Kells fashion designer's big breaktrough

Meath woman Ashling Smith has been shortlisted for the 2010 New Designer Fashion Grand Prix and will be heading for the finals in Tokyo in mid-October. One of only 30 finalists selected from over 11,000 entries, this marks a huge breakthrough onto the international fashion scene for Ashling, who is currently working and teaching in the UK. Originally from Seymourstown, Kells, she is a daughter of Tony and Eilish Smith. The competition is one of the largest contests of its kind with 722 schools of fashion participating from 61 countries worldwide. It is now part of the Japan Fashion Fair and was started in 1984 with the aim of promoting young designers who have the potential to become internationally active. Ashling studied fashion and textile design in John Moores University in Liverpool and now teaches at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, Surrey. Her own designer label, 'Inside Out' she describes as "very fluid, very different". A love of fashion must run in the family - Ashling's sister, Bernie Kellett, has her own vintage fashion business 'Petticoats and Petitpoint'. Her collection is constantly being updated from buying trips to Europe and the USA. Bernie will be accompanying her sister to Japan and, no doubt, the pair carry best wishes from family and friends throughout the county.