EVEN if you haven’t got a ticket, the TV viewing for Irish Champions Weekend should be top quality. An integral part of the race day has always been the chance to dress up and hopefully the cameras will zoom in on some fabulous pieces created by young designers.

Horse Racing Ireland is promoting young fashion designers In Ireland and there are plenty out there.

The inaugural Longines Irish Champions Weekend Young Designer Award is a competition for young designers where finalists will showcase their design as part of the weekend.

The winner will receive a prize to the value of €10,000 which includes a Longines timepiece, a profiling piece with the media partner as well as a €1,000 cash prize fund.

Sketch design

Budding designers have submitted a sketch design that portrays Contemporary Race Day Elegance and entries have been shortlisted by a panel of expert judges, headed up by stylist Courtney Smith. The three finalists have been asked to create a sample of their design and will showcase them at the Curragh tomorrow, Sunday.

Something to look forward to alongside the fabulous racing and should give us all a bit of encouragement if sartorial standards have slipped a bit during the pandemic restrictions.