Dim the lights, roll the drums and unfurl the red carpet because tomorrow ? for the eighth season and fourth year in the row ? the Motorola Dublin Fashion Week kicks off. Like to get involved but a little puzzled about what it's all about? Want to know is this just something for fashion industry insiders or does it offer something for the ordinary fashion-loving punter? If so, what are its must-sees and dos? And what about the upcoming talent? Are there opportunities here to really kickstart their careers or is it a bit of a closed shop with the same roll call of designers and names that we hear again and again?

The event does have its detractors, however, with some industry insiders feeling that it's just another date on a very crowded fashion calendar:

"Dublin Fashion Week is a welcome platform for young designers but there's a hell of a lot of competition out there," says stylist and fashion journalist Georgina Heffernan. "In the past five years everybody has decided to have a fashion week. I mean, you've got fashion weeks in Bali, Delhi, New Zealand and Russia, Finland, Portugal and Spain. The truth is that, as a fashion capital, Dublin is just not rated."

But whose fault is that? Surely the impetus has to start somewhere?

"I think DFW is great for more established designers but for designers such as me it's a little too expensive," says knitwear designer Lisa Shangwi, who is a co-ordinator at the Loft Market in Powerscourt and a director of TADCOI (The Artisans and Designers Community of Interest).

She is involved in a fashion fringe event called Breakthrough, which aims at including younger and start-up designers onto its programme. "For me I approach boutiques on a personal level as I just can't fork out the money."

The fact that DFW cannot subsume every designer under its umbrella is something that Sonia Reynolds, the svengali behind the event and the lady who made it all happen in the first place, defends valiantly. "For DFW to remain credible it is hugely important that the bar is set at a high level. The designers who are involved in the event have got to prove that they know their business and are ready to show complete collections. Otherwise it is a useless exercise," she says.

Sinead Doyle is a tailoring and pattern cut designer who will show her second collection at DFW this year. She says she uses her whole marketing budget ? about ¤2,500 a year ? to fund her involvement at the event, which she finds an excellent PR and marketing tool.

"When I moved back to Dublin after living abroad I didn't have connections in the fashion scene," explains Doyle. "DFW was a way to just get my name out there and meet media, buyers and customers. When you take into account that it costs ¤22,000 for London Fashion week involvement, DFW is really very affordable, even for people starting out. The bottom line is that without media exposure it is very difficult to sell into boutiques."

Amanda Pratt, chief designer with Avoca, concurs with this point of view. She finds it frustrating how so little is done to promote fashion in this country and sees the event as "at least something".

"I have very strong feelings about how Ireland is performing on the international and European design stages. Seriously, I am appalled at the lack of Irish people getting out there and selling tangible things. Let's get back to real trade in solid products. I don't know if DFW makes any difference at all but it is important for people to be doing something."

"It is a three-pronged affair," explains Sonia Reynolds. "First of all, it's for the designers who get to show their clothes to buyers, journalists and the public. The main object of the exercise is to maximise exposure for designers and create a forum in which the industry can meet and do business."

In the past few seasons, Dublin Fashion Week has pulled in big Irish and international names such as Matthew Williamson, Pauric Sweeney and Sharon Wauchoub, and last season saw the launch of the inaugural Fashion Awards. The event has also pioneered various initiatives including the Brown Thomas Designer Mentor Programme (designers Jennifer Rothwell, Mary Grant and Vivien Walsh have all benefited) and the John Rocha bursary ? a ¤10,000 prize which was last year won by knitwear designer, Tim Ryan.

But the event has been scaled down massively since last year and is scheduled a full six weeks later than last spring/summer. Why? "Basically because we had to restructure to suit this year's market," says Reynolds. "The money is just not there at the moment."

The fact that it comes later this year is not necessarily a bad thing, opines Irish designer Paul Costelloe, who is headlining the event this year and who usually misses the event due to a clash with London Fashion Week.

"This is my first year involved and I am delighted as it gives me a chance to say 'Hey, I am Irish!'," he says. "It doesn't matter that it is later this year. In fact it could be a good thing as it might mean that the buyers and press who are now back from Paris, Milan and New York have had a bit of a rest and may now be ready to travel again. Personally I think DFW has the capacity to be huge."

Event planner

Monday, 30 March

13:00: Gill Gledhill from Premiere Vision will give an introduction to this trade show. This talk would benefit fashion students and start-up designers alike. €8/€5 for students.

19:30: MDFW Movie Night with Peter O'Brien. Will show original version of the 1939 movie 'The Women'. Tickets are €25.

Tuesday, 31 March

13:00: Fashion First ? A fashion workshop on sustainable fashion with Kate Nolan of 'Re Dress'. €8/€5.

18:00: Financial Consultant Donal Bolger will give a talk on 'Managing your fashion business in a downturn'. €8/€5.

Wednesday, 1 April

20:00: Collective Salon Show featuring designs of Paul Costelloe, Lainey Kehoe and Joanne Hynes. Entry is €49.95.

Thursday, 2 April

13:00: 'In Conversation with… Paul Costelloe'. Odessa Club. €8/€5 for students.

18:00: "In Conversation with… Amanda Pratt". €8/€5 for students.

On Wednesday and Thursday there will also be pop-up boutiques in the Westbury Hotel, open to all.