ATU Donegal’s Letterkenny campus was turned into a cinema, a catwalk and an exhibition centre for one evening only this week for the Department of Design & Creative Media Graduate Showcase.
The event featured collections from students of Animation, Fashion, Film, Graphic & UX Design.
The show was officially opened on Thursday by Dr. Orla Flynn, President of ATU, who commented on the importance of having humanity and creativity at the heart of the Technological University.
Dr Flynn said: “The coming together of ATU as one community brings together creative disciplines across many of our campuses. The bringing together of that creative community will be such a powerful force for the west and north west of Ireland. We have flagged the creative industries and the creative technical industries as being a key part of our economy and I’m really looking forward to seeing the talent that is coming through here.”
Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU, at the ATU Donegal Department of Design and Creative Media Graduate Showcase 2023
Some of the staff of the Department of Design at ATU Donegal: Lisa Breslin, Fiona O’Reilly, Mark Cullen, Joe Coll, Kelda Gibson and Nollaig Crombie
Guests were treated to stories aplenty within each project and creation. Graphic Design students tailored their projects around the word ‘change’ while BA Fashion with Promotion embedded their focus on being sustainable fashion design ambassadors.
The Fashion with Promotion graduate showcase featured Level 7 and Level 8 student collections, culminating in the McElhinneys Student Designer of the Year awards.
The winners were Caoimhe Doherty (Level 8) who went against the rulebook for her androgynous fashion collection. Caoimhe sourced deadstock fabric from Hanna Hats in Donegal Town.
The Level 7 winner was Eva Traulina whose Validus collection was inspired by her Latvian heritage and how it clashes with her Irish upbringing.
In a first for ATU Donegal, the show featured a children’s fashion collection by Andreza Segovia Da Silva. Andreza’s ‘Kinda Kool’ kids’ clothes not only look fun and bright, but they also explore sensory development. Andreza’s work was rewarded with an award from Local Enterprise Office Donegal.
Caoimhe Doherty is presented with the McElhinneys Student Designer of the Year Level 8 award from Richard Crawford
Eva Traulina is presented with the McElhinneys Student Designer of the Year Level 7 award from Richard Crawford
Andreza Segovia Da Silva wins the Local Enterprise Office Donegal Award for her ‘Kinda Kool’ collection
As part of their mission towards sustainability, students connected with local textile manufacturers on a tour in conjunction with ETB and the Local Enterprise Office to celebrate Donegal Tweed with Hanna Hats, Magee, Studio Donegal and Donegal yarns. The final collections used deadstock material, which would have otherwise been thrown into a landfill. Students also worked as a team to organise pop-up shops and a raffle (supported by 21 local businesses) to self-fund a photoshoot and fashion show to celebrate their work.
The public can view all the works by the Department of Design and Creative Media graduates throughout this week until Thursday 15th June by visiting the Letterkenny campus during normal college opening hours. The projects are all available to view online at: www.atudonegal.design
BA Fashion with Promotion students show their appreciation to lecturers Sharon Maxwell and Eilish Kennedy
Nollaig Crombie · Head of Department of Design & Creative Media at Atlantic Technological University Donegal
‘The Affair’ Fashion Collection by Georgia McLaughlin
‘The Affair’ Collection by Georgia McLaughlin
Lara-Jane Doherty: Blond Orbits collection ‘Bodies of Water’
‘Hondo’ by Shaun Gallagher
‘The Halo Effect’ collection by Molly Gallagher
Shona Gallagher showcasing her collection
‘Forget the Beauty Standards’ by Amy McMenamin
Caoimhe Doherty showcases her ‘The Rule Book’ collection
Shana Byrne and Tracy Samonte, 4th year graphic design
Graphic Design student Dylan Dickson
