The latest fashion tips from the expert
Fancy detachable uppers
We can never get off the subject of shoes - never get out of shoes, for that matter - and another Irish footwear success story is Slinks, a company started by Irish Australian NCAD graduate Jane Rafter. Based in London, she has already won five awards for her sandals with detachable uppers, and has just secured an investment of €86,000 from James Caan and Theo Paphitis on the BBC's Dragon's Den. Her new collection introduces two more colours to her range, so Slinks now come in black, chocolate, truffle and ivory. By moving production to India from Spain she has been able to bring her retail price down to €80, with extra uppers retailing at between €l8 and €35.
See slinks.com.
Style and confidence
One of the best chapters in Off the Rails: Love Your Look, Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney's self-help guide for less than confident dressers, is about wearing the right size bra. "Every woman we have worked with [on the TV series] has been wearing the wrong size," say the authors (left). Before and after photos of women wearing the wrong and then the right sized bras prove their point about how a proper fit can transform the silhouette. Divided into 10 chapters, which include identifying body shape and creating a working wardrobe, the book also has tips on hair, skincare and make up. Off The Rails: Love Your Look, Merlin Publishing, €16.99.
French fancy
Danièle Bott's new book on French couturier Thierry Mugler makes one realise just how innovative this former professional dancer is, and the scale of his influence on both fashion and music. "I adore strict, flawless women who are capable of going to extremes," he once said. He is best known for his spectacular runway shows and exaggerated square shoulder line, which set up the 1980s stylised triangular silhouette. His "bottom cleavage" could have been a precursor of Alexander McQueen's "bumster" pants, and his dresses, screen printed with images of snakes and lions, anticipated the current vogue for digital print. Launched in 1992, his Angel fragrance became one of the top 10 best-selling fragrances in the world. He is now art director and costume designer for Beyoncé's world tours. Images from his more outrageous catwalk shows and extravagant accessories illustrate the theatricality of his futuristic fantasies. Thierry Mugler: Galaxy Glamour, Thames & Hudson, £29.95.
