A Celebration of Irish Excellence

 

Thursday, 13 February saw the Irish Ambassador’s Residence in Abu Dhabi transformed for an evening dedicated to groundbreaking innovation, creativity, and culture of the Irish design industry for Tech Powered Luxury Live From Abu Dhabi. 

 

Hosted by the Ambassador of Ireland to the UAE, Alison Milton, with support from Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland, Tech Powered Luxury Live From Abu Dhabi marked a significant milestone for Irish creatives, fashion, and music in the Middle East. With a special focus on female design, the evening’s festivities closed out the St Brigid’s Day celebrations in the UAE, following on from two weeks of cultural activities across the Emirates celebrating Ireland and the creativity of Irish women.

 

As the first female Ambassador of Ireland to the UAE, Alison Milton was delighted to collaborate with Tech Powered Luxury to bring the magic of Irish fashion design to Abu Dhabi, during the Embassy’s “Year of 50 Programme”, celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the UAE. 

 

Set against the glittering backdrop of the Abu Dhabi oceanfront, the event brought together an audience of dignitaries, fashion buyers, global brand owners, and cultural icons for a memorable occasion. 

 

Those in attendance included: Former Irish International Rugby Player Peter Stringer and his wife Debbie, Top Irish Model Thalia Heffernan, who closed out the evening’s fashion show, Journalist and Broadcasters Lorraine Keane and Triona McCarthy, acclaimed DJ and international photographer Christian Tierney, who performed throughout the evening, Dubai Based Irish influencer Aideen Kate Murphy, Forbes 30 under 30 alum Jessica Chapplow, Sara Sabry, First Egyptian African Arab woman in Space, His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Ali Al Shamsi, former Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Ireland and Irish entrepreneur Aine Kennedy among many more. 

 

At the heart of the evening was a live recording of the Tech Powered Luxury podcast, available to stream February 25th. Known for bridging the worlds of technology and design, this special live episode featured visionary voices in fashion, beauty, and technology, offering guests an exclusive glimpse into the intersection of innovation and heritage that defines Irish excellence on a global scale. Moderated by host Ashley McDonnell, the panel featured;

 

·       Akash Mehta of Fable and Mane,
·       Dr. Shawana Vali of By Dr. Vali clinic in Selfridges, London.
·       Jamie Ray of Buttermilk Agency.
·       Anneliese Duffy Fallon, founder of The Linen Shirt Company and Fashion Connect Ireland.
·       Rosy Temple of Magee 1866.

 

 

Following on from the thought-provoking live podcast was a fashion show spotlighting Ireland’s brightest design talents. Curated by stylists and visionaries Anne O’Shea and Jess Colivet, the event’s showcase celebrated the creativity and craftsmanship that has made Irish design a force to be reckoned with globally. 

 

The show featured 40+ pieces from 16 celebrated designers including Aoife McNamara, Triona, Magee 1866, Chupi, ALĒO, Melissa Curry, Bróg, Oceanus, Evelyn McDermott Millinery, Linen Shirt Company, Helen Steele, ANDTate, HEINTZ, Roisin Linnane, The White Era and Jennifer Rothwell. 

 

The night concluded with chart-topping Irish singer-songwriter Lyra took to the stage, dazzling the audience with her powerful vocals. Her performance, set against the twinkling waters of Abu Dhabi cemented the event as a true Irish cultural moment in the UAE.

 

When reflecting on Tech Powered Luxury Live from Abu Dhabi, host and founder Ashley McDonnell said, “Live from Abu Dhabi was the ultimate celebration for Irish fashion, creativity and innovation. To have 16 Irish designers as well as the country’s top creatives across styling, photography, beauty, videography, music and more – it was a dream come true! The Middle East and in particular the United Arab Emirates are an increasingly important hub not just for over 12,000 Irish citizens based there, but also one of the fastest growing markets for luxury brands – meaning a huge export opportunity for Irish businesses. It was my absolute pleasure to co-host Live from Abu Dhabi alongside HE Ambassador Alison Milton at the Irish Residence in Abu Dhabi. Our collective vision was to bring the best of Irish design to the UAE and to provide them the platform to showcase Irish design in this market.

 

With an array of global guests in attendance, including dignitaries, fashion buyers, global brand owners, and industry visionaries from across the globe, “Live from Abu Dhabi” brought together Ireland’s finest creative talents in the Middle East to showcase their ingenuity and influence on the international stage.