VYKO Group launched by Galway native to bring Irish luxury brands to global markets
A Galway-born fashion industry trailblazer is behind the country's first dedicated luxury brands group, which she has established ‘to unify, scale, and globalise Irish premium brands’ for the global market.
Craughwell native Ashley McDonnell is the woman behind VYKO, Ireland's first premium brands group – and she is aiming to raise €50 million to support its first acquisitions by the end of 2026, marking a major step toward building a scalable national platform for Irish luxury.
She sees the need for this in the reality that – despite a global luxury market valued at approximately €358 billion – she believes Irish premium brands have historically struggled to scale due to fragmented distribution, limited access to capital, and the absence of a domestic group structure.
So VYKO has been established to address this gap directly, creating a platform that enables Irish brands to compete with international luxury groups while retaining their identity and independence.
By combining centralised capital, shared infrastructure, and global distribution capabilities, VYKO aims to accelerate international expansion and long-term value creation for Irish-founded brands.
“This is about building a national platform for Irish brands to scale internationally,” said Ashley, daughter of Fergus and Grace McDonnell.
“Ireland has long produced exceptional talent and products but have long been without the infrastructure to compete globally. VYKO is designed to change that.
“The launch of VYKO represents a decisive step towards a more structured and scalable premium brand ecosystem in Ireland. It ensures the potential to retain ownership, talent, and long-term value within the Irish economy,” she added.
This is about building a national platform for Irish brands to scale internationally
The Galway native already has over a decade of international experience across the luxury and technology sectors.
Her career spans senior roles with leading global organisations including LVMH in Paris, Google in Dublin, and Puig in Geneva, where she worked on scaling brands through digital, media, and e-commerce strategy.
She has also played a significant role in shaping Ireland’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
As the founder of Ireland Fashion Week, she established the country’s first nationwide fashion week and a leading incubator that provides designers with annual support exceeding €1.4 million, including specialized fashion scholarships and partnerships with global giants like Visa and L’Oréal.
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She previously served as Chair of Digital Business Ireland, representing more than 8,000 businesses and engaging with key government stakeholders.
She is also the founder of Tech Powered Luxury, a global media and events platform with over 500,000 podcast downloads.
VYKO is supported by an Irish and international team and advisory network with experience across luxury, finance, technology, and international markets – like Alexis Delannoy, Private Equity at Alpera Partners and advisor to VYKO Group.
“France’s ability to financially structure luxury groups that employ hundreds of thousands of citizens, manufacture products locally, and export goods globally has been instrumental in dominating the European market capitalization and strengthening the country’s economy. Ireland’s answer to this is VYKO,” said Alexis.
VYKO’s strategy includes consolidating high-potential Irish brands across sectors including fashion, beauty, food, and premium consumer goods, with a focus on expansion into key markets such as the United States, the Middle East, and China.
The company has already reviewed over 500 Irish brands, engaged with more than 35, and progressed multiple acquisition opportunities, with initial transactions underway.
By applying a technology-led operating model, VYKO aims to deliver accelerated revenue growth across its portfolio while strengthening Ireland’s position within the global luxury sector.