‘In fashion design, you’re expected to keep investing in yourself, often without immediate returns’

Growing up between cultures, surrounded by shifting identities and distant roots, I often felt like I belonged everywhere and nowhere at once.

I am an Irish designer raised in Westport and Switzerland. My fashion design studies at Esmod took me to Paris and now, I find myself in London. But Ireland was always home, my biggest pride. As I physically moved further from it, I only longed for it more. Alongside this, my feminine identity – what it means to me and how society perceives it, have become the threads that weave me together.

Sasha Donnellan, my namesake label, is about resilience.

Whether it’s honouring strength throughout history or ensuring that each piece withstands the test of time, it’s about creating something that digs deeper and endures through quality. I follow through by creating collections that engage with narratives that make for challenging conversations, while also revealing the beauty in resilience. This, combined with my studies in luxury womenswear design in Paris, has allowed me to develop a label that is deeply personal, rooted in storytelling and with a commitment to craftsmanship.

My mission is to honour those who have been overlooked and to challenge the narratives that have shaped us.

I want to bring up hidden histories and celebrate them through distinctive design and craftsmanship, believing that heritage fashion can be made modern by blending traditional techniques with contemporary concepts. Another mission of mine is to stay true to myself, my values, and my experiences, making looking through my collections feel as personal as reading through my diary

I definitely didn’t always know I wanted to be a designer.

I’ve always had a love for fine art and the fashion industry, tuning into fashion weeks from a very young age and spending time on Tumblr far earlier than I should have. However, I come from a family with corporate careers, and growing up as an overly opinionated little girl, I was told I would make a good lawyer. So I thought it was in the cards for me to study business and law. But during my secondary school years, I got sick, and as I recovered, I realised I needed to pursue something I was truly passionate about, something I truly cared for, not just something because I was told I’d be good at it. So, during the pandemic, I started working on my portfolio and was admitted into Esmod Paris two weeks later. I haven’t looked back since.

I had the incredible opportunity to showcase my graduate collection for the first time at a pop-up during London Fashion Week.

This was my first time presenting my work outside of an educational setting and experiencing firsthand reactions to it. Through this, I gained valuable insight into which pieces resonated most with people and will be launching them as my first official stock.  I’ll be stocking woollen Aran jumpers featuring knitted Claddaghs and my lamb logo designs, alongside pieces such as woollen coats, silk drawstring dresses, plaid mini skirts and more. Without a studio or external production funding, I’ll be making each order myself on a made-to-order basis. The rest of the collection, such as the wedding dresses and trenches, will still be available to purchase through custom orders. My e-shop will launch in April, and I would love to expand into Irish retailers in the future.

I am currently working on my next collection, Lupus et Agnus, which is set to release in October, ideally during Ireland Fashion Week.

This collection marks a clear evolution from my previous work, featuring a darker colour palette and bold outerwear silhouettes while still maintaining my signature airy fabrics and feminine details. Inspired by the Aesop fable, animal allegory, and Seamus Heaney’s poetry, it blends literary depth with thoughtful design elements. With this collection, I am preparing for production and will actively pursue stocking it in stores across Ireland.

I’m in the midst of starting out, and both money and time are constant sources of anxiety.

Unpaid fashion internships are so normalised in the industry that, after completing my fair share, I’ve had to step back from design roles for now in order to stay in fashion while also earning enough to live in London and fund my own label. I’m 22, and most of my friends will be financially independent once they start their postgraduate jobs. But in fashion design, especially if you avoid the high street route, you’re expected to keep investing in yourself, often without immediate returns. It’s frustrating and, at times, incredibly demotivating. As much as I admire the brands I’ve interned with, right now, I simply can’t afford to give up the money or time that I need to put into building something of my own, despite how I’d love to continue learning more about the design space.

Another financial constraint is the staggering cost of fashion education.

A master’s in fashion design at schools like Central Saint Martins costs the equivalent of over €55,000, a shocking amount, especially when there’s no guarantee of a job afterwards. But my plan is to keep working, explore funding options, invest what I can, and see where life takes me. Of course, I get extremely worked up about my place in the industry, but I’m learning to look into the resources I do have available to me rather than focus on the ones that feel out of reach.

I’ve attended incredible talks by financial and legal advisors at the Sarabande Foundation and had insightful conversations with entrepreneurs. However, the best advice I’ve applied to building a business was not given to me in that context.

When I first moved to London I was incredibly overwhelmed and felt as if there simply were not enough hours in the day to do what I felt I needed to get done. So, my family simply told me, ‘if you feel you’re juggling too much, put down one of the balls before you drop them all.’  It’s a silly analogy however it stuck because when I applied it to my life, it changed it the most. Since I applied this mindset, I’ve been hyper-selective with my time and have been able to focus on what matters most to me as a result. It has brought me more peace and has resulted in me establishing my brand.

There’s something that continues to pull me toward Irish brands.

Like our great writers and poets, Irish designers tell stories through their work. There’s a sensitivity to storytelling through design that I haven’t seen anywhere else. I think this has a lot to do with the history of our country, everything we’ve endured and the many sides of our story that still haven’t been fully told.

Irish brands that I’m drawn to include the now-famous Simone Rocha, whose work I discovered in 2021 and have been captivated by ever since, and Roísín Pierce, whose delicate pieces speak so loudly.

I’m also a huge fan of Paul Costelloe’s latest AW25 collection, with all its sensational tweeds and bold silhouettes representing Ireland so vividly yet timelessly. As for brands that feel even closer to home, I love the work of woollen mills in the West of Ireland. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with both Aran Woollen Mills and Foxford Woollen Mills and I really admire the impact they’ve had on the textile industry in Ireland. They do a wonderful job of celebrating our traditions while raising awareness of local craftsmanship.

As I pave the way to set up my business I have learned one of the most useful things is to truly talk to as many people as you can.

Whether that be for advice in fashion, or for their insight on a completely unrelated topic, I take the most away from my conversations with the people around me. I love asking both my peers in fashion and my peers completely outside of this landscape for their opinions on my designs and what stands out to them. Their perspectives help me reinforce my ideas and concepts, regardless of whether I agree with them or not.

One of my proudest moments was seeing the reaction to my pieces at the Cold Magazine pop-up during London Fashion Week.

When I first saw they were hosting an event, I reached out hoping to get involved in any way, even just assisting – never expecting to be selected as one of the featured brands. As the event approached, I felt a mix of excitement and doubt. This collection was something I had created during university, and I worried it would look amateur compared to brands that had been established for years. But once the showcase began, I saw my work drawing attention, sparking conversations and resonating with people in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

It was so rewarding to talk about my inspirations, especially Ireland and its history.

I loved sharing the meaning behind my work and representing my country in a space like London Fashion Week. Seeing people engage with my storytelling and connect with the historical and cultural influences in my designs made the experience even more special. It was lovely to hear people ask about my process and witness their reactions when they realised I had done everything myself, from the design to the patternmaking and sewing. I connected with so many incredible creatives and by the end of that week alone my pieces had been featured in a music video and two editorial shoots. I also received a lot of interest from people wanting to purchase my designs, which wasn’t even my intention for the showcase.

That experience was a turning point.

It gave me the validation and confidence I needed to take the next step with my brand, proving to myself that I need to keep going, that my work deserves to be seen and that I need to keep sparking these conversations.

I want my namesake brand, Sasha Donnellan, to be remembered for its individuality and how it dared to be different while staying deeply connected to its roots.

I will strive to create pieces that are not only bold and experimental but also wearable and timeless, something people will cherish for a lifetime.

Beyond personal success, I want my journey to shine a light on the incredible talent in Ireland, helping to establish it as a recognised hub for fashion lovers worldwide.

We have so much talent in our little country, it’s about time our fashion got the same recognition the acting and music industries have. My goal is to create garments that speak for me, evoke emotion, share our culture, and be a part of something bigger than myself. I’m just at the beginning now and I can’t wait for what lies ahead.

I love the idea of artists wearing my designs, or people who are as passionate about their work as I am about mine.

I never want to dress a public figure who I don’t believe in just for press or sales. One day, I’d love to dress people like Anya Taylor-Joy, Kirsten Dunst, Saoirse Ronan and Sofia Coppola. I’d also love to go into menswear in the future as I adore tailoring and woollen outerwear and I would love to see my pieces on men such as Andrew Scott or Willem Dafoe.

Imagery courtesy of Sasha Donnellan. You can keep up to date with Sasha’s work on Instagram where she will be posting updates about her new collection.