No dress more than €100:Bow and Pearl is the name of a cute little fashion boutique in Ranelagh, Dublin 6, right beside the Luas. It's the brainchild of Bronagh O'Sullivan, who has worked in fashion for many years and has seized the opportunity to offer something different to those in their 30s and 40s.

“Mostly they want dresses, little cardigans and blouses,” says O’Sullivan, who worked with Esprit and other companies and who used to have a vintage stall in Cow’s Lane. With no dress costing more than €100, the mix of clothes (mostly US and UK labels), was inspired by London’s Portobello Market. “I just keep reordering and reordering. The response has been overwhelming,” O’Sullivan says.

Irish knits on QVC

Knitting machines are not lying idle in Co Mayo, where Carraig Donn manufacturing (a sister company of Carraig Donn retail which has 20 stores around the country) has secured a major $1.2 million contract for its knitwear from QVC, the world’s largest teleshopping channel. The clothes will be featured on QVC starting in November. Formerly, the channel featured exclusively Irish products on only two days of the year, St Patrick’s Day and on a day in September to celebrate the Rose of Tralee festival. Combined sales for the two days reached close to $20 million. Last year more than 30,000 Carraig Donn knitwear garments sold out in one 24-hour sustained TV sales drive.