The new faces of Irish catwalk models: ‘It’s not an ideal place for an introverted person’

In an unusually hectic fashion season in Dublin this autumn, Passage of Play, Pellador’s fun and lively show in the Guinness Storehouse, was one to remember. The Limerick brand, founded by Greg Hall (Pellador comes from the Irish peileadóir, meaning footballer) and known for its modern urban streetwear and sportswear aesthetic, set the ball rolling, with artist Carl Hickey opening the show.

With some 600 in attendance, the youthful atmosphere was more like a party than a conventional fashion show. A diverse group of 27 models displayed a playful collection of sportswear and fashion, with capri pants, stylish knits, sheer blouses (some revealing decorative body art), detachable hoods, go-faster-striped skirts and kilts. There was even a body-hugging dress decorated with prints “dedicated to city pigeons”.

It was part of Dublin Independent Fashion Week, with shows at the GPO, Epic Museum and other Dublin city locations, 42 events in all. What was notable was not just the energy and creativity of the designs, but the variety of models, reflecting the cultural diversity of modern Ireland.

“It’s been a very busy time,” says stylist Catherine Condell, who masterminded two of the season’s other highlight catwalk shows – one in Avoca in Kilmacanogue, displaying the brand’s tweeds in a magical woodland setting with a variety of models (and ending with two wolfhounds), and William Costelloe’s first presentation in Dunnes Stores in Cornelscourt, showing menswear and womenswear collections for the retail chain.

Condell also used 30 models for the annual Gloss Gala at the RDS in early November, showing around 100 outfits – a mix of “older models and plus sizes, so things are not as rigid as before,” she says. “Choosing models always depends on the brand’s aesthetic. The Costelloes, for instance, always wanted very tall models. But now it is a mixed bag, very diverse, and we have a wonderful pool of girls and guys of different backgrounds. We have work for everybody and for photographers too. There is also a lot of street casting for the young designers’ shows.”

Aislinn Lawlor, managing director of Not Another Intl modelling agency, reckons that the growth in recent fashion weeks in Ireland has given younger, newer models an exciting taste of casting experiences at home that are everyday in fashion capitals such as Paris and Milan. “It is setting them up for an international career, which is a big part of our business,” she says, confirming that this year has been much busier than last season. “Every designer is different; our models in Sinéad O’Dwyer’s show had their own unique beauty and were inclusive in terms of size and body shape.”

Another trend she cites is the use of real people on the catwalk (such as Carl Hickey walking for Pellador, or Perry Ogden for Simone Rocha). “Local beauty is widening a bit and is a lot more inclusive. Not Another was born because we felt there was not enough of the diversity that we could see in Ireland in other agencies, so we championed that from the start,” she says. “The black culture in Ireland is strong in terms of music – one of our top models is also a rapper - and such diversity is making Ireland more creative. Culture is so youth-driven in Ireland, and a lot of creative youth are members of subcultures and are very diverse.”

That’s a view echoed by Jan Brierton of Assets Model Agency, who agrees that designers are looking for a wider breadth of representation on the catwalk. “We are getting applications for models from different cultural backgrounds – and you are always looking for interesting, beautiful faces, so there is now a mix-and-match representation that wasn’t there before.”

Five models who appeared in some of the big shows in Dublin this autumn share their stories.

Jakub Rytir

Jakub Rytir, who is now living in Rathmines in Dublin, is from a rural part of the Czech Republic. He is 23 and 6ft 3in. He walked for the Dublin Independent Fashion Week opening show in the GPO modelling knitwear from Mihai Mar.

He played basketball between the ages of six and 21, making the Czech national under-16s team and playing professionally for one season. “My big thing, however, was wanting to try acting, so after graduation I went to LA for acting classes and travelled around California, Arizona and New York. Moving back to Prague, I started acting in shows and films, and eventually signed with a model agency, and did my first test shoot two years ago,” he says.

“I always knew I wanted to live and act in an English-speaking country, so I chose the Bow Street Academy in Rathmines. After an audition, I got a part-time acting course last October.”

Rytir is represented by the Rós Model Agency in Ireland.

“I think of modelling as a role, basically. I am very shy and introverted, and when you are out there with so many people watching you and photographers’ cameras flashing, it’s not an ideal place for an introverted person. I switch into a character, and I try to present the clothes and show them off and lose myself in them. I initially had my doubts, but now I find it very enjoyable.

“I love Ireland – it’s so much fun and such a different country to the Czech Republic, though both countries love to drink and have fun. The Irish are more talkative and make you feel welcome.”.

Sodem Solana

Sodem Solana opened DIFW at the GPO, and walked for Hollie Marie Gallagher at the Epic Museum with notable style and presentation. He was born in the Philippines and moved to Ireland at the age of eight.

“I do dancing, hip hop, K-pop and I act. I studied TV and screen acting in Bow Street last year and did two short films, and right now I am modelling.” Solana is also represented by the Rós agency.

“What appeals to me is the storytelling part of modelling, giving expression to the ideas behind the clothes,” he says. “I have learnt that it is okay for men to express themselves. I have copied different styles of catwalk walking. There is movement and expression; my dancing background helps with the movement, and my acting background helps with expression. I watch a lot of runway shows and pageantry, because Filipinos are very big into pageantry, like the Miss Universe contest - stuff like that is part of the culture.

“For the opening of DIFW in the GPO, I wore a showstopper piece from a collection called Panghandom (which translates as “reminiscing” in Cebuano) by the Filipino designer Santi Fragile, with butterfly sleeves. It honours the memory of his beloved grandmother and deep connection to his heritage and family roots, which resonates with me. It is designed to wrap you in a warm embrace, and the detailed wings act like a hug, and are inspired by the woven bamboo furniture used in our grandmothers’ homes.”

Ella Redmond

From Malahide in Dublin, 21-year-old Ella Redmond started modelling three years ago with Not Another Intl, having decided “to give it a go”. She loves modelling because it has given her “such cool opportunities”. She walked for DIFW last year, and for Rashiiid at Ireland Fashion Week in the Douglas Hyde Gallery in Trinity College, and more recently for Pellador at the Guinness Storehouse. She has been photographed by internationally renowned photographer Jackie Nickerson on the Cooley Peninsula, on a shoot for designer Róisín Pierce.

“With modelling you get to meet so many people and have amazing experiences. There is so much talent and creativity in Irish design, and people are so kind,” she says.

She has signed with a UK agency. She describes herself as open, friendly and curious. “[Modelling] is a lot about building relationships and trust between photographers and other people involved in the business,” she says.

Kyra Murphy

Twenty-two-year-old Kyra Murphy’s modelling career began unconventionally when, as a teenager growing up in Sutton in north Co Dublin, she did a shoot with a friend and discovered that it helped her to deal with the stress of chronic pain. At 18 she was diagnosed with a rare genetic degenerative condition that weakens the body’s connective tissue, causing constant pain - she could only walk with a cane.

She now credits modelling with “taking me out of my shell and helping me to be more sociable”. Most recently she walked for Pellador at the Guinness Storehouse, presenting as an able-bodied person despite her condition. She “loved being with so many others from all over the world, different cultures and different perspectives”, she says. She has learnt to deal with her disability, taking care of diet and going to the gym to build up muscle support, but knows that her condition will eventually worsen.

She has been photographed by Gerard Caffrey on a shoot for the designer Claire Garvey, which “felt like a fairytale. It was wonderful to finally feel glamorous - it was a big step for me.” She’s been to Seville in Spain as a “gossip girl” for the brand Ladies Who Lit retreat, has modelled for Irish designers Laoise Carey, Rachel Maguire and Feri, and is involved in another shoot for Pellador. She is also doing some film work, including a music video later this year.

“I want to pursue acting, because it is my passion and where I hope my performance can create intense emotion in others,” she says. “My life has been a rollercoaster, but the best part has been discovering that I could do something that I could only have dreamt of before.”

Shuhan Yan

Twenty-five-year-old Shuhan Yan, a Dubliner of Chinese heritage, has been modelling since she was 18, starting in Ireland during a student gap year. After Covid she signed up with a London agency and later with another in Paris. She has since developed an international modelling career in Milan and London, working for brands such as Brunello Cucinelli, Mugler and others.

A classical pianist since the age of 3½, she studied music in a joint degree course between Trinity College and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. After graduation, she moved to Athens to teach music for two years, before returning to Ireland to do the Droichead induction process to get a full teacher’s licence. She loves the travelling aspect of modelling.

She says models are not just those with pretty faces, “but they are usually artists, painters, musicians, other creatives and even rocket scientists”. Her first show this year was for Pellador, which she describes as “like a party”, followed swiftly by a show for Brown Thomas where “the styling was incredible”. She also appeared in Marks & Spencer’s opening show for Ireland Fashion Week at Slane Castle. She has also worked with Image, Irish Country Magazine and Ecru. She has divided feelings about what she wants to do in the future, as “teaching makes me feel so old and working with kids gets exhausting, but I also love the creative side of fashion and modelling”.