Zoe Wong - Gepetto

Gepetto

Fancy crowdfunding a new Irish fashion collection? Dublin boutique owner and Parsons grad Zoe Wong is launching her debut line of ethereal frocks at this summer's Kilkenny Arts Festival. By donating as little as €10, you can participate in the birth of a new homegrown fashion name. Rewards range from signed sketches to custom tailored gowns. CLICK HERE for more info, or why don't you pop into Horse & June on Drury Street for a chat with the lovely lady herself. Don't miss out!

Horse & June, 22 Drury Street, Dublin 2. Ph: 01 672 9748. www.horseandjune.wordpress.com.

Helen Steele

I had the pleasure of working on a recent shoot with artist/stylist/designer Helen Steele who kindly gifted me with this amazing cuff. I first became aquainted with her work at a Harvey Nichols fashion show which she produced based on a six day play of Austrian artist Herman Nitch. The chainsaw-wielding clowns and paint-strewn catwalk had me hooked. If you've got an eye for art, log on to her website for a peek at her Donnie Darko-inspired acrylic on perspex offerings. Accessory hawks be sure to pop in to Harvey Nichols from December 1st where Helen's cuffs will be selling for €150 with all proceeds going to Crumlin Children's Hospital.

Merle O'Grady

I've been more than obsessed with Merle O'Grady's finger bling since interviewing her for Style Nation last February at LFW AW/10 11. Apart from having a stellar client list including Cheryl Cole, Florence Welch and Rihanna, the Dublin native has some serious styles in store for SS/11 that are bound to impress. Think pylons and industrial fittings parlayed in pops of pastel colours. I've pre-ordered a pom pom ring from the collection and was also seen sporting an AW 11/12 sample during LFW last week. It's been super papped by London's street style photographers so prepare to remember where you saw it first!

Merle O'Grady ring
Photo courtesy of You in Red Dress
www.youinreddress.blogspot.com

Sheika Chic

A few weeks ago I Blog alerted you all to the outre sauvage-ness of Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned of Quatar and her tone-on-tone maxi dresses. Rihanna must have gotten wind of Sheikha's megawatt style and decided she wanted a piece of this here fashion monarchy. Fancy a it yourself? Check out Asos.com. Turbans not included...

Veda - Stars Edge

The Irish music scene is starting to excite me again. Not only do we have the electro-poptastic Bitches With Wolves; but drag legend Veda Beaux Reves has just released her eargasmic album - Stars Edge! The tracklist will make you want to girate around your handbag in a pair of Pigalle stilettos while knocking back shots of Patron with nothing but a hot man holding your wrists. No mean feat; neither is this record. Buy it or be left sitting at home watching I'm a Celebrity...

P.S. - my bet is on 'Miss You Much (Just a Tad)' hitting the airwaves first.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

I'm feeling pretty smug right now. After many a year investing in lotions and potions, I've finally found the Holy Grail of foundation - NARS Sheer Glow. Fêted earlier this year at New York Fashion Week (Marc Jacobs anyone?), the satin finish foundation finally hits our shelves on September 1st with its modest sidekick - Sheer Matte. I'm all sorts of giddy about the instant air-brushed quality it gives to the skin. As I'm heading down to 'The Kingdom' this Sunday to judge the Rose of Tralee Best Dressed Lady Competition, I shall be a pinnacle of polish and poise. Love it? Much.

Get that sheer glow on September 1st from Brown Thomas counters nationwide. Price: €34.

Lamé- the New Sequins

Just when the AW09 trends hit the rails, people like me start complaining. I'm sorry but I'm kind of done with the whole sequin shtick already. Maybe it's the posthumous MJ association; or the fact that every Menkes, Schulman and Wintour will be rocking the trend but I'm having none of it. Instead I've opted for these bitchin' lamé capri pants in 70s-tastic paisley. Loud? Perhaps. Pair it with a tailored black blazer and you've got instant outre appeal. I'm trial-running these at Saturday's Fashion Bloggers' Brunch. Accessorised with fruit and a mimosa - how very louche!

Xpose - Star Buy

Tune into Xpose tonight (TV3; 6pm) where Glenda and I talk about this week's 'Star Buy'. Hint? Prepare to channel your inner rock chick. This one is B-I-G for AW09. Oh - and the 'shoulders are the new boobs' quip comes compliments of fellow blogger and style seer Angela Scanlon!

Sunday Love In

Whether you're nursing a Saturday hangover, tucking into a roast or flatlining to the Eastenders Omnibus (p.s. what gives with Stacey's hair?), remember one thing- Maser Loves U. It's true. If you believe the graffiti snogging our city's building facades, Mr. Maser is crushing majorly on us lot. I feel a t-shirt collaboration somewhere in the ether. Gotta be some slogan love somewhere for our favourite tagster.

Toreador Chic

I blame it on Jean Paul Gaultier. I wouldn't have such an obsession with Toreador chic if he didn't catwalk sexy Spanish look every haute couture season. His 2009 ode to the bullfighter which featured razor-sharp tuxedo jackets, lace toreador trousers, hooped skirts and dresses suspended on straps of filigree was by far his strongest show yet. But what of menswear? After gushing Monday night at Culloden House's showing of Carmen the opera for all the wrong reasons (ie: Escamillo's bum in those tight trousers) I got to thinking - could bullfighting style cues be the next trend? Think of it - the embellished epaulettes and strong shoulders of a Toreador jacket are far more fashion-forward than standard military garb which is punted out every season. Surely the lads would benefit from some spicy bling. After all, every woman loves a man in uniform. Ole!

Pic: courtesy of Paris Rive Gauche

Alena Akhmadullina

Not dissimilar to Wunderkind was Russian designer Alena Akhmadullina's equine theme. Combining the symbolism of the horse tails with references from the tales of A.S. Pushkin, Akmadullina created a cleverly avant-garde collection. Models demonstrated the power of warrior women in their stallion manes and runway canter; not to mention the horse hair which decorated shoulder epaulettes, engorged dresses and acted as tails on trousers (see: right). It kind of reminds me of SS09 Margiela - only less sinister! In keeping with last season's Eastern folk trend, folkloric printed shifts (very Mary Katarantzou) and loose crescent-shouldered coats bound by leather warrior cuffs curried favour to the past. Peacocks also made a sophomore appearance to that of Giambattista Valli in prints and necklaces; with colours running a similar gamut to Dries Van Noten in cherry brown, mustard and dark blue. Definitely another one for the 'one to watch' list.

Wunderkind

The best Paris Fashion Week memories are always the unexpected ones. As I was daydreaming today (erm...working), I couldn't help but think back on Wunderkind's RTW collection. The German label treated its audience to a pret-a-porter of naturalism and abstract art. Oversized dressage hats paired with fitted riding coats anchored the collection with geometric jockey squares and animal screenprints clinching the equestrian pastoral look. Square shaped tunics, pinched shoulders, cone jodphurs and rectangular box pleats kept true to abstract art inspiration while backwards-wrapped obi coats, exaggerated skirts and structural use of draping showed real design prowess. Although I failed to earwig on thoughts from Vogue fashion features editor Harriet Quick who was seated beside me, I'm sure her presence speaks volumes of the label's growing potential.

I Blog Predicts - Dejan Despotovic

Belgrade may not exactly spring to mind as a fashion hub but this former war-torn capital is beginning to produce some seriously avant-garde talent. Take Dejan Despotovic whose Cimmerian menswear collections have won kudos at both Belgrade and Berlin fashion weeks. At only 22 years old, this no mean feat. As a stylist for the Serbian edition of Elle magazine, I Blog predicts some Dejan Vu in the future. Check out his A/W09 collection below:

Image Credits:
Photographer : Marko Sovilj http://markosovilj.com
Model: Florian Pessenteiner @ Larapixie talent agency
Hair/Make-up: Dragan Vurdelja www.draganvurdelja.com
Clothes: Dejan Despotovic
Styling: Dejan Despotovic @ Larapixie talent agency www.larapixie.com