Romance meets rave at Sinead O’Dwyer’s inclusive AW23 show

Sinead O’Dwyer’s second London Fashion Week show as a NEWGEN recipient served as an ode to teenage hedonism and the impulsive rebellion of young love. The Irish designer, known for her stretchy shibari rope-inspired bodysuits and diverse casting, debuted the collection this morning, kicking off the first full day of Autumn/Winter 2023 shows with an uplifting showcase that’s testament to London’s ability to boost the most exciting, subversive emerging talent.

Blending vivid rave wear with more of a pared back, minimalist aesthetic, O’Dwyer’s garments are playful yet practical, creating a romantic fantasy that includes everyone. The AW23 collection married stretch fabrics that hug the body, boxy fitted tailoring and earthy natural dyed linen gowns. Footwear offerings ranged from dainty ballet shoes to durable wellies while the designer’s iconic breastplate motif reappeared this season; this time, crafted from rich blue leather leftover from the food industry and veg-tanned in the UK.

The collection was a deeply personal tribute to O’Dwyer’s late-grandmother, Rita, who passed away last August. It was from her that she first learnt how to sew and inherited a desire to create and share her creations. “I learned it all from her,” O’Dwyer tells woo after the show. “She made everything, from upholstering to wallhangings to my communion dress and my mother’s wedding dress. All her own clothes, hats and every sort of food you can imagine.”

Yet the mood is one of celebration rather than mourning. The first few looks sent down the runway were in neutral, earthy linen, a departure from the vibrant pinks and neons for which O’Dwyer has become known. But soon slithers of brighter tones emerged with highlighter hued pinks and yellows peeking out from beneath a pleated skirt or mohair knit. “I’m always like, ‘I’m gonna do a more muted colour palette’, but the colour combinations are always more bright,” O’Dwyer says. “I’m naturally drawn to them.”

While working on the collection, O’Dwyer was thinking about the ideas her grandmother would have had of romance as a teenager and how they linked to her own experiences growing up. “It’s the same emotional drive,” she says. 1940s-inspired maxis met neon nu-rave bodysuits, channelling the spaces where romance has blossomed across generations.

O’Dwyer is no stranger to diverse casting on the runway, often recruiting friends and members of her creative community to reflect the diverse bodies, backgrounds and experiences of young Londoners today. Last season, she made headlines for casting two wheelchair users in her show, raising awareness for disability representation in fashion. This season further cemented this inclusive vision with models representing true size diversity – O’Dwyer always samples on UK sizes 12 and 22. One model took to the runway in an electric wheelchair wearing a hot pink knitted mini while another showcased a maternity version of the iconic shibari rope bodysuit with a cut-out to give the pregnant belly pride of place – very Ri Ri. Young love may be a theme as old as time, but O’Dwyer’s version of the fantasy was more inclusive than ever, and therein lies its radical nature.