• Aoife’s Ireland Fashion Week solo show began with a story, built around Ireland’s landscapes, heritage, materials and makers.

• The collection grew into 30 looks, making it her biggest runway collection to date.

• The process moved from fabrics and prototypes into sampling, final runway looks, styling, casting, hair, makeup, photography and film.

• Collaboration was central to the show, with Irish makers, artists and brands helping bring the collection to life.

• Content creation became part of the strategy, with behind-the-scenes videos and a “Meet The Makers” series documenting the journey.

• Sustainability shaped every decision, from Irish wool and deadstock fabrics to local flowers, reused materials and backstage choices.

• Ireland Fashion Week created international visibility, with media, buyers and guests travelling to Ballynahinch Castle.

• Aoife is now focused on international growth, particularly in New York, while continuing to champion Irish fashion at home.

"If an agency asks you for money, run." Jules Fallon on four decades in Irish fashion, what it actually takes to model at Ireland Fashion Week, and why the opportunity has never been bigger.

Welcome to the Ireland Fashion Week Podcast, a new series that answers the most frequently asked questions that we have received from the fashion community in Ireland.

We are pulling back the curtain on the Irish fashion industry, not just the finished product on the runway, but the ecosystem behind it, how it works, who the people are, and what it actually takes to build a career within it.

Episode 1 is built around modelling, because it is one of the most visible and most misunderstood parts of the fashion industry - and it’s one of the most important elements for a successful runway show!

TL;DR: This Week’s Episode

• Jules Fallon has spent 40 years in the Irish modelling industry, starting as a model at 14 and becoming an agent at 21. She has never once seen an opportunity like Ireland Fashion Week for Irish models.

• Ireland Fashion Week only works with agency represented models. Every model is paid. Nobody walks for free. If you are not signed, your name is never in the room.

• A model cast across all eight Ireland Fashion Week shows this October could walk in front of 88 designers in a single week. Jules has never seen anything like it in four decades.

• If an agency asks you for money, leave immediately. No model anywhere in the world pays for their own test shots, and Irish models should not either.

• Going international is possible, but only through the right channels. Your Irish agency becomes your mother agency. A legitimate international agency covers your flight, accommodation and new images upfront. You should never be funding it yourself.

• Social media is now part of the job. Keep a professional model account separate from your personal one. One image can book a job.