Brown Thomas yesterday unveiled its autumn/winter collections by Irish and international designers at Dublin's Shelbourne hotel. More than 350 guests attended the showcase, which was held in tandem with the annual Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children lunch, with the proceeds from the event going to the charity.
The show opened to Pavarotti's Chitarra Romana, as models appeared in the new Hermès collection, which was flown in from Paris for the event.
It was evident from collections that the key fashion trend for autumn/winter is the "no rules need apply" approach: this season offers a diversity of trends, from power dressing to an ethnic-inspired collection from Balenciaga. "Autumn/ winter 2007 presents an elegant, self-assured woman . . . glamour prevails on the one hand and new minimalism on the other," said Shelly Corkery, head of fashion direction at Brown Thomas.
Minimalism was very much apparent, as the collections were simple with an emphasis on silhouettes and fabrics. A dominant theme was 1940s-inspired detailing, including ruffled blouses and silk dresses in a range of dramatic colours such as cobalt blue and organic green.
The best investment piece was a timeless black bubble dress from Lanvin.
More than 19 new collections from renowned international designers such as Gucci and Chloé were unveiled, but it was up-and-coming Italian designer Giambattista Valli who wowed the crowd with his empire-line evening dresses. Other much-awaited collections included Irish native Lainey Keogh, whose range featured mohair and embroidered shawls and dresses in burgundy and brown.
Structured detailing in jackets were seen in designs by Stella McCartney and Balenciaga, while jodhpurs also featured.
As the show came to a close, a rapturous applause broke out as models appeared in show-stopping, sequinned Roberto Cavalli evening gowns.