With 2025 coming to a close, now is the perfect time to look back at the soccer-inspired bikinis, skort-related scandals, and viral-worthy scarves that the year had to offer.
1. Sinead O'Dwyer at London Fashion Week
Irish designer Sinead O'Dwyer presented an eye-catching collection at London Fashion Week in January 2025.
Titled Character Studies, O'Dwyer's collection was peppered with nods to her Irish heritage, including some calf- and thigh-high lace-up boots and shoes that were reminiscent of traditional Irish dancing shoes.
These were paired with distorted knit tights or stockings, puffball skirts and openwork designs.
2. Jonathan Anderson makes history at Dior
Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson was announced as the sole artistic director of Dior in June 2025, making history by becoming the first designer since Christian Dior himself to oversee men's, women's and couture at the French fashion house.
The Magherafelt native officially took up the mantle following months of rumours and his departure from LVMH's smaller label, Loewe, which was announced on March 17.
The designer has already made waves in the industry since his appointment, continuing to create gender-bending designs and celebrating his heritage, using Donegal tweed in his debut collection for Dior Homme's Menswear Ready-to-wear collection in June.
3. Down with this Skort of thing
In May, Camogie players from Dublin and Kilkenny were forced to change into skorts before their Leinster semi-final in Blanchardstown after turning up in shorts as a protest. The protest came days after a Gaelic Players Association survey highlighted how 70% of players surveyed experienced discomfort while wearing the skort.
On 22 May, following a special congress at Croke Park, the Camogie Association voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing shorts to become part of the official kit.
To give us more insight into the scandal, fashion historian Laura Fitzachary explored the history of the skort and what it represents about women's experiences in the sporting world.
"The original skort is an important part of fashion history, specifically for athleisure and not as street clothing. It conveyed newfound independence and opened the gates for women's athleisure wear to develop, finding a home in dancing as a solution to the restrictive dress."
3. Saoirse Ronan's pregnancy reveal
In August, Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan made headlines when she attended the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2026 photocall in Avignon, France, wearing a revealing look.
Styled by Danielle Goldberg, the actress wore a sultry black gown that showed a burgeoning pregnancy bump.
Famously private, the star didn't verbally announce the pregnancy (her marriage to fellow actor Jack Lowden had taken place in secret the summer before), but Ronan's look made for a very stylish reveal.
4. Irish design kicks off And Just Like That...
Love it or hate it, And Just Like That... had people talking this year. The final iteration of the Sex and the City franchise (for now, anyway), the show was known for its totally impractical and very fabulous wardrobe choices.
Episode one of the final series opened on Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, sitting at her writing desk in a jaw-dropping ensemble from Irish designer Simone Rocha.
"There is a legacy with the original show, and we're always trying to push it," stylist Molly Rogers told cameras during a promotional shoot. "That look is Simone Rocha. I saw that, and I knew it was a winner."
5. Greta Thunberg wears a Bohemians x Fontaines D.C. jersey
Over the summer, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was spotted wearing a Bohemians x Fontaines D.C. jersey during her journey to Gaza aboard the Madleen, a boat organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).
During the trip, Thunberg was snapped wearing a limited edition jersey from Dublin soccer club, Bohemian FC, better known as Bohs.
Sponsored by Dublin band Fontaines DC, and designed by guitarist Carlos O'Connell in conjunction with Bohemian FC designers, 30% of profits from the shirt go directly to Medical Aid for Palestinians.
6. The DART, but make it fashion
Designer Siobhán O'Reilly of Siobh's Knits tapped into our love of modern Irish symbolism this year, creating knitted accessories inspired by everything from the DART to the much-missed 46a Dublin Bus.
Although she has been creating since 2023, O'Reilly says that her pieces took off in 2025 thanks to some social media posts featuring the Mescarf.
"Colourwork is my favourite thing to knit, so I challenged myself to knit Paul Mescal's face onto a scarf," she told RTÉ Lifestyle. "I nicknamed this the Mescarf. It was a fun project, so I decided to make a tapestry of CMAT."
"There is so much talent in Ireland, and I think it is important to acknowledge that. These are both very talented individuals, who I admire, and I am hoping to add to this series with more Irish icons."
7. Oran Aurelio's first collection
From CMAT's blue velvet gúna on the cover of her latest album Euro-Country, to Chappel Roan's Pink Flamingos-inspired gown, designer Oran Aurelio has swiftly become one of Ireland's most promising and popular fashion creators.
In September, in the majestic setting of Dublin's National Concert Hall, the Dublin-born designer presented his first collection, The Duchess of Malfi, a spellbinding homage to the 17th-century play by John Webster of the same name.
In December, he made a splash online once again when he launched a colourful scarf that paid homage to the neon 'Why Go Bald?' sign that first lit up Dublin in 1962.
8. The Roykini at Dublin Fashion Week
Dublin Independent Fashion Week (DIFW) returned for its third iteration this past September, with fashion fans descending on the capital for a smattering of events taking place across the city.
A designer-led and community-focused collective of artists, DIFW ran from September 22 to 28, leaving a trail of viral-worthy moments in its wake.
The most unforgettable moment, though, undoubtedly came from Pellador's HARD SHOULDER show. Described as a "one of one" creation, the Roykini was made specifically for the runway.
9. Paul Costello at Ireland Fashion Week
Taking place from October 6-10, 2025, the first-ever Ireland Fashion Week celebrated the many incredible stylists, designers, make-up artists, models, photographers, and various creatives that our small island has to offer.
To close the inaugural event, founder Ashley McDonnell invited the great Paul Costelloe to lend his designs to the finale, which saw his Autumn/Winter 2025 collection grace the rotunda of Dublin City Hall.
Sadly, Costello died just a month later, leaving behind an incredible legacy and a career spanning over 40 years.
10. The Kerrygold bag
A Kerrygold clutch made with over 5,000 hand-placed Austrian crystals took over social media feeds by storm this past summer, even reaching singer CMAT, who wore it to the Mercury Prize ceremony.
Made by Kimberly Tino, the founder of Maya Grisham, the business has been described as a "true labour of love".
Applying each crystal with a pair of tweezers, the Kerrygold bag, in particular, is time-consuming to make thanks to the intricate details, but Tino says that all the work has been worth it.
"I'm just sitting in the kitchen right now with a bucket of laundry that I need to deal with, and a Kerrygold bag that thousands of people have fallen in love with," she told RTÉ Lifestyle. "It's gone so viral, I can't even fathom how well it's done."
11. Siobhan McSweeney on The Traitors Ireland
With reference points of Enya and Countess Markievicz, and a mood board filled with pictures of Katharine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, and Carole Lombard, stylist Anne O'Shea had plenty to work with when it came to dressing Siobhán McSweeney for Ireland's first series of The Traitors.
Set in the historic Slane Castle, the psychological show of detection and backstabbing demands looks of intrigue, glamour, and heritage from its host.
O'Shea delivered all of this and more thanks to a slew of Irish designers, including Paula Rowan, Orla Langan, Oran Aurelio, Delphi Antiques, Éadach by Sarah O'Neill, and The Zero Waster.
"The opening outfit with the blazer, the navy turtleneck, and the Orla Langan skirt," O'Shea says, naming her favourite look of the season. "There's just something about it that is so powerful, and fits Siobhán so well. And I love seeing her in those boots."
12. Saoirse Monica Jackson's wedding looks
Derry Girls star Saoirse Monica Jackson wed her long-time partner, Scottish DJ Hector Barbour in Kenmare this past summer, leading to one of the most stylish weddings of the decade.
The three-day, Celtic-inspired celebration was featured in British Vogue, and photos of the weekend went incredibly viral across social media thanks to the bride's achingly cool style.
In the end, the bridal looks included pyjamas, tracksuits, a reversible wedding dress, and a pair of custom-made shoes.
"She's edgy but always with a really girly twist," Belfast stylist Katie Bryce said of Jackson's style. "She has amazing legs, so if we're doing a massive platform heel, we'll do a Simone Rocha, really textured, oversized dress.
14. CMAT's Wee Daniel dress
Donegal-born, Belfast-based twins Brodie and Mirren McFeely are the minds behind Cúpla Designs.
Known for making clothes that are playful and comfortable, with distinctly Irish slogans and references, the sisters say that Donegal is at the heart of everything they do, which makes sense when you see the Daniel dress.
Featuring a blown-up, black and white photo of singer Daniel O'Donnell, the dress found a perfect home for itself when singer CMAT wore it in the music video for her song, When a Good Man Cries.
Iconic.
13. Maura Higgins wears Haute Couture
Irish star Maura Higgins stole the show at the British Fashion Awards in December, wearing an incredible ensemble from Robert Wun's Fall/Winter 25/26 Haute Couture collection.
Styled by Karl Willett, the pinstriped outfit first made headlines when it made the cover of the September issue of Vogue Czechoslovakia.
According to Wun, the dress was inspired by "the act of dressing" and the craft of creative tailoring, working to capture the essences of the "unfinished" and the "half-dressed".
