Sinéad O’Dwyer wins Zalando Visionary Award 2024

Irish fashion designer Sinéad O’Dwyer, known for challenging body diversity and inclusivity in her collections, has been named the winner of the Zalando Visionary Award.

The award celebrates “the makers of the future,” by placing a spotlight on designers and brands with a visionary approach to creating positive social impact, driving innovation and creativity within the fashion industry and beyond.

The London-based label was praised for its commitment to innovative designs that embrace body diversity and inclusivity through sculptural pieces that challenge conventional notions of beauty and form.

Launched in 2018, Sinéad O’Dwyer intentionally creates designer garments for women, femmes (Individuals who consciously embody and identify with a typical feminine presentation) and gender non-conforming individuals of diverse bodies. The label has also become a favourite during London Fashion Week for challenging traditional standards within the fashion industry by championing truly inclusive collections and diverse model casting.

As part of Zalando’s ongoing partnership with Copenhagen Fashion Week, Sinéad O’Dwyer will make her Copenhagen catwalk debut as part of the official spring/summer 2025 schedule in August. O’Dwyer will also receive 50,000 euros and additional support from Zalando for the show production.

Zalando Visionary Award names Sinéad O’Dwyer as 2024 winner

Commenting on her win, Sinéad O’Dwyer said in a statement: “Winning the Zalando Visionary Award is such an honour and extremely meaningful for the business, especially in this precarious time for independent brands. It gives us the support to continue our mission, further building on the work we have been doing to bring a more expansive and equitable vision of beauty to the world.

“Bodily diversity is our inspiration and driving force and we believe that designing inclusively is the only way to create ethical, sustainable, functional and modern clothing. We cannot wait to come to Copenhagen Fashion Week and share this work with a new platform and audience.”

This year’s winner was chosen by a jury featuring Giuliano Calza, founder and creative director of GCDS, Edward Buchanan, creative director of SANSOVINO6, and Herbert Hofmann, creative and buying director at Highsnobiety. They sat alongside Copenhagen Fashion Week’s chief executive Cecille Thorsmark and Lena-Sophie Röper, general manager of designer at Zalando.

Röper added: “Sinéad O’Dwyer clearly demonstrates the values that we want to see and embodies the spirit of the Zalando Visionary Award. The brand strikes the right balance of these values with unique designs, and innovative solutions with a provocative, wearable and exciting collection.

“It’s fresh fashion and Sinéad’s progressive approach is what Zalando stands for – championing the new wave of designers who dare to dream and create a better future for fashion.”

Last year the Zalando Visionary Award was presented to London-based fashion label Paolina Russo, founded in 2021 by Paolina Russo and Lucile Guilmard, known for its knitwear, for demonstrating “a strong focus on its environmental impact by ensuring ethical sourcing, the use of natural, singular fibres and partnering with certified manufacturers”.