Sinead O'Dwyer puts spin on Irish dance shoes at LFW

Irish designer Sinead O'Dwyer presented her latest collection at London Fashion Week this weekend, fleshing out her vision of a contemporary, innovative and body inclusive fashion label.

The collection, which was shown at the Newgen Presentation Space on Saturday 22 February, featured a riff on traditional Irish dancing shoes, statement leather cloaks and sultry harness detailing.

O'Dwyer's collection was presented in the Newgen space, an initiative set up in 1993 to support the best emerging fashion design talents.

Titled 'Character Studies', the collection was peppered with nods to her Irish heritage, as well as new iterations of fabrics like denim, and further explorations of archetype characters that have appeared in her previous collections.

Chief among the motifs were the 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.

O'Dwyer also debuted some eye-catching takes on outerwear and suiting, presenting an oxblood red patent leather jacket accented with a chunky belt with silver hardware, proving that red isn't going anywhere.

As well as this, she presented a shimmering red satin mini dress, with a crossover bust and puffball hem - a nod to the resurgence of indie sleaze fashion.

O'Dwyer had previously made waves in the fashion world with her S/S25 collection 'Everything Opens to Touch', which she debuted at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August 2024. The ethereal and innovative collection celebrated body diversity and sexuality, with O'Dwyer's now-hallmark second-skin latticework silhouettes enhanced by exaggerated silhouettes.

The designer has become an industry leader in body diversity and features a range of models with varying body shapes and types on her runway. She uses silicone moulding, stretch and innovative pattern-making to create comfortable, eye-catching and contemporary designs for femme-identifying people.

The show also paved the way for O'Dwyer's next exciting era, as one of a few semi-finalists for the 2025 LVMH Prize, the prestigious award previously won by