Cork students get their fashion fix in sustainable catwalk event 

A Cork secondary school was among six schools nationally to participate in a recent sustainable catwalk event.

Coláiste Muire in Cobh joined schools from Kerry, Clare, Tipperary, Dublin, and Sligo to take part in the Green-Schools Let’s Fix Fashion catwalk event in Brú Ború Heritage Centre, Cashel, Co Tipperary.

The six schools were all selected based on completion of various tasks throughout the year, such as documentary screenings, communication take-overs, upcycling projects, circular economy design thinking, and organising a swap shop in the school.

Let’s Fix Fashion is an initiative of An Taisce’s Green-Schools and aims to promote awareness among secondary school students of the impact of fast fashion on the planet.

Students were challenged to put together a look for less than €30 from a charity shop or create a new look or accessory by upcycling old or used materials.

The 2025 Let’s Fix Fashion marked the fourth year of the campaign, extending to five participating schools in Kenya.

Fast fashion

Some 30 secondary schools across the country collaborated on the impacts of fast fashion, sharing practical ideas for upcycling, textile reuse, and circular innovations in both countries.

JSS school in Dubai also contributed to the catwalk with a live presentation of their Junk Kouture entry.

The Let’s Fix Fashion campaign this year consisted of four virtual events with associated tasks.

These events included an upcycling workshop with Ailish Crowley, founder of sustainability consultancy, Fash Forward; talks from Jessica Brennan Designs and Mamukko founder, Attila Magyar, who shared their approach to creating custom pieces and reworking clothing using deadstock, vintage, and locally sourced fabrics; and a webinar on clothes sharing initiatives with Change Clothes founder, Mary Fleming.

The catwalk event in Brú Ború marked the culmination of the hard work of the schools throughout the school year.

Before the catwalk show, attending students engaged with presentations from fashion ambassadors, a swap shop, as well as a mend and repair station.