Fashion News and Features - Mens and Ladies Fashion

Rixo showcase vibrant colours in Goa-inspired collection at London Fashion Week

The necklines were lower and the hemlines were definitely shorter than the late queen would ever have worn.

‘Marilyn’ retro-inspired one-piece and ‘Olivia’ pure silk cape in Schiller print from Mona Swims. Picture: Carla Johnson

Style notes: Metallic swimwear from Mona Swims, pre-loved looks for Oxfam, and the Longines Designer Award winner

While the rest of us are concentrating on coats and boots for the impending winter and more monsoon weather, there are a lucky few shopping for swimwear and resortwear.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the official opening of the Penneys Store in The Square in Tallaght today. Photo by Steve Humphreys

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Move over Micheál, it's not you they’re queueing for – crowds gather for ‘few bits’ as Taoiseach opens Tallaght Penneys

The crowds had gathered early, and the queue stretched all the way out into the car park. The Taoiseach was due any moment at The Square, the iconic shopping centre in the sprawling south Dublin suburb of Tallaght. But those who waited patiently in a well-marshalled line were not here for Micheál Martin.

Nicola Coughlan at The Met Gala in New York. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

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How Nicola Coughlan made red-carpet dressing exciting again

It is easy to pinpoint the moment when Nicola Coughlan first appeared on the style set’s radar.

Queen Elizabeth with President Mary McAleese at Dublin Castle in 2011. The queen wore an evening gown featuring 2,091 hand-sewn embroidered shamrock motifs. Photo: Frank McGrath

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Even on occasions when she could not be heard, Queen Elizabeth II let her fashion choices do the talking

SHE was no slave to fashion, but Queen Elizabeth liked to dress with a message. Over her 70-year reign, the British monarch had astute eye for sartorial diplomacy.

Urban Aran cardigan in pure fine merino, €325. Picture: Andres Poveda

Style notes: Christine Murphy’s Aran-inspired knits, Parisian glamour from H&M, and a Vonnie Reynolds documentary

Urban Aran: the clues are in the brand name. Christine Murphy, founder of the independent, Irish knitwear brand, is influenced by urban street art in all its forms and loves nothing more than deconstructing an Aran style and translating it into natural fibres.

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Fast-fashion fallout: ‘I was being led by trends and had a wardrobe of really low-quality clothes that made me feel like I had nothing to wear’

As a society, we are becoming increasingly aware of the harmful effects of fast fashion on our planet. While we get bombarded daily with social media ads and discount codes, our craving for a good deal is waning. The way we shop is changing, and for good reason. According to the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, the fashion industry was responsible for 8-10pc of global carbon emissions in 2019. This is more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined in that year.

Thalia Heffernan. Picture: Caroline Quinn

Thalia Heffernan moves to New York after signing with top modelling agency

Irish model Thalia Heffernan is moving to New York City.

Fashion designer Richard Quinn. “I was really obsessed with fashion growing up, especially in my teenage years, and I think when you’re passionate about something and interested in it, you’ll find a way."

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London Irish design star Richard Quinn: ‘You can map the mood of an era through the style of the florals’

When Nicola Coughlan arrived at the Met Gala in May wearing an embroidered, feathered, pink and black ballgown and matching cape, the fashion world was ablaze with excitement over designer Richard Quinn’s latest triumph.

Luxury tone-on-tone dressing from Clare Holden’s White Night store

Style notes: This autumn keep an eye out for luxe designs made to to last, and a modern twist on nostalgic flats

Farewell to August and hello to newness. And there’s plenty of it, especially from Irish fashion and lifestyle brands on the retail landscape that boast lots of luxury touches .

Brown Thomas on Grafton Street. Photgraph: Arthur Carron

Affected Brown Thomas customers offered 20pc discount after orders cancelled over ‘pricing error’

Brown Thomas is set to offer customers who were impacted by a “pricing error" on its website, 20pc off their next order by way of compensation.

Jacket (€1,800) and trousers (€600) in a French gold tweed from Carolyn O’Sullivan’s ‘Not Just For One Day’ collection. Picture: Patrick McHugh

Style notes: Carolyn O’Sullivan’s rewearable bridal looks, Aisling Kavanagh's bow details, and DIY hair tools from Mairead Ronan

Talented designer Carolyn O’Sullivan started her business, Not Another White Dress, to challenge the stranglehold white dresses had on the bridal sector. Since launching her studio, she has succeeded in giving brides lots of thought-provoking colourful options.

The ‘Marnie’ houndstooth dress by Heidi Higgins, who used the We Make Good manufacturing service

Fashion rebirth: New season marks the renaissance of Irish clothing manufacturing

Ireland’s fashion designers unveiled their new autumn-winter collections yesterday, and beyond all the pops of colour and new silhouettes there was an uplifting story that couldn’t be missed : fashion manufacturing is back on home turf.

Independent accessories designer, DJ and conceptual artist Margaret O’Connor. Photo: Arthur Carron

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What to wear to a festival when you’re not in your twenties

The question of what to wear to a festival — much like Halloween, nights out or daily life — hits differently when you’re no longer 22. Thanks to Alexa Chung, Kate Moss and Sienna Miller, music festivals (aka parties across 600 acres of divots) have grown synonymous with aggressively fashion-forward choices, ranging from the revealing to the unconventional, which doesn’t necessarily sit well with those of us who feel uncomfortable with glitter.

Linda Evangelista, who appears in the September issue of British Vogue Photo: Steven Meisel/PA Wire

Linda Evangelista reveals why she tried cosmetic procedure that left her ‘deformed’: ‘I’m a little vain’

Linda Evangelista has spoken candidly about why she decided to undergo the cosmetic surgery procedure that she claimed left her “permanently deformed”.

The ‘Nala’ dress, €259, from Caroline Kilkenny’s AW22 collection. Picture: Kenny Whittle

Style notes: Caroline Kilkenny’s AW22 collection, new jewellery brands at the National Gallery, and a comfy Cloo Active drop

I have to hand it to the Irish designers. They have been very proactive in getting their AW22 collections into store super early this month. And to say the demand for occasionwear is big is an understatement — especially among wedding guests. I fully expect to see sell-out collections in weeks.

Richard Malone, who is artist in residence for the National Gallery of Ireland's 'Giacometti: From Life' exhibition, with pieces from ‘Knot, Bind, Gesture, Bend’. Photo: Steve Humphreys

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Designer Richard Malone fashions a tribute to sculptor Alberto Giacometti and his grandmother

“I was very conscious of being in a gallery which is traditionally dead artists and works protected in glass cases so I wanted to animate the space.”

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Irish fashion favourite fee G puts the cool into casual with a new athleisure addition — and it’s sustainable, too

When Irish womenswear brand fee G — known for its bright colours and bold embellishments — is mentioned, many of us will immediately think of dreamy day dresses. “As a designer, you can be a little bit pigeon-holed,” admits fee G designer Fiona Heaney, who wanted to shake things up and bring something new to the brand with the DAY X fee G athleisure line.

Aoife McNamara’s new styles in 100pc Irish linen from McNutt of Donegal

Style Notes: Luxe linen from Aoife McNamara, €10,000 prize for young designers and an app to source coveted outfits

Adare in Co Limerick is quite the gem when it comes to fashion destinations. I’m sure the partners of players in the recent JP McManus Pro-Am enjoyed spending their €10k gift card in the village, home of top-end boutiques like Catherine McCormack, Isobel, Aisling Maher and Aoife McNamara.

Designer Róisín Pierce. Picture: Ellius Grace

‘Forbes made people realise I’m a business’ – meet Dublin designer and international rising star Róisín Pierce

Róisín Pierce was so engrossed working on her new collection last February that her mum, Angie, had to remind her that it was her birthday.

Stilettos have been cast aside in favour of the comfort and durability of Dr. Martens boots. Graphic by Paula Dallaghan.

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How Dr Martens ‘stompy boots’ went from the anti-establishment footwear of choice to mainstream fashion icon status

Comfortable shoes have been the lasting legacy of the pandemic. So, it’s not surprising that Dr. Martens boots, or ‘Docs’, have graced so many celebrity feet in the past year. The functional footwear once associated with foot-weary factory workers, postal workers, and police is now enjoying another revival. Spotted on celebrities including Kourtney Kardashian, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Emma Watson and Selena Gomez — it seems that there isn’t a star who hasn’t adopted the stompy boots as a serious style statement.

A shoe under construction at Tutty’s Handmade Shoes in Naas.

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The rise of slow footwear: Meet the people making and repairing shoes that will march down through the years

‘It’s the traditional cobbler’s story of making and selling one pair of shoes at a time.” This is how footwear designer Eileen Shields describes her newly branded eponymous label, which, since 2019, has been producing a small selection of sustainable, ethical, seasonless leather shoes, sold directly to customers on her website. Shields is part of a growing ‘slow footwear’ movement, which includes independent designers who refuse to compromise on either materials or morals in the production of their shoes, along with skilled craftspeople determined to promote a ‘repair and rewear’ approach to footwear.

Sara O’Neill’s ‘Children of Lir’ silk pieces are proving popular at Caterina Coyne’s West Hollywood boutique, also available to buy at eadach.com

Style notes: Caterina Coyne sells Irish designs in Hollywood, and Richard Malone’s €10,000 prize fund for emerging artists

Caterina Coyne is the toast of West Hollywood and, this time, it’s not because of her acclaimed dancing skills. A principal dancer in the touring Riverdance show for 10 years, Coyne enrolled with the Grafton Academy for three years and realised her dreams of becoming a fashion designer.

Harry Styles wears a JW Anderson jumpsuit as he performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on May 19, 2022 in New York.

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From dressing Harry Styles to leading the way in gender-fluid design, Derry’s JW Anderson is having a moment

JW Anderson’s response to the pandemic sums up the fashion designer perfectly. While other labels took to social media in place of an in-real-life show, in the summer of 2020, Anderson reinvented the experience entirely. He revealed his Men’s Spring/Summer 2021 and his Women’s Resort 2021 Collection — for both his eponymous line and that of Loewe, the Spanish luxury house for whom he is creative director — with what became known as a show-in-a-box.

Stephen O'Connor, left, a student of NCAD, and model Sean Brooder in a piece from O'Connor's Divine Duality degree collection, which features historically masculine shapes with feminine detail. Picture by Marc O'Sullivan

Introducing: Fashion designer Stephen O’Connor – ‘A lot of my inspiration comes from the queer community’

Age: 22.

"In history we tend to overlook women, and we especially overlook working-class women.” Éadach by Sara O'Neill as featured as part of Brown Thomas' CREATE 2022

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Designer Sara O’Neill: ‘I wanted to do a print celebrating the heritage of strong Belfast women’

Sara O’Neill had known since she was a small child growing up on the north coast that she wanted to be a fashion designer. “Fair play to my parents, we didn’t know anybody in any sort of creative role — my mum is a retired nurse, my dad a retired teacher — but they supported me in doing that,” she says.

Kindred of Ireland ‘Camille’ linen dress in candy pink. PIcture: Philip White

Beetled linen, a one-off leather jacket and Angela Scanlon’s new silver jewellery take centre stage at Brown Thomas CREATE showcase

I fell hard for Amy Anderson’s Kindred of Ireland linen pieces when I discovered her store while on holidays in Belfast. Flooded with natural daylight, it is almost like an art gallery, where the colourful linens beckon you to come closer to see the finer details, from the frills to the unusual finishes.

Olive Foley with Joanne Skelly at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival. Picture by Fergal Phillips

Hat a girl — Olive’s off to Dubai after Derby dress proves runaway winner

Olive Foley, the widow of the late Munster and Ireland rugby star Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley, scooped the top prize for Most Stylish Lady at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh yesterday.

V-neck linen dress, €99.95, Massimo Dutti

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Top 12 summer dresses for all body shapes, tastes and budgets

The sun is out, the days are getting longer — summer has finally arrived. Holidays abroad are back on the horizon and with temperatures reaching sweltering highs at home as well, it’s time to pack away your cold-weather gear and dig out those sunshine-ready dresses.

(From left) Aisling Kavanagh (Aisling Kavanagh Design), Holly Johnston (Holly Makes), Kara O’Sullivan and Johanna Dooley (Greens are good for you), and Gabrielle Luksaite (Gabsluk).

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How Dublin store creates a fashion community – and helps shoppers earn cash from pieces ‘resting’ in their closet

Dopamine dressing to boost your mood is at the cornerstone of a new retail store aimed at creating a colourful fashion community.

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Fashion

September 2022

Rixo showcase vibrant colours in Goa-inspired collection at London Fashion Week

Style notes: Metallic swimwear from Mona Swims, pre-loved looks for Oxfam, and the Longines Designer Award winner

Move over Micheál, it's not you they’re queueing for – crowds gather for ‘few bits’ as Taoiseach opens Tallaght Penneys

How Nicola Coughlan made red-carpet dressing exciting again

Even on occasions when she could not be heard, Queen Elizabeth II let her fashion choices do the talking

Style notes: Christine Murphy’s Aran-inspired knits, Parisian glamour from H&M, and a Vonnie Reynolds documentary

Fast-fashion fallout: ‘I was being led by trends and had a wardrobe of really low-quality clothes that made me feel like I had nothing to wear’

Thalia Heffernan moves to New York after signing with top modelling agency

London Irish design star Richard Quinn: ‘You can map the mood of an era through the style of the florals’

Style notes: This autumn keep an eye out for luxe designs made to to last, and a modern twist on nostalgic flats

August 2022

Affected Brown Thomas customers offered 20pc discount after orders cancelled over ‘pricing error’

Style notes: Carolyn O’Sullivan’s rewearable bridal looks, Aisling Kavanagh's bow details, and DIY hair tools from Mairead Ronan

Fashion rebirth: New season marks the renaissance of Irish clothing manufacturing

What to wear to a festival when you’re not in your twenties

Linda Evangelista reveals why she tried cosmetic procedure that left her ‘deformed’: ‘I’m a little vain’

Style notes: Caroline Kilkenny’s AW22 collection, new jewellery brands at the National Gallery, and a comfy Cloo Active drop

Designer Richard Malone fashions a tribute to sculptor Alberto Giacometti and his grandmother

July 2022

Irish fashion favourite fee G puts the cool into casual with a new athleisure addition — and it’s sustainable, too

Style Notes: Luxe linen from Aoife McNamara, €10,000 prize for young designers and an app to source coveted outfits

‘Forbes made people realise I’m a business’ – meet Dublin designer and international rising star Róisín Pierce

How Dr Martens ‘stompy boots’ went from the anti-establishment footwear of choice to mainstream fashion icon status

The rise of slow footwear: Meet the people making and repairing shoes that will march down through the years

Style notes: Caterina Coyne sells Irish designs in Hollywood, and Richard Malone’s €10,000 prize fund for emerging artists

From dressing Harry Styles to leading the way in gender-fluid design, Derry’s JW Anderson is having a moment

Introducing: Fashion designer Stephen O’Connor – ‘A lot of my inspiration comes from the queer community’

Designer Sara O’Neill: ‘I wanted to do a print celebrating the heritage of strong Belfast women’

Beetled linen, a one-off leather jacket and Angela Scanlon’s new silver jewellery take centre stage at Brown Thomas CREATE showcase

June 2022

Hat a girl — Olive’s off to Dubai after Derby dress proves runaway winner

Top 12 summer dresses for all body shapes, tastes and budgets

How Dublin store creates a fashion community – and helps shoppers earn cash from pieces ‘resting’ in their closet

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