Offaly designer makes Paris Fashion Week debut

An Offaly designer recently made her Paris Fashion Week debut as she showcased pieces from her spring/summer 2025 collection at one of the most prominent events in the industry.

Geraldine O'Meara, who has her studio in Crinkle, Birr, where she handmade all the pieces, was selected to form part of the Flying Solo collection, which helps independent designers of fashion, accessories and footwear gain access to the major fashion shows. She was the only Irish designer to be included in the collection.

O'Meara's runway show took place on September 30 in La Galerie Bourbon, and featured “a mix of stuctured and flowing dresses alongside expertly tailored separates, showcasing O'Meara's craftmanship and meticulous attention to detail”.

O'Meara is known for designs that combine 1950s elegance with modern elements. Her latest collection, titled 'Timeless Romance', “pays homage to that era while incorporating modern fabrics and elements”.

O'Meara said there was a “great reaction to the collection” in Paris, and expects that being able to exhibit her work on that stage will increase her chances of gaining recognition outside Ireland.

She was selected as part of the Flying Solo collection after submitting an application in March/April this year, getting confirmation of acceptance in May.

Along with seasonal ready-to-wear collections, O'Meara also specialises in bespoke occasion and bridal wear. She designed the wedding dress for country music singing sensation Cliona Hagan when she married Simon Sheerin in May 2022, and has also dressed Kathryn Thomas, Lucy Kennedy, several Roses, and former Taoiseach Brian Cowen's wife, Mary Cowen, on her St Patrick’s Day visit, to the White House, two years in a row, to meet President Obama and the First Lady.

See below for further images from O'Meara's 'Timeless Romance' runway show at Paris Fashion Week.