Fabulous fashion shows return Leeside
I recently attended my first fashion show in years and what an amazing show it was.
After a day of thunder and heavy rain, the sun made a dazzling and most welcome appearance at one of the most anticipated fashion events of the new season - Summer Style at the Glasshouse in the Montenotte Hotel Cork.
MCed by top fashion blogger, Emily O’Donoghue, @fashionablyfortyish, guests were greeted on arrival with speciality cocktails, delicious canapés and a bumper gift bag - which included a pair of beautiful designer earrings for each guest from Mary Mulhall, Inish Designs’ new Summer collection as well as a fabulous selection of haircare and tanning products. We were well and truly spoilt!
The evening was headlined by special guest, international fashion designer Colin Horgan, who has dressed everyone from Lady Gaga to Dua Lipa. Colin showed exclusively his Spring/Summer Future Partisan collection 22 as the show finale to a rapturous standing ovation. The collection featured a utility feel with interesting silhouettes and colour palette of steely neutrals punctuated by deep rich colour. One of my favourite pieces were the trench coat dresses. Rising fashion design star Lia Cowan opened the show with her playful and feminine new collection - which resonates the happy and positive mood of the summer ahead. It was an absolute dream featuring colourful and frothy layers of tulle. Winner of the Upfront Model Management Emerging Designer, Rion Hannora, who is from Cork, received a wonderful reception for her fantastic DISJECTA MEMBRA new collection. I adored her use of colour and corsetry.
The show also included new summer collections for everyday and occasions including Phoenix V which feaured a fringed dress that I am now obsessed with and was paired to perfection with headpieces from Carol Kennelly. Itso me boutique, Jasmine Boutique, Coco Boutique Listowel, Love Cherish, Aisling Kavanagh, Lily Mais by Fran, Ivy’s Attic Jewellery, Aoife Hannon Millinery, Silk Peaches, Gooseberry, House of Kerry and luxury Irish leather-goods designer, Peelo all showed strong collections ranging from stylish day wear to beautiful occasion wear and gorgeous accessories.
The show was produced by Orla Diffily, Amy O’Donovan and Zoe O’Connor and the team at Upfront Model Management. Sound and lighting was by Ray Stack. Hair Stephen Hennessy, MUA Ellie Healy, photography Pawel Nowak and DOP James Maher who erected a water and wind proof tent at short notice to shield models during the day from the Irish summer!
Upfront Model Management thanked the management and staff of the Montenotte Hotel for their help in producing the evening in particular Ray Kelleher, Sales and Marketing Director, and Frits Potgieter, Hotel Manager. The Agency will be producing 2 designer shows in the autumn and full details will be announced next month. I am already looking forward to the next show!