Katrantzou & the IMMA – A celebration of fashion & art

Hey All,

Brown Thomas honours the 20th anniversary of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA); having created an art/fashion installation in the store‘s Grafton street windows. The showcase, called the ‘Art of Fashion’, combines the talents of fashion designers, like Mary Katrantzou and Irish / Irish-based artists Perry Ogden and Alan Phelan.

At the Brown Thomas SS11 showcase it was undoubtedly Mary Katrantzou‘s SS11 collection that stole the show, so it seems only natural that her latest (AW11) collation is featured in such a big way.

The window went in yesterday and I stopped by this afternoon to grab a few snaps.

Mary Katrantzou and Perry Ogden

Mary Katrantzou with Alan Phelan’s ‘Cabbages’.

Details: Jewel and rose encrusted skirt.

Goldfish prints and floral-printed trousers:

One of the now familiar Lampshade skirts:

Here are a couple of (professional) images:

Mary Katrantzou’s SS11 collection at LFW:At the Topshop venue.

Image via: Getty.

Backstage at LFW SS10:Image via Zimbio

I love this last shot, long gone are the days where it takes 4 people to dress you… sigh…

Yours,

Whisty Xx

NCAD 4th year Graduate Fashion Show

Hey All,

Last week I posted some promotional shots from this years National College of Art and Design (NCAD) 4th year graduate fashion show. It was held last Saturday at the stunning Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.

I went along to see the show in the afternoon, it was a pretty fashion-heavy crowd too. I spotted Stellar & Irish Tatler fashion eds, stylists like Aisling Farinella, The Sunday Business Post fashion columnist & blogger Ruth O’Connor, designers like Peter O’Brien and last year’s NCAD River Island bursary winner Sile O’Shea, as well as TV presenter, Sonya Lennon.

There were seven parts to the show, including 2nd and 3rd year students’ capsule collections; River Island denim collection, and Persil ‘Red’ competitions. As well as the 4th year Menswear, Textile, and Fashion Degree Collections. The show featured the best part of 250 pieces, so obviously I can’t post them all, but here are a couple of highlights / favourites.

3rd Year Fashion – Capsule Collections

Chain detail, (nicknamed the Jellyfish collection) from Katie Earley

Dozens more photos after the jump…

Irish Fashion at the NCAD Fashion Show

Hey All,

Happy Monday!

I just wanted to share these incredible designs from this year’s 4th year National College of Art & Design (NCAD) graduate students collection. A fashion show will be held this Saturday at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (May 21st) at 3pm and again at 8pm for a gala evening to showcase the collection.

Aoife Conroy

Concepta Boyce

Gemma Daly

Jemma Duong

Katrina Elliott

Laura Gilensan

Mona Atkinson

Rebecca Gray

Stephen Lawless

The pieces will be among those showcased at the show, being held at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

The show has been sponsored for the last 13 years by Peter Mark and River Island will announce the winner of their bursary for this year at the event.

Tickets for the 3pm show are €25 and 8pm tickets are €35.

See last year’s exhibition post here.

Yours,

Whisty Xx

Day 3 Style Post – 5 days, 5 posts, 5 outfits

Hey All,

Here’s my third post, 5 days & 3 posts down, 2 days & 2 posts to go… (Oh flip)

Drinks with Alice.

Last night I met the quirky White Rabbit blogger and milliner Alice Merlics; we went to an art show at Twisted Pepper, on Abbey Street where she was exhibiting her latest collection of hats. There were also exhibitions from other arty types, showing paintings and other pieces. I promise, I don’t for one second claim to be any kind of art critic, but I know what I like, and Barry Quinn and Lukasz Kaniecki’s works really blew me away.

Anyway, back to the post; this is what I wore, all monochrome. Must try harder with colours…

Post #02 of 5…

Cape, thirfted

Jodhpurs, New Look

Boots, Dorothy Perkins

Until tomorrow…

Whisty

Xx

A Style Post – Inspired by Edwardians

Hey All,

I was invited to a friends house-warming at the weekend. She moved into a house that was built in 1908, and is in the process of ‘doing it up’. The plan was to have a house-warming before the carpets and other pricey home improvements / renovations are completed. Clever girl.

Anyway, she’d said she wanted to make it a bit of a glam do; roughly in-keeping with the era of the house. (Possibly to  distract from the lack of wallpaper, paint, bathroom sink, etc…) Anyway she wanted lots of diamonds (real or otherwise), long dresses and Gin cocktails. Never one to shy away from glamming up, I did a bit of research  into Edwardian fashion; the results made for a pretty interesting read.

The era saw the end of the bustle, the corset and the ‘rise’ of the hem-line (to the ankle, nothing too drastic…). The overall silhouette became slimmer and women began to wear masculine influenced pieces, like high-neck collars and ties. French  artistic influence had grown across Europe; Art Nouveau had a huge influence in many aspects of design; from theatre posters to architecture and Haute Couture was fully established.

I decided on a vintage coat with an Art Nouveau-inspired belt and an Art Deco ‘diamond’ necklace. (OK so Art Deco came along about a decade later than the house, but after a couple of Martini’s and a Singapore Sling, really, who’s going to care?). I wanted to keep the silhouette simple so I pulled out the wig tape (for the top of the coat) and hotpants to hide my modesty. I also wanted to update the outfit; bring it into this millennia. So I decided it was about time to christen the Wolford Bondage tights…

Red Coat and Necklace, both Once Removed Vintage

Hotpants, Topshop

Wolford Bondage Tights, tightsplease.co.uk

Shoes, KG by Kurt Geiger

More photo and all outfit details at HerApparel.

Xx

Keith Haring’s Footwear for Tommy Hilfiger

Hey All,

I needed a new pair of jeans; plain, simple, straight-leg blue jeans. (Yeah I know, zzzzz) But anyway, when the need to buy classic jeans comes round, I always go  for an American brand. Like J Brand, True Religion, 7 for all Mankind, etc. They always fit perfectly – they usually contain Lycra, they don’t fade, go baggy, or rip easily, i.e.  they last for time. The thing is, you get what you pay for with these brands, and what you pay is pretty big dollar.

So I decided to keep it US, but go a little less cash-drastic. Hilfiger Denim on Trinity Street, D2, ought to sort me out, and it did. I bought a perfect pair of dark indigo, stretch denim, straight-leg jeans with retro orange stitching.

But whatevs about the jeans, the store was showcasing the  fantastic new Keith Haring for Tommy Hilfiger footwear collection. Keith Haring was a New York graffiti artist who set up the Keith Haring Foundation. The foundation “supports organizations that assist underprivileged children, as well as organizations engaged in education, research and care with respect to AIDS and HIV“.

The collection, released last week, includes runners (trainers), wellies, flip-flops, ballet pumps and high-tops, for men, women and kids.

Incidentally, the Keith Haring Foundation is also collaborating with Nicholas Kirkwood; in case Wellington boots aren’t your footwear of choice…

Xx

From Mood Board to Fashion Show Winner

… OR, chatting to other bloggers

I have been very lucky to be involved with this years Nokia Young Fashion Designer Award. I took part in a talk last night at the exhibition in Powerscourt Townhouse, organised by Spy. I chatted about what it’s like to be a blogger, how I got started and answered a heap of great questions from fellow Dublin bloggers and people who are interested in starting their own blog. It made me realise that although it is still quite an underground phenomenon in Ireland, blogging is on the increase here. The US and European countries like Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany are really at the forefront of the blogging world and the prospect that Ireland is getting involved is really exciting.

It was a really amazing experience, nerve-racking naturally, but getting out and meeting real, rather than virtual people was so refreshing. Not that on-line contact isn’t really rewarding, but it was great to have an excuse to get dressed up and make and effort. Every blogger knows the comfort typing away at home, slurping tea and wearing your dressing gown. (For warmth, you understand…)

The people I spoke to had various queries about writing and running blogs; mostly about building followers and which platform to use. I was really lucky to have chosen WordPress; of course all platforms have their pro’s and cons but I just felt straight at home with this one. The wordpress forums are amazing and an invaluable source of support and information. There are some really knowledgeable people who post on there and I know I wouldn’t have been able to get the blog just as I like it if it wasn’t for the advice I was given so generously on there.

They also wanted to know how bloggers get inspiration. In my experience I just post about things that I really love, because it’s my blog and I’ll cry if I want to.  I think it’s that, that makes blogs different to magazines; they don’t rely on sales and therefore any content is completely the authors choice. I know the ones I really love are so appealing because the author has a certain ‘voice’ which makes them individual.

Speaking of blogging about what you like, I’m a sucker for a fashion designer’s moodboard and this year’s NYFDA finalists’ were incredible. They show just how talented the designers are; having an idea for a dress / design is one thing, executing it well, is something altogether more impressive.

Runner up:

Butterfly Effect by Matthew Karp

From the sketch to the final piece:

Runner Up:

Encased by Niamh Rafferty

From the sketch to the final piece:

Winner:

Knotted by Emmy Slattery

From the sketch to the final piece:From the sketch to the final piece:

Discovering Collections and Clouds

I am entirely convinced that Dublin is the most fabulous city in the world, when the sun is bouncing of the water in St. Stephen’s Green, like it was today. Of course it’s a matter of opinion, but no other place I’ve been to, is so utterly transformed when the weather is fine. The park was pretty deserted this morning as I wandered through it; and apart from the odd person dashing off somewhere, most people there were strolling along mingling with the ducks and gulls who were avoiding the frozen ponds. I spent the morning window shopping and walking on the sunny side of the street.

The main window of The Design Centre at Powerscourt Townhouse was showcasing the début collection of LSAD graduate and NYFDA 2009 finalist, Mia O’Connell.  It is a beautiful, structured / feminine collection. The palette is small yet striking; with monochrome shades, nudes and rich reds. This skirt (left) is one of my favourite pieces; both the frill and the sheer panels at the front are prominent themes in the rest of the collection. I really like looking at genuine designer pieces, from up-coming Irish designers. It’s so impressive to see Mia  launch her first (fantastic) collection less than a year after graduation.

When I got home I had an email, with a link to Co. Meath photographer, Derick Smith’s latest project; Describing Clouds. His projects are always surprising because his subject mater changes so much.

Ironically, I had only just been thinking how wonderful it was that the sky was so free of clouds yesterday. Though, if Irish skies always looked like they do in these photographs, we wouldn’t mind the odd cloud so much.