Model Irma wears Amie Egan's winning design.

Fashion win for tullamores amie

A 23-year-old Tullamore woman was this week revealed the winner of the 15th Persil Irish Fashion Awards, and its €10,000 prize.

As a result National College of Art and Design (NCAD) student Amie Egan also has the honour of seeing her ‘mother and child’ outfits for sale in Dunnes Stores nationwide.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week Amie said she was “shocked” to hear her name read out as the competition winner in Dublin last Tuesday.

“I’m really goofy,” she explained. “I just had my hands over my mouth. I was so shocked.”

Competition judge Carolyn Donnelly from Dunnes Stores said while choosing a winner was difficult, Amie’s work definitely stood out. “The fact that the winning design must fit the brief of being washable and easily manufactured helped narrow the choice down for us,” she explained.

“Amie Egan adhered to Persil’s brief really well - and we just knew that the oversized parka coat with its fabulous knitted trim detail and the child’s cool sweatshirt with great embroidered motif were perfect. The easy washing fabrics, wearability and distinct design made it really commercial.”

Instructions for those entering this year’s competition were to design and make an outfit for both mother and child suitable for a fun day at the park. The designs needed to be casual, machine washable and durable to allow families to concentrate on fun, messy play, safe in the knowledge that Persil will take care of the tough stains.

In May Amie’s designs - layers based on sportswear inspired by an Irish summer - were announced as one of the competition’s eight finalists. At that stage Amie said winning the competition would be “a dream”, and this week that dream came true.

Amie plans on putting her winnings aside to help finance a masters degree in London in a couple of years. “I’m going to stay in Dublin until January to work on a few other projects,” she explained. “Hopefully I’ll intern and get a bit of experience.”

Having entered the competition to help showcase her designs, Amie said having her work sold in Dunnes Stores and shown on television shows including Xpose and Ireland AM this week is an amazing feeling.

“Winning this competition is the most exciting thing to come of my progress as a designer so far,” she explained. “It is the utmost privilege and a major advance in my career.”