DFF 13

Fashion Fit: 1. Anne Marie O'Connor and Darren Kennedy; 2. Aoibhin Garrihy and Aoibheann McCaul. (Pix. Samsung)

TV presenter and style icon Laura Whitmore jetted in to Dublin city centre to officially launch this year’s Dublin Fashion Festival in association with Samsung.   Organised by DublinTown.ie, the fashion festival will run next week, from the 5^th to the 8^th of September. 

As this year’s official face of the festival, Laura Whitmore will return to Dublin town in September to take part in the packed DFF programme, which will unite fabulous fashionistas, chic city-slickers, and an eclectic mix of fashion retailers under the DFF umbrella – with more events, more participants, more special offers, live fashion events and in-store activities than ever before!

DFF in association with Samsung aims to put the fun and theatre back into shopping and socialising in the city centre by offering daytime catwalk shows, fashion parades and tailored events in bars, restaurants and special venues.  The festival will return to Dublin’s streets from Thursday the 5^th to Sunday the 8^th of September and will bring together over 100 retailers, including the city’s nine flagship retail stores - Brown Thomas, Stephen’s Green SC, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Arnotts, Clery’s, Ilac SC (incl. Debenhams), Jervis SC, Marks & Spencer, and Penneys.

One of the festival highlights last year, the Creative Quarter Fashion Show, will return again this year and feature the very best of Irish designers, vintage and one-off fashion pieces sourced from the Creative Quarter area (Clarendon Street to South Great Georges Street).  New this year is the Young Designer Fashion Event – a convention and competition which will celebrate the best in young Irish design.

Keep an eye out for show-stopping fashion moments – from spontaneous Fashmobs to a full sized Samsung ‘selfie’ photo-booth and roving DFF style teams making Dublin even more beautiful.  A new feature this year will see the Samsung DFF Beauty Bus  touring the city, decked out in latest mobile devices and notebooks – shoppers can stay connected in style while the on-board DFF beauty team offer makeovers, hair styling and goodie bags.

Love & the Goddess

Litterati: 1. Mary Lee and Jane Lundon; 2. Mary Coen; 3. Rebecca Coen and Bobby Mahon. 
(Pix. Richie Stokes)

Fashion Editor Constance Harris launched Love & the Goddess, Mary Elizabeth Coen’s debut novel in Lost Society this week. Both the glitterati and the litterati of Dublin’s society turned up to support Mary, with many friends and family too.

PJ Gibbons of Social & Personal attended along with Rebecca Morgan and upcoming model Emma Carey. Sunday Independent columnist Barry Egan was with Tom Blake.  Fashion designers Pauric Sweeney, Mary Grant and Claire Garvey attended along with top stylists Cathy O’Connor and Maria Fusco. JJ Gibbons of The Irish Times arrived looking dapper as usual.

Goddess cocktails were served; hibiscus flowers in champagne and Bellini cocktails along with delicious hors d’oeuvres and cupcakes topped with edible versions of the book.  Mary read two passages from the new novel to a gathering who embraced it as “the Irish Eat, Pray, Love”.

Dylan magazine

Mag Hag: 1. Pauric Sweeny; 2. Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney; 3. Maria Fusco. 

(Pix. Anthony Woods)

One of Dublin’s top hotels, Dylan, is on a quest of self improvement at the moment and there seems to be no stopping it.  Constantly evolving but remaining a firm favourite, the hotel has just launched its own magazine, also named, appropriately, Dylan.

Fans and friends of the 5-star hotel gathered on Wednesday evening to celebrate the new magazine and were warmly welcomed by GM Grainne Ross.  Perrier Jouet Champagne cocktails went down a treat while canapés from the Dylan kitchen whetted appetites.

In the magazine, which will be published bi-annually, the experienced Dylan staff share their knowledge of all that Dublin has to offer - everything from fashion and beauty tips to food and cocktail recipes, and from celebrity interviews to stylish gadgets and keeping fit.

The inaugural edition has head chef Glenn Murphy and Food and Beverage boss Raphael Bondelle teach readers how to create delicious dishes and cocktails, including Raphael’s signature Chocolate Martini, while fashionistas can read about the latest trends and gain an insight to rising fashion designer J.W Anderson.

Guests on the night included designer Pauric Sweeny, TV3's The Holiday Show presenters Ciara Whelan and John Slattery, Daisy Regan of concierge experts Quintessentially Lifestyle, Tina Koumarianos of IMAGE magazine and top chef Martjin Kajuiter.  Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney were there; both of them are soon to launch their own eponymous fashion label Lennon Courtney. 

For many at the party it was an opportunity to admire the Dylan’s newly redesigned terrace area, an Oriental-style space sure to be the hottest spot for al fresco socialising this season - and we’re not just talking about the retractable roof!

Trinity College Samsung Fashion Show

Stylish Scholars: 1. Paige Perillat and Rebecca Hatzer; 2. Afric Darcy; 3. Dearach Mac Mathuna and Ciaran Charles. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

The stunning surroundings of the Winter Garden at the National Gallery played host to the 2012 Trinity College Samsung Fashion Show.

Guests in attendance included TV Presenter Darren Kennedy, Gary Twohig, General Manager of Samsung Ireland and glamorous RTE weathergirl Audrey McGrath. Stylists Courtney Smith and Sonja Mohlich were spotted chatting through the key looks from the show with Laura McDermott, Trinity Fashion Society chairperson.

The members of the Trinity Fashion Society took to the catwalk in support of Turn2Me.org. This year, Samsung came on board as sponsor which allowed the entire proceeds of the show go to the Irish online mental health and suicide prevention charity.

The students designed and produced the fashion show, which carried the theme of ‘Dark Romance’ taking inspiration from key winter catwalk trends including, gothic and lace, vintage rock ‘n’ roll and opulent baroque styles. Dramatic make-up was inspired by the current gothic trend created by LA Creative Academy with each look completed with a striking head piece from top Irish Milliner Edel Ramberg.

S&P festivities

Party: 1. Alexandra McKeever; 2. Karen Burke and Denise Kavanagh; 3. Christina Mahon and Callan Price. (Pix. Richie Stokes)

Social & Personal magazine, Ireland’s society bible, hosted its annual Christmas party at Lost Society this year.  Guests were welcomed by PJ Gibbons and Richard Kavanagh, the Moet & Chandon flowed alongside cool cocktails and the crowd partied all night. 

Hotpress Yearbook

Who’s Who: 1. Tanya Wai Lawless and Alina UiChaolla; 2. Casey Smith; 3. Mickey Harte and Louise McDermott. (Pix. Brian McEvoy)

It was that time of the year again where Ireland’s hottest movers and shakers of the music industry turned out to celebrate the Hotpress Yearbook & Who’s Who Launch Party 2012, in association with Jameson.

The publication first launched back in 1979 and since then has been the definitive guide to the Irish music, media and entertainment industry and the Who’s Who guide to the movers, shakers and power makers of the nation. Niall Stokes of Hot Press hosted the launch along with a host of well-known names at The Workman’s Club music venue.

Guests who turned out on the night for the music and entertainment industry event included Danny O’Reilly of the Coronas, Irish singer-songwriter Mundy, Nick Seymour, SJ Wai and the Dirty Epics as well as musician Brush Shiels, award winning Irish actress and singer Maria Doyle Kennedy, illusionist Steve Spade and upcoming Wicklow band Children of the Son.  Refreshing Jameson, Ginger and Lime drinks were served alongside Thai bites from Diep.

The Hot Press Yearbook has been described as 'the bible' by a plethora of the industry's most influential figures, including Bob Geldof, Dave Fanning, Tom Dunne, Eleanor McEvoy, RTE producer Ian Wilson – and many more.