We at Harris Agencies are delighted to announce that for the second consecutive season we will be hosting The Irish Design Co-op in our Fashion City showrooms. The Design Co-op gives up-and-coming designers the opportunity to meet boutique owners and buyers from all around the country, enabling them to sell collections and receive feedback from industry professionals. It runs for the entire month of August, peak-time in the buying season, and a busy time in Fashion City with lots of established brands showing their latest season collection . Application for participation can be submitted by emailing Nicky at nickyh59@gmail.com, before 30th May 2013, with images of your collection and a little information about yourself.
Wonderful imaginations woven into graphic practical knits and the Autumn Winter2013 collection from Electronic Sheep was showcased today in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre,Dublin. This was a collaborative event with Co-Operative design emporium Bow and styled by the 2013 graduating class of the Fashion Industry Practice course at Colaiste Dhulaigh. The Electronic Sheep collection entitled ‘Typhoon Puppets is a mixture of knitted collages where science mixes with industry and results in tapestry-esque detailed scenes. Scarves in oversized triangles and fringed knits along with large blanket styles in wonderful colours and all with a story to tell are the backbone of the collection. The students of Colaiste Dhulaigh (whom I had the privilege to spend some time with earlier in the year) are all on their respective paths in the BOF and were on hand to show me around the collection. They styled the event using some wonderful designs from both Emma Manley, Petria Whelan, Mo Muse, Eilis Boyle and Wendy’s Wardrobeall of which are available at Bow.
Divine Boutique in Maynooth hosts a fashion show each season. Most fashion bods (if truth be told) are NOT addicted to watching women strutting their stuff on the catwalk. After a days work in the showroom sometimes it’s the last thing I want to do. Divine puts on a show with a difference though and one of the few that I really enjoy. The combination of using customers as models (and for this show some students from NUI Maynooth) with Mary Greene’s eclectic fashion forward mix of clothes for women of all ages gives the event a very special vibe. It’s a Fashion Show that is always packed to the rafters with standing room only. An addition to the collection for this season is the introduction of a range of clothing for little girls. Lovely to see little girl clothes which are not sexed up but are perfect for childhood just as they should be.
The evening was compered by the gorgeous Lorraine Keane and stylist Cathy O’Connor was on hand to present the wonderful Mother and Daughter feature.
If you are going to have a press launch and need some refreshment along the way the Dublin’s Merrion Hotel is the perfect venue. Today’s launch of Falke Perfect Skin had a party atmosphere, pedicures for tired legs and manicures were happening in one corner while little pastries were too tempting to leave in the other. The Xpose team arrived headed by the lovely Aisling O’Loughlin. It was all about the legs and launch of the new perfect skin palette to ensure legs are looking great.
Kate Sheridan modelled and was more than once compared to Cristina Hendrick. Her red Diva dress from Divine Boutique looked stunning and the Shelina Falke tights ensured perfect legs. Divine are having their oh so popular seasonal fashion shows this Thursday in their boutique in Maynooth. Stylist Cathy O’Connor was on hand to wave her magic over the proceedings and we all agreed that we loved that these tights are not only comfortable and long lasting (if looked after) but that they have the effect of ‘airbrushing’ the legs.
If I’m the oldest blogger in town then Hannah Hawkshaw(15) who arrived must be the youngest!
If you want to have your Falke perfect skin colour match then this coming Saturday sees the experts on hand for a special customer event in Brown Thomasin Dublin. Falke perfect skin is launching nationwide in all Irish stockists including Arnotts and Clerys so no excuse not to have perfect, natural looking legs this Summer.
Surprisingly sunny out today, and perhaps the dawn of a Spring where it may be time to bare Irish legs. A horrifying thought to those of who us who rather spend our time in trousers and dark opaques. Last year saw a resurgence in nude tights, due in no small part to a certain Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. Skin coloured tights have once again become a saviour to any of us (many of us) whose skin tones are a little patchy to say the least.
Falke have developed an innovative range of skin coloured tight to match individual skin colouring. Flawless make-up naturally matches your skin, making your face appear radiant. Similarly Falke Skin Colours uses this same affect on your legs. The exciting range will be launched in Ireland on the 16th of April, and will be available in Falke stockists for the wishfully warm summer ahead.
According to Met Éireann, the average number of wet days ranges from 150 days a year along the east and south-east coasts of Ireland, to about 225 days a year in parts of the west. In other words we are most likely to get soaked going to work, shopping, walking the dogs in at least one out of every two days. Nevertheless it accounts for why Ireland is so beautifully green so we just grin and bare it. As a cyclist, it is a definite battle and challenge.
Happy Rainy Days developed their range to help us poor mortals stay dry. Their colourful Spring Summer collection has just started to hit the rails of a selection of Irish retailers for the first time. Stylish, functional and 100% waterproof it’s an exciting new offering to Irish customers who in that one day out of two want to be able to step outside and not worry about that umbrella. My daily commute has just got a little drier, April showers I fear you not.
Contact us at Harris Agencies for a stockist near you.
The last few weeks have been extremely busy. Such is the normal pattern in the life of a fashion agent. I’m also a part time blogger ( as you will have noticed) a mentor and a supporter of emerging Irish Designers. Right now I’m mid way through what’s commonly called the “selling season” and am in Fashion City in Dublin showingDivaCatwalkdressses Falke HosieryHappy Rainy Daysrainwear, Sonia PenaSpecial Occasion Wear, Electronic Sheepillustrative knitwear and Island of Your Own shirts. We also have our Irish Design Collectiverunning along side our collections with new designer Louise Rawlins RawArtChic and Pluck & DevourJewellery. If that sound like a lot, it is! I’ve got tremendous help from new intern Philippa Ryan who is a dab hand at everything and who keeps her cool when all around her are losing theirs.
Emma came back to do some modelling the other day and it was great to see her. The quickest changer in the history of modelling and always smiling
My partner and I are constantly engaged in offering advice for anyone who cares to ask. I don’t know how many people we have dissuaded over the years when they mentioned they were thinking of opening a boutique. Those who have listened, have, I hope benefitted from years of experience of selling to Irish fashion stores and boutiques. HarrisAgencies have just started a four-week pop up showroom in Fashion City in Dublin. Two weeks ago we realised that we had extra space for two weeks and decided to offer it to two Irish Designers who would compliment each other and use the experience to understand what the retailers needs are. Over the four-week period we will have lots of buyers coming to visit and we hope that RawArtChicandPluck&Devourwill benefit and that the experience will bring them some understanding of the commercial variables of the Business of Fashion. We are delighted to be able to support Irish business and believe strongly that it is only through sharing and truly caring that we can weather the long storm that is colloquially described as “the downturn”.
I’m incredibly busy setting up the showroom which is so exciting because we have given some space to young Irish designers but when I spotted this today whilst looking for something else (I get distracted easily!) I just had to share it with you. I’m a big person with an obsession for little things. My miniature teddy bear collection is testimony to that! This is beautiful keepsake jewellery. You take a fingerprint and send it to Jook &Nona and they make the necklace, ring, cufflinks or bracelet. There are necklaces with one, two or three prints and I would love one with my girls imprints on them. Such a great idea and executed in a very beautiful way.
There is usually a great disconnect between what is shown by designers and at high-end stores like HN and the rest of the fashion world. Not today as a selected audience arrived at HN in Dundrum to see and hear Paula Reed. Paula (ex Grazia magazine fashion editor) took up the position of Group Fashion Director for Harvey Nichols last September and was in Dublin today to present Spring Summer 2013. It was refreshing and interesting to listen to what Paula said as the models were presented today. Usually at these events all eyes are on the catwalk and there is less emphasis on what is said, but today there was rapt attention while Paula spoke words full of fashion insight and commercial nous.
Paula Reed
Her description of the peplum dress which she vowed was’ not going anywhere yet’ as a shape shifter was one I particularly liked. She mentioned that it is harder and harder in Ireland to sell a simple but well cut black dress and that colour was now de rigueur, that women were prepared to spend mostly on special occasion wear and that they were now dressing for their silhouette and less for a particular trend. This applies particularly to denim which has had a resurgence, especially in the prints, but that the days of the in-shape are well and truly gone. Wear what suits you seemed to be the mantra of the day, which in my book is oh so welcome.
It was great to see Irish Designers Susannagh Grogan whose beautiful silk scarves are now in HN and Paula Rowan whose sublime gloves are also in store. Irish label Fee g is well represented and HN decision to bring local designers into their regional stores is, I think, a very good move in line with my own personal ethos of supporting Irish fashion.
FeeG
Vivienne Westwood
Susannagh Grogan and Paula Rowan at Harvey Nichols 31/01/2013
