Ashbourne businesswoman wins award for top designs

A LOCAL designer has been has been crowned Milliner of the Year 2019 in The Cointreau Histyle Awards.

Sarah O’Rourke, from Ashbourne, received the award at a ceremony in the Clayton Silver Springs Hotel in Cork.

Sarah is absolutely thrilled with the result and the award is another top achievement to add to her growing CV.

The Irish Milliner has built her business Saraden Designs from the ground up since 2016. She has an extensive background having received a degree from IADT Dun Laoghaire in Visual Arts Practice Sculpture. Her work is often referred to as pieces of wearable art, which is a term she openly welcomes.

Sarah firmly believes ‘there is a millinery design to suit everyone: you just have to find the right creation to suit you’.

Sarah has a unique selling point. All the fabric used in her designs has been handmade by her and is called Saraden Fabric. This is very much Sarah’s niche and is what sets her apart from other milliners.

In 2019 Sarah became part of Fashion Revolutions Sustainable Fashion, the fabric cut offs from each design are reworked into other designs, meaning there is no waste. The line of production can also be traced as it is all done in-house by Sarah herself.

Saraden Designs has had collections on the runways of London Fashion Week, Belfast Fashion Week, Fashion Revolution Ireland and has had pieces exhibited in Palma Mallorca, Dorset, Birmingham, London, The Netherlands, Dublin and Cork. She has also had support from her local AIB and Credit Union Branches and exhibited alongside them to promote local businesses.

Last month Sarah presented a 10-piece clothing and Millinery collection called Oceanic Nature on the runway of Leicester Fashion Week in the Mercure Leicester, The Grand Hotel.