The recent autumn/winter show at Arnotts showed how to manage stylishly some of the season’s trends and incorporate them seamlessly into existing wardrobes. Got a tweed jacket? Put it over a long floral skirt, but watch the proportions.
How to wear the longer lengths? Try matching a skirt with a chunky sweater but again note lengths of both. It demonstrated how blazers are useful both trans-seasonally and for winter and introduced the fresh new autumn shades – russet, rust, orange, sapphire and of course red, to brighten up dark days.
Buyer Valerie O Neill has brought in two exciting new Belgian brands to the store to whet the appetite – look out for Essentiel Antwerp and DMN whose affordable prices match their offbeat but accessible modern styles. Essentiel Antwerp was founded by a model and a fashion agent who joined forces to start a t-shirt range which eventually grew into a ready to wear collection and now includes knitwear, jackets, dresses and trousers with universal appeal. Today it is known for its graphic and floral prints and mixes of colour.
DMN is a Belgian brand that originally was called Mer du Nord and relaunched with a whole new look last year. It was one of the highlights of the Arnott’s autumn show with its green and navy velvet blazers and pants, pinstripe suits and fresh white shirts that were cool, contemporary and sharp, clothes for work and daywear.
The outfits shown illustrate how to combine traditional fabrics with florals and prints in contemporary ways drawn from the new brands. Other popular brands included Pablo, the so-called “little sister” of the well known French label Gerard Darel along with items from the new Irish Collection Edit at the store that includes Magee and Triona Donegal tweeds with knitwear from Fisherman out of Ireland. When it comes to coats, athere are choices from a wide spectrum from €360 for a simple black tailored number by Karen Millen to €690 for a relaxed check coat from DMN.
Photographer Eilish McCormick assisted by Andrew Rankin, stylist Sinead Keenan assisted by Alice Coffey, hair Stephen Kelly at Zeba, Arnotts, makeup Sarah Cullen for Nars at Arnotts, model Aoibhinn Lane Andrea at Morgan the Agency, location Bond Street Studios.
