“I can’t understand creative people who restrict themselves to one outlet. I am a firm believer in having your fingers in many pies": Antonia Campbell-Hughes reasons that a bit of creative restlessness is no bad thing

“I went into design with a very realistic view of what it is like. I watched my parents’ business go bust twice in the ’80s. If you want to be a fantastic famous designer," advises Leigh Tucker, "pick something else to do”

"The shift in the market means that Irish women are no longer scared to wear colour," theorises Kirsten French. "Andy Warhol has had a huge impact on my work"

“My favourite artist is the French painter Modigliani. There is a great sadness in that man's paintings. Frida Kahlo is another person who had a horrendous life but was very inspiring," rumiates Adel Hickey. "I seem to be drawn, and inspired by, sadness"

“You know what the customer feels about their body, whether it be that they hate their bum or arms, and you work with that and use what they have to their advantage, to create something they love," says Tim Ryan. “My aim is to help people look on the outside how they feel on the inside”

“I hated working for a designer where you were expected to give every ounce of blood for no money, just for the prestige of working for a big name... The key to success is to learn to take rejection the right way and to find that place where you are happy with what you’re doing”: Helen James passes on a lesson from the school of hard knocks