The Business of Fashion Podcast

Episode: Sinéad O’Dwyer: ‘The Glorification of Vulnerability in Fashion Is Really Bizarre’
Date: October 24, 2025
Host: Imran Ahmed
Guest: Sinéad O'Dwyer

Overview

In this episode, host Imran Ahmed sits down with Irish designer Sinéad O'Dwyer to explore her experiences and perspectives on the fashion industry—particularly her radical approach to inclusivity, body image, and the commercial realities of running a progressive design business. Sinéad recounts her creative upbringing, her critical awakening to the narrow ideals dominating fashion, and the ongoing challenges and hopes for a more inclusive and sustainable industry model. Interwoven throughout is a candid discussion about the difficulties of commercializing inclusive design and the enduring biases within luxury fashion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sinéad's Creative and Entrepreneurial Background

• [00:04 – 05:45]
  • Sinéad grew up in Tullamore, Ireland, in a household enriched by creativity and entrepreneurship:
    • Father: Silversmith and sculptor
    • Mother: Music educator and founder of a music school
    • Grandmother: Proficient seamstress and knitter
  • She learned to sew from an early age: “She made my communion dress, she made my confirmation outfit... I learned to sew when I was really, really small from her.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 03:28)
  • No screens or TV until age 14; her life revolved around crafting, reading, and being outdoors.

2. Early Encounters with Fashion & Inspiration

• [06:41 – 08:27]
  • Initial interest in dance as a form of expression, then inspired by a pivotal visit to the Isabella Blow & Philip Treacy exhibition, linking fashion and emotion:
    • “I saw McQueen's work for the first time... I was like, wow, this is amazing. And then I understood the link between fashion or clothing, rather, and emotions.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 06:55)
  • Inspired by theatricality and performance in fashion shows, especially Alexander McQueen.

3. Critical Perspective on Body Ideals in Fashion

• [09:11 – 12:05]
  • Sinéad’s career in the Netherlands exposed her to unhealthy body standards among models:
    • “I saw quite a lot of models who were visibly ill, and I was really struck by that... on the Runway they look so pulled together... but actually behind the scenes, there's so many emotional struggles happening.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 09:11)
  • The contradiction between appearance and reality in the industry drove her to seek deeper meaning and challenge the status quo.

4. The Glorification of Vulnerability & Education Experience

• [10:45 – 13:48]
  • Experiences backstage highlighted how vulnerability was often “glorified” in an unhealthy way.
  • Studied at RCA under Zoe Broach, who redefined fashion education for her:
    • “The idea of fashion education as not necessarily being about learning how to create a great collection that would get you a job, but more like, how do you be... a fashion practitioner... and contribute... not just as a fashion designer.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 11:29)
  • During her MA, realized her own struggles with eating disorders, influenced by pervasive industry ideals, even without typical media exposure.

5. Research, Technique, and Inclusive Practice

• [15:54 – 18:16]
  • Developed an innovative process: life-casting friends and family, making silicone casts to conceptualize clothes starting from diverse, real bodies rather than industry standards.
  • “If you are not the beginning point of the garment... most likely the garment isn't gonna look like the photo... I don't think people really understand, like, the fit model for a brand is so important.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 16:04)
  • The resulting zine included portraits and interviews about body experience.

6. Breaking into the Industry & Systemic Barriers

• [19:29 – 21:21]
  • The transition from academia to business was unplanned: “I didn't graduate and think I'm going to have a brand at all.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 20:10)
  • There was a lag between graduation and first collection, spent experimenting and “searching,” with a focus on integrating inclusive design into luxury, despite structural resistance.

7. Systematic Issues in Inclusive Luxury Fashion

• [22:33 – 25:32]
  • Practical barriers in luxury: limited runs, high styles/low quantities, supply chain, complexity of offering multiple sizes.
  • “There isn't a super developed luxury customer that's plus size... because if luxury is sort of constantly advertising a smaller body... that customer is already like, oh, I don't shop there.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 25:32)
  • Lack of investment in—and trust from—plus-size customers due to historical exclusion.

8. Retail Partnerships & Building Trust

• [27:03 – 32:49]
  • Investment in extended sizing only works if retailers and brands sustain commitment and build trust with excluded customers.
  • “It's not so easy as just putting some curve models on the Runway and being like, 'give us your trust.' That's not going to happen.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 29:53)
  • Gradual direct-to-consumer pivot, focusing on bespoke, made-to-order, pop-ups, and direct community engagement.

9. The Disconnect Between Runway & Retail

• [32:49 – 34:24]
  • Performative inclusivity—garments exist only for show, but not in stores for purchase.
  • “There has to be an investment... I think there’s a real lack of empathy in fashion industry when it comes to this topic... when it comes to actually a customer... I just feel like there's not that many people in the industry who really... care enough to... work on this.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 33:38)

10. Surviving as an Emerging Designer

• [34:24 – 39:40]
  • Wholesale sector turmoil and high cost of handmade, inclusive techniques make business survival hard.
  • “Wholesale I've always found very challenging because... my techniques are very handmade... direct to consumer is very interesting to me.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 34:51)
  • Emphasizes the importance of team, community, and agility in a changing market.

11. Advice for Young Designers

• [39:40 – 40:44]
  • “Just really stay true to yourself because, I mean, it's such a subjective industry and, like, you just need to figure out, like, where you want to contribute and... what your interest is and grow from there.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 39:40)
  • Highlights the value of being part of a collaborative process in fashion.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On industry illusions:
  “On the Runway they look so pulled together and, like, beautiful... but actually, behind the scenes, there's... so many emotional struggles happening.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 09:11)

• On starting points:
  “If you are not the beginning point of the garment, if you have a totally different shape, then most likely the garment isn't gonna look like the photo...” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 16:04)

• On changing systems:
  “There isn't a super developed luxury customer that's plus size like proportionately to the sort of smaller size one... because if luxury is sort of constantly advertising a smaller body... that customer is already like, oh, I don't shop there.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 25:32)

• On building trust:
  “It will take many years to develop the trust in the customer... there's a lot of trust also. And there's also like, it doesn't feel nice to be seen sort of not be thought of and not be perceived as important.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 27:02)

• On direct engagement:
  “Who do I know that I love? How can I think about them and create events where they can come and try more often?... I've shown that I really care, and I do really care, and I don't always get it right.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 31:42)

• Advice to young designers:
  “Really stay true to yourself because... you just need to figure out, like, where you want to contribute and, like, what your interest is and grow from there.” (Sinéad O'Dwyer, 39:40)

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Growing up in Ireland, family creativity: [00:48 – 05:45]
• First inspiration from dance and theatrical fashion: [06:55 – 08:27]
• Exposure to unhealthy body standards backstage: [09:11 – 12:05]
• Fashion education as critical inquiry, not just technique: [11:29 – 13:48]
• Development of life-cast process and inclusive pattern making: [15:54 – 18:16]
• Systematic barriers to inclusive luxury: [22:33 – 25:32]
• Building customer trust and new models (bespoke, direct): [27:03 – 32:49]
• Disconnect between runway inclusivity and actual products: [32:49 – 34:24]
• Business challenges and the road forward: [34:51 – 39:40]
• Advice for the next generation: [39:40 – 40:44]

Tone & Takeaways

Sinéad O'Dwyer speaks with transparency, nuance, and empathy, acknowledging both the structural obstacles and hard-won, small victories in making fashion more inclusive. The conversation is both critical and constructive—offering honest insights into industry shortcomings, while sharing realistic paths forward for designers and businesses looking to do better by a greater diversity of customers.

Her reflections are both a call to action and a roadmap for ongoing change rooted in personal conviction, continual experimentation, and community connection.