwear’s first solo showcase, with events on Wednesday, September 24, and Thursday, September 25.
Another exciting event to look forward to is from fellow DIFW co-founder Ríon Hannora. The designer’s first solo runway show, ‘Chapter 7: Sex Before Marriage’, will unveil a unisex bridal collection that blends radical politics with playful irreverence.
Presented in Bewley’s Café on September 25, this will be a celebration of the good parts of marriage: the outfits, the love, the communal joy, while also discarding the outdated baggage of compulsory heteronormativity, religious beliefs, sexual shame, and patriarchal traditions. In short, it’ll be a wedding without the weird stuff.
The runway show will be brought to life with the help of jewellery by Riley Haus, sculptural floristry by Nettle Designs and paintings by Paddy Critchley.
These are just a couple of the fantastic highlights at Dublin Independent Fashion Week 2025. See the full programme here.
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