BAIRBRE POWER AND SARA O’NEILL ADDED TO THE ‘WIM 2024’ LINE UP
Sara O'Neill and Bairbre Power
Hello all.
We have a fashionably late and fabulous addition to ‘WIM 2024’ at Queen’s University Belfast on Thursday, October 24th, 2024.
Acclaimed artist and fashion designer Sara O’Neill and preeminent fashion writer and editor Bairbre Power will speak on the theme ‘The Serious Business of Fashion’.
The pair will discuss the importance of specialist fashion media who understand the industry, not just consumerism and retail, but design, history, production, ethics, sustainability, craftsmanship, creativity, and context.
WIMB said: “We are thrilled to have Bairbre and Sara joining the line up at our QUB event. They are speakers not to be missed.”
Bairbre said: “After 40 years working in news and magazines, now it's time to give back and if I can help mentor young journalism or fashion students, it would be a privilege to do so.”
Sara is a long time WIMB supporter, and Éadach by Sara O’Neill is one of our QUB event sponsors so some of our panel chairs and events team will be dressed by Sara on the day.
Sara said: “If you’re inspired by somewhere, if you’re using the stories of a place, it’s important to give back, to contribute to someone else’s story.”
How do I get tickets? Right here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-in-media-2024-partnership-summit-tickets
BIOS FOR BAIRBRE POWER AND SARA O’NEILL
Dublin-based BAIRBRE POWER studied Journalism at DIT Rathmines for two years before joining the staff of Smurfit Publications where she was the assistant editor of U magazine at age 21.
She moved to Independent Newspapers where she was a reporter and news editor and was a regular visitor to Belfast on news assignments.
She was appointed fashion editor and later editor of Weekend magazine.
In recent years Bairbre has covered fashion and retail news, reporting on international fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan, interviewing leading couturiers and designers.
Bairbre recently embarked on an exciting new chapter after she was accepted to do third level studies in the history of art at Trinity College Dublin.
She took voluntary redundancy this summer and now freelances with the Business Post newspaper and other publications.
She is researching two non-fiction books, and embarks on a new fashion journey with RTE television this Autumn.
Sara O'Neill outside Brown Thomas in Dublin
SARA O’NEILL is an artist and designer whose work has been featured in countless glossy magazines, on red carpets, major billboard and media campaigns, book and album covers, museums and exhibited worldwide over the past two decades.
Born and raised on the north coast, she studied fashion and textile design at the Ulster University Belfast and built up a stellar reputation in the Irish fashion, advertising and art industries, working as a stylist and an illustrator. During those years she was heavily involved in the Belfast punk scene, and much of the ethos of the scene has stayed with her, and influences her work and business.
Returning to the coast in 2014 brought back many of the stories her granny told her as a child, and combined with a changing society, and a new appreciation for the landscape she grew up in she realised how important these stories are to the identity of all who call this island home…the link between us, our history and the land.
She launched her print range Éadach in early 2015, with the support of the Arts Council NI’s Creative Industries Innovation Fund. Her designs celebrate the women, stories, folklore, storytelling and history of Ireland. She is a firm believer in sustainable and conscientious fashion, in creating beautiful and expertly made pieces to wear and treasure for years to come.
In 2022 her collection was purchased by the Ulster Museum as part of their permanent collection.
Last year Éadach graced the red carpet and winners’ stages of The Oscars, The BAFTAs and The IFTAs & this year at the Emmys, and the windows of Brown Thomas, Dublin.
She also created hand painted pieces for U2’s Edge for their recent residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Earlier this year the Irish government’s Department of Foreign Affairs invited her to take part in Hainan Fashion Week in China, where Ireland was the country of honour.
Another aspect of Sara’s work that she is particularly proud of is her partnerships with Women’s Aid NI, and The Oh Yeah Centre.
Over the last few years Éadach has raised over £30,000 for the charities.
Sara is a member of the Council of Irish Fashion Designers.
Click here for your WIM 2024 tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-in-media-2024-partnership-summit-tickets
And also look out for online contributions from lots of other amazing women on our social media channels. Coming soon…
Thanks/GRMA
Team WIMB
