Dublin Fashion Festival

I'm a bit tardy in posting this but hopefully this shall reach you all in time for tomorrow. If you haven't already made it down to Dublin's Dawson Street to check out the Fashion Festival HQ - get your skates on folks! There's just one more day of fashion shows, make-up demonstrations and general sartorial shenanigans afoot. I had the pleasure of giving a talk on wardrobe editing this afternoon to a lovely audience and also got to watch Sonya Lennon in action as she hosted one of the many catwalk presentations. For further information, log onto www.dff.ie or check out Dublin Fashion Festival on Facebook and @DublinFashion for regular Twitter updates. Oh, rumour has it there's some DFF cocktail action happening in town as we speak. (Cue: hasty exit.)

Studying my notes this morning before my talk.

Sonya Lennon hosting one of the many DFF catwalk shows.

Jude Nabney and Theo in 'Heritage'.

Ireland Does the September Issue

It's pretty damn hot when Irish fashion hits Vogue, let alone the hallowed September Issue. It's damn near incandescent when captured by Mario Testino. Prepare to come over all patriotic as Joanne Hynes' iconic crystal neckpiece is featured in a Master Class on Antwerp austerity; with Vogue Spy giving the Galway girl's embellished tee a manicured thumbs up. Who needs Paddy's Day when we've got talent like this!

COS It's a Snip at €89

Ohhhh behold the glory that is COS. Trust our Swedish fashion friends to turn out a Lanvin-inspired guna for the more streamlined of bank accounts. Although Alber Elbaz gets our fantasy frock vote, this asymmetric drape dress with drop shoulder steals our hearts at a mere €89. Nice one.

COS A/W 11 €89

Lanvin A/W 11 courtesy of Colline Michaelis @ Style.com

Coco Chanel: A Life

Yesterday evening I attended the Literary Supper Club in Wilde - The Restaurant at Dublin's Westbury Hotel. Hosted by The Gloss magazine, the intimate gathering was made extra special by fellow guest and author of the recently published Coco Chanel, A Life - Justine Picardie. It was fascinating to receive such a privileged insight into an author's writing process and to learn how research led her to become suffused into every detail of Garbrielle's life. The book is available at Dubray Books (support your indie!) and all good bookshops nationwide and internationally. Coco Chanel, A Life by Justine Picardie, €14.99.

Win €150 Voucher for Freedom Clothing

Freedom Clothing, Galway is giving away a €150 voucher to spend in store on any of their men’s or women’s clothing. All you need to do is like Freedom Clothing on Facebook and finish the following sentence “I like Freedom Clothing because...” in less than 20 words. Post your answer on their wall before 5th June. The best chosen entry will win.  Terms and Conditions apply. Join Freedom Clothing on Facebook for details. 

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Freedom Clothing: 10 Abbeygate Street, Galway. Ph: 091-865 989

Barry and Shelley O'Bama do Dublin

Courtesy of the Brown Thomas display windows. Love it!

Wall & Keogh

This weekend, my friend Karina and I popped into one of my favourite cafes Wall & Keogh. Located on Dublin South Richmond Street (just across from the George Bernard Shaw), this organic tea room isn't just a repository for Rooibos,Camomile and Earl Grey blends; it also has a surprising fashion element. Sit inside at one of the four tables which bear the likeness of famous faces such as Jackie O and Twiggy; or take a pot of Irish Cream and Liver Replenisher as we did (one of us went out the previous night; the other didn't) and relax on an old bedframe strewn with cowhide pillows while listening to some chill out tunes. Oh, and they also sell sushi! This place is very new and under the radar at the moment, but something tells me the latter is set to change.

Grab a 'scald' @ 45 Sth Richmond St, Portobello, D2. Tel: 01 475 9052 or LIKE them on Facebook.

P.S. This is I Blog Fashion's 800th post. Let's drink a cuppa to that!

From their FB page

Groovy tables - from their FB page

Joanne Hynes Accessories

Fashion gets an injection of the exotic thanks to Joanne Hynes’ new accessory collection. Influenced by her homes in India and Ireland, the line of handbags and neckpieces bear a distinctly artisan hallmark in its combination of textures from calfskin and crystal to ethnic style bearding and metal piping work. Hynes’ signature edgy elegance is ever present with fluro box formations, mock croc and silver foil as standard. Get a taste of this ‘Automated Glamour’ @ www.joannehynes.com and  on Joanne's OWJO site for Facebook. CLICK HERE to enter!

Queen Mother Skull Neckpiece €195

Queen Mary Necklace €160

Symmetric Butterfly Necklace €220

Snail Trail Necklace €220

Butterfly 2 Necklace €220

Butterfly Belt €220

Metatron Belt €220

Maximus Clutch €245

Sucker Clutch €245

 

Slashstroke Magazine

A special shout out to David at Slashstroke Magazine whose created these electric illustrations of the Joanne Hynes / Helen Steele AW/11 show. Please do pop by and pay a visit to the blog which also features similar show notes from Irish talent such as Simone Rocha; not to mention some saavy skeletonized street style sketches.

All images courtesy of Slashstroke Magazine

Dot Cotton and Mother's Day - Sun, April 3rd

Looking for that Mother's Day present for the woman who has everything? Why not try Dot Cotton – Cork’s latest clothing concept store. Customers are invited to adapt existing in-house designs or to create their own across fair trade, organic cotton t-shirts, track pants and hoodies. Avail of Dot Cotton’s free in-store design service and create your own Mother's Day designs from just €20!  Get your little one's drawings printed on a t-shirt and create a wearable keepsake! “Oh, I say!” Info:  18B French Church St. Cork; 021 422 2244; www.dot-cotton.com.

The Fashion Motto - Lovita Graham

I had the pleasure of meeting fashion blogger, writer and photographer Lovita Graham backstage at London Fashion Week. She took some amazing shots of the Joanne Hynes / Helen Steele show and also ran a great Q&A with Joanne too. These shots were taken of me on the cobbles of Somerset House. Not bad considering I hadn't slept for...at that stage...30 hours! I'd like to thank Lovita for featuring me and would urge you to visit her blog The Fashion Motto for a look at fashion's female innovators. A x

Image: Robert Pugsley @ TheFashionMotto.com

Joanne Hynes / Helen Steele AW/11 - Les Guerriers

The Joanne Hynes / Helen Steele collaborative label launched this season at London Fashion Week with its inaugural AW/11 collection entitled 'Les Guerriers'.  Drawing inspiration from the West of Ireland, pirate queen Grainne Ni Mhuiel (Grace O’Malley) and Steele's frenetic paintings, the result is a celebration of bravery; celebrating the empowerment of art fashion. It's been an enormous honour to style this collection and to interpret the vision of two inspiring and fearless women. Enjoy the show shots below - all by photographer Brian O'Sullivan.