French fancy
What is it about the French and good style? Arnotts welcomed French footwear brand Jonak to its newly revamped Shoe Gallery recently, and the combination of everyday basics and high-end must-haves have us all a-flutter. Jonak, known for high-quality leather workmanship, opened its first store in Saint Germain des Prés, Paris, in 1964. This season's collection covers everything from low-heeled moccasins to pearl-embellished ankle boots. Pictured are the curved velvet heels for €125. arnotts.ie DMcM
Wear it
Your winter wardrobe of discontented blacks, greys and heavy tights can stay up in the attic this season if the new collection from Savida at Dunnes is anything to go by. The collection – full of embellished knits and statement patterns in gorgeous vibrant colours – has us longing for chilly nights by the fire. Keep an eye out for this turtle neck jumper (€30) and jacquard skirt (€30), both available from Dunnes Stores in October. DMcM
Steal versus splurge
Feel like royalty in this Milly Prince of Wales checked wool-blend blazer for €1,165 from Stella McCartney or man up in this double-breasted jacket for €79.95 from Zara. DMcM
Style secret
Buy only what you love; wear only what you feel good in. Donate, sell or repurpose anything that doesn't make you happy. No more "it'll do". Respect your clothes enough to invest in them, care for them, and enjoy wearing them for years to come. Oh and one last thing: find a gem of a tailor and bring them everything, regardless of original price or provenance – you will always look stylish in well-fitting clothes. Irene O'Brien, fashion broadcaster
Get her Drift
Dee Maher is a talented graphic artist whose knitting skills have propelled a change of career direction with the debut of her Drift accessories label in Made in the Powerscourt Centre. It's a capsule collection of scarves and cowls knitted with super fat wool on giant knitting needles for what she describes as "a modern aesthetic". It is bold, colourful and plays with scale using oversized stitches and long lengths in pure wool and unspun chunky merino. Prices are from €45 for a mini cowl or what she calls a snood (properly a neckpiece) up to €460 for a magnified merino scarf, and the accessories can be bought online from her super stylish website driftknits.com. DMcQ
Get on board with fashion
Arriving next Thursday in New York (September 7th) on Cunard's Transatlantic Fashion Week Crossing from Southampton on the Queen Mary 2 will be six fashion graduates of the Parsons School of Design who will have staged a runway show of their latest designs on the voyage. Guests will also be enjoying seven days of fashion-focused events including runway shows, Q&As and exclusive unveilings. Other cruise lines could take note, particularly on shorter journeys and maybe invite selected Irish fashion graduates to show their work in a novel way for a captive and interested audience. DMcQ
Crowning glory
Every head deserves a crown, according to Aoife Doherty of Derry, who specialises in handmade floral crowns for any occasion with her company Sass & Halo. The fashion management graduate from the London School of Fashion believes that such decorations are a creative and fun way of expressing personality. Her business began almost by accident when she made some floral crowns for the hen party at her brother's wedding "for the craic". When the photos were posted on social media, there were so many inquiries from others who wanted something similar that she realised she could start a viable business. Now she is based in the Craft Village in Derry city and is a winner of the top prize of £5,000 in the 10K Business Challenge Award. derrycraftvillage.com/shops/sass-halo DMcQ
