Irish designers ‘Kate&Ava’ will open a Christmas ‘pop-up’ shop in The Powerscourt Townhouse shopping centre in Dublin on Wednesday 1st December. Open throughout December, the shop will stock a wide range of pieces from the Kate&Ava Autumn Winter 2010 collection, an exclusive selection of the duo’s much loved party dresses, as well as occasion wear from Tyrrell and Brennan, great knitwear from Heather Finn and Gertrude Sampson, and tops from Helen James. Prices will range from €150-€320. With silk scarves and accessories from €30 there will also be an exciting selection of gift ideas.
One of Kate and Ava's gorgeous dresses on sale
What could be better than buying beautiful Christmas Cards and giving to the ISPCC at the same time. Head into Brown Thomas where they have some stunningly beautiful designer cards by some of the top designers.
Brown Thomas has worked closely with its top designer brands to produce a range of world exclusive designer Christmas cards featuring drawings from Victoria Beckham, Roberto Cavalli, Manolo Blahnik and Lulu Guinness, alongside images from Lanvin and Tiffany & Co. Purchase a set of three cards for €10 in Brown Thomas Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway and all proceeds will go to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC).
One of the must see movies of 2011 is going to be Black Swan and it’s set to be one of the most stylish movies of the year by all reports. Clothes were designed by the Mulleavy sisters better known as Rodarte. Rodarte is one of the most popular of all the catwalk shows at New York Fashion week and has a huge star studded following which includes Natalie Portman one of the main stars of the movie.
‘It was Portman, who stars as prima ballerina Nina Sayers in the film, that introduced the Mulleavy sisters to Aronofsky, a meeting which led to a commission to create 40 theatrical costumes. Most appear onstage in performances of Swan Lake, but the duo also went on to design much of the knitwear worn throughout the film, from leg and arm-warmers, to wrap-over cardigans and leotards’ (The Telegraph).
An invitation to come to Brown Thomas this morning to see the 12′ high Hermes Kelly Fantasy Bag was a good reason to get up early. In truth it’s one huge bag which houses an animation space that you can step into and watch a short film about Grace Kelly. The whole thing moves as it’s interactive and since I feel sick at the slightest movement I didn’t venture inside. I can see this being hugely fascinating to lots of children and adults alike. All a little bizarre at 8.30 on a miserable Wednesday morning. It’s in situ on the ground floor until November 14th to mark the opening of the Pop Up ‘Marvel Room’ which is the Brown Thomas answer to the problem of choosing Christmas gifts. Full of one off or limited edition pieces from lots of the top designers and with prices from €10 to ‘The skies the limit’ makes this worth a look.
The promised ‘Light Brekkie’ at this mornings event was fruit smoothies and pastries too yummy, some which looked like Hermes bags were too adorable to eat and I could only manage to ooh and aah. Good job I had a bowl of porridge before I left home! Coffee with Bairbre Power to catch up (we go way back) set me up for the day.
Biscuit Bags and Croissants
Jane Murray (8) and Sarah Morrissey today with the worlds largest bag.
Well the 16 million has gone but there’s always next week. Most weeks I do the Lotto, it’s the weekly dream, occupying serious ‘car driving thinking time’. I actually hold off checking the numbers to keep the dream alive and wonder if other people do the same? I say each week that I’d be really happy with a small win and that’s true but a big one? that’s a different dream altogether. I’ve promised one of my friends a trip to the Antarctic on an Ice Breaker. I’ve told her that if she gets a call from me and I say ‘book it’ she’ll know I won! Do you have lotto dreams and if so what are they? I also dream of buying one particular house. I pass it most days on the way home and even though I have never been inside there is something about it that I love. I have a pet charity dream too, one that would change lives and be going long after I depart. What are your lotto dreams? Is it the house, the holidays or just something very simple like no more money worries?
The reason I thought about this is the Yellow Diamond collection from Tiffany & Co that has just arrived in the Luxury Hall in Brown Thomas. Would I go there? You bet I would….
Yellow Diamond Bezet Stack Tifffany & Co (no price at all)
Yesterday I spent the afternoon at the Leopardstown Races before setting up for the Press day today in the Shelbourne Hotel for Yummie Tummie. It was a welcome break in the business of fashion and I couldn’t help noticing a real nip in the air so my cashmere coat and scarf, hat and gloves were welcome additions.
Picking a Winner
Today started at 5am so right now I’m running on empty! The venue was TV am and the plan was that Heather Thomson would do a live interview showing the new collection from Yummie Tummie and was to flag the customer event in Brown Thomas this afternoon. Through a tech glitch at the very last minute this didn’t go out live but will go out in the next few days. ( I was tweeting all day to let customers know!) One of the models got lost and had to be rescued from Fashion City in the dark. The shoes were all wrong but with a bit of juggling it was quickly sorted and there was so much dust that I started an allergy attack which I’ve been battling all day. All in a days work you could say and so when I finally arrived at the Shelbourne just as Heather Thomson had finished her first press presentation I was greeted by a face I hadn’t seen since my school days and one that I instantly recognised. It was Bairbre Power, Fashion Editor of the Independent Newspaper. I had spoken to her on the phone in the past few months when she had reminded me of school days and we kept missing each other at various fashion events but we were like long lost pals today.
It was brilliant to see other fellow bloggers and friends today, the beautiful Angela Scanlon, who featured in a great piece in the Holy Grail, the Sunday Times Style Magazine last week. What She Wears.ie, the brilliant Irish Online Fashion Magazine. The enigmatic Maria Fusco who now has her own blog, is active on Facebook and who always inspires me and the brilliantly tallented and always calm stylist Cathy O’Connor. The press over the next few days will be interesting to follow but it looks like we had a really great reaction from everyone who came.
Heather Thomson Yummie Tummie founder and Maria Fusco
Everyone looking Yummie today!
Heather Thomson and Marketing Director Kristy Watson who worked like Trojans all day are now on their way to London as part of their European Press tour. They enthused us all with their energy, passion and professionalism promoting a really great and unique product which has no equal. There is a competition running until Sunday in Brown Thomas. If you try on a Yummie Tummie you will be entered to win 7 Yummie Tummies, one for each day of the weeek!! So get in, try one one and if you aren’t already a fan you soon will be!
Cathy and Aoife from PR Boutique have been working with me on the Press day for Yummie Tummie which starts at 5 am tomorrow. Heather Thomson, stylist to the stars and Yummie Tummie founder (with spades of American business energy) is in town to dazzle us with all the gossip from LA . Watch TV am tomorrow for all the latest updates on how the amazing Yummie Tummie works into your everyday wardrobe. For me it’s a coredrobe ‘go to’ item every day. Whether its a cami, top, pants or sexy teddie, I’ve now got used to the security and the smoothing down of all those lumps and bumps. I’m not the only one ,as lots of my fashion friends and serious stylists tell me they also wear them, as do lots of the buyers I meet on my travels. Yummie Tummie is no secret it’s a garment that’s good looking enough to shout out about.
If you want to meet Heather and her team head to Brown Thomas in Dublin tomorrow between 3-5pm. There is a terrific competition running until next Sunday all you have to do is try on a YummieTummieand swipe your BT card. You will be in with a chance of winning ‘7 Yummie Tummies’, one for each day of the week!!
This is one of the new 'Invisibles' with the shaping panel inside!
Today found me in town which is unusual for a Saturday unless it’s to the market in Temple Bar. Next Tuesday is Press day for Yummie Tummie with a visit from Heather Thomson, stylist and founder of Yummie Tummie and I needed to pop into Brown Thomas to double check some last minute details. On a whim I decided to get my hair cut. It’s been a total disaster since my impetuous nature resulted in a local hairdresser taking it from long to an uneven short in the space of ten minutes a few weeks ago. Ever since I have been taking the kitchen scissors to it and attempting to ‘fix’ the escalating problem. I headed to salon Oslo in the Georges Arcade and I must say I’m very happy with the result. I went into Om Diva to say hi to the always smiling owner Ruth at around 6pm just in time to bump into the fabulous Michael Leong, Milliner extraordinaire and uber talented hair stylist. Last week Michael had been working on Louise Kennedy’s latest collection and the images on his Facebook page look stunning. He really liked my hair and that’s high praise indeed. Michael was gathering interesting things (I have to say things) for a secret assignment which will become crystal clear in the next two weeks but one which I am sworn to secrecy about for now. I’m going to stop here for risk of letting something slip.
Here is a great video of Michael Leongs Little Black Hat Photo Shoot 2010
Now I keep bumping into lots of people who tell me they read my blog andI know who you are. I know for example that there is a person in Beijing well known to me who pops by and a fellow Fashion agent in the UK who is a regular reader. So, friends and regular readers, next time you drop by please leave a comment however brief.
I have always been pleasantly surprised by the Jesire line which is exclusive to Brown Thomas and available in Cork, Dublin, Limerick and BT2 in Blanchardstown I loved the Spring Summer collection so was looking forward to the Autumn Winter offer. At first glance it was hard to fall in love but on closer inspection I was easily converted. Especially since the price points remain competitive and good value. There are three collections in the Jesire stable, Mainline, Red and Boutique. They tick all the seasons trends including, ladylike, bows, 50′s tailoring, silk blouses and lots of good outerwear. For this season there is a special edition collection of 10 LBDresses from the archive which are a really interesting point of difference. Here are just a few of my favorites…..
I have spent the last few days taking part in the September Masterclass, style events taking place in all Brown Thomas stores. Hence the lack of blogs as I drove to various parts of the country and talked Hosiery trends on behalf of Falke to any one who was prepared to listen. In Galway and Limerick I interjected as models paraded up and down the fashion floor showing the latest fa from D&G, DVF, Armani and Marc by Marc Jacobs. I managed to double job by whipping out the camera while perplexed customers looked on, the results of which are below. The staff in each of the stores are without a doubt some of the most professional and passionate shop assistants, lovers of all things fashion who delighted in telling me exactly what their favorite pieces were and what they thought of this seasons trends.
Marc by Marc Jacobs
The famous Houlihans by J Brand
I love this Cardi/Jkt from DVF
Tights by Falke from AutumnWinter 2010 collection
Tan Satchel and Black Clutch Marc Jacobs, sparkly clutch Anya Hindmarch
DVF velvet wrap dress with Shelina tights from Falke
Houlihans with Shoe Boots by Kurt Keiger
All Clothes Shoes bags and hosiery available from Brown Thomas Limerick
Press releases pop into my email box at an enormous rate ,something I hadn’t at all figured on when I started this blog. I try to speed read through them all lest I miss something truly incredible. One I missed from last year was an invitation to a dinner at which Lady Gaga was a guest (and no, it was real, I saw the pics after) which I only looked at when it was too late to change my ticket to LFW!
Today I spotted one from Brown Thomas (and as I’m heading very early tomorrow morning to Galway to share what I know about Hosiery and Falke in particular to anyone who will listen), I opened it. Surprise to find that their Christmas shop in the Dublin store is opening this Friday!!!! What? I hadn’t even begun to think about Halloween yet, not until I opened a second email from Etsy and saw these pictures that cheered me up no end . No I don’t want to know anything about Santa, Sleighs, snow men or anything with bells or baubles on it…..
