Twenty-one-year old NCAD student Laura Gilsenan took home the title of Student Designer Of The Year at this year’s show. Her inspiration for her creation stemmed from the shape, colour and texture of red onions, the layered structure, the rich reds and purples, the voluminous silhouette. “I saw it as connected to Galway through the similarity in colour between the red onions and the Galway hurling team! The shape of an onion is also quite aesthetically similar to a sliotar, cementing the link.” The Dundalk native has a bright future ahead of her and hopes to gain more experience in the fashion industry through a summer internship in London, and to hopefully enter a masters programme after graduating.