dreamy designsThere's a Bergmanesque, dreamy mood about the clothes designed by Ann Louise Roswald, a touch of Marimekko about her prints and a ladylike quality to her tweeds, so it's not surprising to discover that she is half-Swedish and half-Scottish.
When she graduated from Central St Martins College of Art and Design her collection was immediately bought by Liberty of London, and the designer hasn't looked back since.
In Ireland, where she has a growing customer base for her figure-friendly clothes, she has a house in Kilfenora, Co Clare where she draws inspiration from the surrounding countryside.
Her shapes are simple and strong (she also designs a line of swimwear for Evans), but what sets her apart are bold botanical prints and lovely beadwork and embroidery. A cream satin shift comes with subtle sequin embellishment, and coats with low cutaway collars and big buttons are modern takes on 1950s styles. Roswald's main stockists in Ireland are in Clontarf, Dublin 3, Les Jumelles in Galway and in Cork.
leather loversA bag made in dark mountain leather, soft to the touch and with a suede look sounds like a handsome accessory. Trimmed with brass hardware, it's also a hardy number that will wear its years well. it's one of a number of new offerings from Edmund Chesneau's winter 2007 collection. Although familiar for his signature Norwegian stable hide, Chesneau has this time included luxury leathers such as gold eel skin and silver snake for both pocket-size purses and larger holdalls.The one bag that really stands out from the group is a simple, refined holdall in red ostrich, with flap opening, that carries the name Alannah, and a price tag of €2,800. Not all are so pricey; the mountain leather bag called Laura costs €695. See them in the Chesneau shops on Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 and in Bennettsbridge, Co Kilkenny.
give it socksEver heard of buttoned tights? They're the latest legwear from Wolford, and they combine ribbed pants buttoned on to thigh warmers, which in turn are buttoned on to to knee-high socks. They look like a rather draughty student design, and whether they will cotton on, let alone button on, is open to question. Far more wearable are 's new merino rib leggings in grey, the colour of the season.