Nadine Lott's mum humbled by fashion show held in murdered Wicklow woman's memory

Sunday World

09-06-2025

'overwhelmed' |
The event raised an incredible €15,000 for victim support group AdVIC
Following Nadine's murder at her home in December 2019, Claire Lott and her daughter Phoebe were intent on celebrating her life, arriving at the idea of a fashion show to mark the fifth anniversary of her death in a nod to her love of fashion, effortless style and her many appearances on local catwalks.
Dervla Bergin at the Remembering Nadine Fashion Show in aid of AdVIC in the Arklow Bay Hotel. Photo: Michael Kelly
Spearheaded by the Lotts and a core team of close-knit ladies, the event received a massive outpouring of support from her hometown Arklow community, surrounding areas and further afield, with businesses and boutiques on both sides of the Wicklow-Wexford border helping support The Nadine Lott Trust and AdVIC, which brings together families bereaved by homicide, offering free professional counselling, peer support, practical information, legal assistance, and advocating for greater rights for victims of homicide.
Held over two nights at the Arklow Bay Hotel, where a runway was erected in the middle of the ballroom, the event was an unbridled success, with over 1,000 people attending the fashion show over two magical nights.
Praising the organising team and all those who donated and volunteered their time, Claire thanked the Arklow community for their unwavering support since Nadine's passing, before explaining that, on the back of last year's success, the fashion show would return this November.
Kyle, Claire, Tanith, Pheobe and David Lott at the Remembering Nadine Fashion Show in aid of AdVIC in the Arklow Bay Hotel. Photo: Michael Kelly
'I wanted to do something to mark Nadine's fifth anniversary away from her cherished daughter Kya and us, her loving family,' she said.
'For us, the most fitting tribute for Nadine is anything that involves beauty, fashion, and her love of bringing people together, so the fashion show was just the obvious fit.
'I couldn't believe how successful it was, and the response and the support were phenomenal. I had a core committee that was made up of a very small group of unbelievable ladies to support me: Phoebe, Tanith, Tracey, Charlotte, Martina, and Kelly. I cannot extend enough thanks to them – they really were run ragged, but their commitment was unwavering to the very end!
'We couldn't have done the fashion show without the support of all the sponsors and volunteers who also stepped up, before, during and after the event, and the Arklow community especially – I was just so humbled by it,' she continued.
'The community of Arklow is something that I'm very passionate about, because people within our community were so supportive of us in so many ways, following Nadine's brutal attack, during those harrowing couple of days that Nadine was in hospital, up to her passing. Afterwards, they gave us the space we needed and let us grieve.
'Arklow has been amazing, and I really think the fashion show is a recognition and reflection of how amazing the community is, and the great things we can achieve when we come together. The support we have got from them has ensured that the legacy Nadine leaves will reach far, far beyond her death.
'We went into the fashion show fully thinking it would be a one-off fundraiser, but on the back of last year's success, we're going to host the fashion show again, and we're pencilled in for November 14 and 15.
'I just wanted the night to be a success and honestly thought we were going to have a much harder slog hosting the show, but with so much support and the tremendous success, we felt we had to do it again this year.
'We are working hard behind the scenes. These things don't happen in a couple of weeks, and there are so many aspects to it, not just the runway. The girls are already trying to pull everything together, and if we can replicate the success from last year, we'll all be delighted.'
Members of the Studio 55 Dance Academy at the Remembering Nadine Fashion Show in aid of AdVIC in the Arklow Bay Hotel. Photo: Michael Kelly
Having become a member of AdVIC and benefited from its counselling services and peer support in the aftermath of Nadine's passing, Claire was filled with an immense sense of pride when she presented the €15,000 donation to the charity, which she said goes above and beyond for families going through the trauma of losing a loved one to homicide.
'Due to the phenomenal success of the fashion show, we could support AdVIC with the €15,000 donation,' she said.
'I only became involved in AdVIC because of my beautiful Nadine, and they were so supportive of our family, providing a lot of support in the days and months after Nadine's passing.
'They provide a lot of support and counselling to families affected by homicide who find themselves in similar situations, and remain to be in. As well as that, they do a lot of work behind the scenes around advocating for changes in legislation.
'I announced the total sum raised through the fashion show at one of our meetings in Dublin, and they were blown away. Totally overwhelmed.
'It was a pleasure to raise funds on their behalf and help support the vital services they provide for families.'
Charlotte Dowling, Claire and Pheobe Lott present a cheque to Joan Deane of AdVIC (Advocates for victims of homicide) raised from the 'Remembering Nadine' Fashion Show in the Arklow Bay Hotel last November. Photo: Michael Kelly
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