Who would have guessed that Kate Winslet is linked with Ennis. Well we all know that Mohammad Ali has close links with the Fashion Capital of Ireland but now it seems we can add Kate Winslet to the list (or at least one of her handbags) A Prada bag to be precise. Not only did she send said bag, but also a poster of the movie Titanic signed by Kate and Leonardo Di Caprio.
Prada bag courtesy of Kate Winslet
The organisers of Ennis Fashion Week are holding a Fashion show next week on the 18th March. It’s being held in Glor with pre- show drinks and exhibition stands, tickets are 25euro each. Proceeds are going to The Haven Partnership for Haiti which has been working building houses in Haiti for the past nine years and which has risen to meet the huge challenge following the devastating earthquake.
To tie in with the Fashion Show and to raise as much money as possible Kate Winslet’s Prada bag plus the signed poster which arrived yesterday are up for grabs.
The Prada bag will be raffled at the Fashion Show. For 20euro per entry you hand in your mobile number and you can enter as many times as you want. One number will be drawn at the end of the evening and whoever gets the call gets to bag the bag! Bidding starts at 9.00am on Thursday 11th March for the poster and ends on the 18th March. Phone 00353 86 2222274 to place your bid….Good Luck
If you’re wondering what you might do over the Easter Bank Holiday week-end, 2nd, 3rd and 4th of April and love the City of Kilkenny ( and lets face it who doesn’t) then this just might be for you. A three day Festival organised by fellow Fashion blogger and Interiors and Fashion writer Blanaid Hennessy.
The Beautiful Blanaid Hennessy Photo by Eoin Hennessy www.ehp.ie
Absolut Style at SET ( the new fabulous theatre at Langtons Hotel) will have three days of Vintage Fashion, furniture and films, along with makeovers, style talks, live photoshoots and performances followed by fun nights out. All in association with Absolut Vodka.
Inside SET at Langtons Kilkenny
For further details contact Blanaid Hennessy (083) 3346996
1) I don’t usually post about brands that I have a business interest in but I’m going to make an exception today. Shape-wear is BIG business and Yummie Tummie is going from strength to strength helped along by stylist/designer Heather Thomson who is unique in the fashion world having come up with a completely new product. Brown Thomas in Dublin are planning a new Shape wear boutique with Yummie Tummie one of three anchor brands. New for fall and coming soon to Ireland are the simply amazing leggings which make not only your tummy but your legs slimmer! Turtle neck and long sleeve T-s with the ‘hold you in’ bit on the inside
2) Style Sample Magazine is a great online and print magazine for Fashion Bloggers. This is the place to read all the information you need if you are thinking about starting your own blog and a great resource for bloggers. You can contribute or just use it to check out what’s happening. Click here to read Issue 5. Issue 6 is available from next Tuesday. Style Sample Magazine
3) The Telegraph Newspapers hardest working and most knowledgeable Fashion Editor Hilary Alexander offers her Top 10 Fashion rules for the Oscars tonight and how to rise to the top in the Fashion Stakes. Hilary Alexander’s Top 10 Oscar Fashion Rules
4) Here is the Burberry Womenswear Catwalk show that was live streamed at London Fashion Week. Check out the fabulous jackets and new bags
There was great excitement in the town of Portlaoise this evening as Heidi Higgins opened her Couture Design Studio. I travelled by train from Dublin to be there and was delighted with what I found. Heidi Higgins has hit the world of Irish Fashion design in a whirlwind with several feature articles in the Press and Fashion Editors writing great reviews. A very young designer with a mature outlook and a huge amount of talent should translate into a huge success. Heidi built up a large fan base during her time in The Loft in Dublin but has now taken the decision to continue to build the business from her home base where she can design, sell and interact with customers. Consolidating and building are what can take a small business to the next stage and this move should enable that development.
Heidi’s dresses are easy to wear during the day yet certainly stylish enough to go to any special event. They are cut as only experienced designers can cut and the fabrics are the very best from around the world. By visiting Heidi’s studio you can find out a little of what goes into the design process.
Working in beautifully cut fabrics using striking colours of Jade, Blackberry purple, hot pink, Lemon and Ocean Blue and providing a bespoke service at reasonable prices adds up to a really fantastic range of dresses and Jackets for this Spring Summer. I have already picked my Summer Dress from the collection which appeals to my Mad Men fixation and which Heidi will make a little longer for me. I also loved the great selection of fabulously practical work wear/laptop bags from Penelope & Parker in luxury leather which are also on sale.
The train ride from Dublin was a very comfortable hour long journey and the Boutique/Studio which houses Heidi’s full collection is a stones throw from the train station. Here are some of the pictures I managed to take before we all headed around the corner to Jim’s Country Kitchen to listen to live music, sip prosecco and eat some tasty morsels. It’s a hard life this Fashion Business !!!!
Heidi Higgins
Penelope&Parker Workwear/Laptop Bag
Heidi Higgins Store & Studio No 27 Church Street Portlaoise Ireland T. +353 (0)57 868 9027 Bespoke Items can be tailored to specification
Sharon Beatty’s Maven Boutique on Dublin’s Aungier Street has gathered a huge following for the beautiful designer labels she has brought to her delightful emporium. One of the exclusive designer labels she carries is from Dublin bornSian Jacobs. Sian designs beautiful cashmere and cashmere/silk knitwear. With an emphasis on detail and in beautiful colours Sian’s Spring Summer collection is a gorgeous collection of luxurious pieces that with care will be worn and cherished over and over.
Inside Maven Boutique
I dropped into Maven and Sharon very kindly showed me some of the new arrivals on the rails……….
Maven Boutique is situated at 64 Aungier Street ( five minutes from Grafton Street) Telephone no. 00353 1 4789226
I can always time to read even if it’s just a few minutes a day and I love nothing more than curling up with the latest Fashion Magazine and then onto the novel of the moment. My taste in magazines has changed over the years and I don’t know if any body who is reading this remembers Jackie? It was a step up from the Beano and the Dandy and had us girls feeling uber cool. I remember a free (purple) ring that came with it one week and I though I was the bees knees wearing it! It had fashion for girls and a problem page, mostly to do with acne and boyfriend problems, if I remember rightly?
Today my coffee table is full of Vogue, Pop and Love Magazine and the Spring Summer Elle Collections. The novel I’ve just started is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantell and I’m listening to The Road by Cormac Mc Carthy on my Iphone (while travelling).
The Naomi Version of Love magazine
My Good Charma bounty on 'Fashionista' A Century of Style Icons (published by Prestel)
Inside 'Elle Collections' Spring Summer 2010
A gift from London Fashion Week (liqueur, I think?)
Only three more days to the end of the competition and you’re in with a great chance to win those fab gloves from Paula Rowan. Just register and add a comment before Saturday evening.
Last week Paula Rowan launched her Spring Summer Collection of leather gloves, bags and shoes at her leather emporium in Dublin’s Westbury Mall. Paula is the leather goods expert in Ireland with a fantastic selection of high quality leather goods. Watch here to see an interview I did with Paula in her shop…..
Don’t forget to enter the competition to win a fabulous pair of gloves from Paula Rowan. Just register and leave a comment, only 5 days left to be in with a chance!
1. Lily Allen has been saying for sometime that she is giving up her Music Career (or at least putting it on hold) to go into the Business of Fashion. Well, she’s launching her own Vintage label “Lucy In Disguise” at the Goodwood Fashion-meets Glam-Music Festival in the UK August 13-15. Lily said she would be sourcing the clothing with her sister Sarah Owen
The Festival, the first of it’s kind is the brain child of Wayne Hemingway and his wife, founders of label Red or Dead . The idea is to marry vintage with music from the 40’s 50’s 60’s and 70’s and 80’s. Simple a brilliant idea in an ideal location. To book tickets for this first of a kind festival click here… Goodwood
At the Launch of the Goodwood Festival and Lilly Allen's move into Fashion
2. Until the Mid 90’s Milan was the heart and centre of power of all the Fashion Capitals of the world. It seems as if this is certainly not true any more. Anna Wintour cut short the amount of time she spent there, more like a Fashion long week-end than a week! Read what the Guardian Newspaper reported about Milan during the week.
3 From Style.com read the report from the Burberry Prosum fantastic Catwalk show at London Fashion Week. I’m starting to save for one of these jackets right now.
Burberry Prosum Catwalk at LF 23rd February 2010
4. Closer to home, Paula Rowan had a fantastic launch of her Spring Summer Leather Shoes, Gloves and Bag collections last Thursday. Among the guests were Deirdre Mc Quillan, Richard Lewis, Eddie Shanahan and Barry Egan. There were over 200 people there who ate drank and were definitely merry… My interview with Paula will be uploaded in the next day or two so you can take a look for yourself.
I can’t pass an art gallery without looking in the window and I was stopped in my tracks today on Dublin’s Clarendon Street. The Keeling Gallery run by Vincent Keeling has some really great paintings and prints but it was a collection of bow ties painted in acrylic by Jack Kirwan and costing 65 euro each that really stood out.
So now I can wear an original work of art on my neck and with a white shirt, tuxedo and black pants I’ll be a work of walking art myself!
I’ve often thought that If Oprah walked into my living room we’d have lots to chat about. The fact that she has struggled with her weight and discussed it openly for several years. Ok, maybe we’re a tad tired about the whole weight thing but from experience it does take up a lot of thinking time if you have, like me had (or have )problems with eating and controlling your weight. Up to twelve years ago I was constantly obsessed with food and very overweight. I somehow moved out of that and into a much healthier lifestyle and have managed to keep it up ever since (give or take a few pounds here and there). For anyone who wants to know I love the Low Gl diet as it’s a diet for life full of all the foods that a) I love to eat and b) are good for me!
Here’s Oprah talking about her weight issues…..
Having just come back from London Fashion Week where most of the models still look emaciated bar the few plus size models (that’s over an English size 12!!) I read that Oprah is auctioning her wardrobe on ebay starting March 1st. This is for her South African Charity and since it is Oprah will feature clothes of varying sizes. So if you want to take a look at what’s on offer or make a bid just click here Oprah’s Wardrobe Auction
This month I will be giving away a pair of Italian leather gloves by Paula Rowen. All you have to do is register and leave a comment. The competition is open to anyone, anywhere and will run for three weeks.
