"Ladylike and glamorous" were the words Marks & Spencer was keen to stress about its spring/summer collections, shown yesterday in Dublin.
A selection of items from Per Una, Limited Collection and Autograph were showcased in the stylish surroundings of l5 St Stephen's Green on a catwalk flanked by white slip-covered chairs, the venue mirroring the mood and desired direction of the clothes.
With the recent announcement of a rise in its profits and successful advertising campaigns with Erin O'Connor and Twiggy, the company is hoping for further success under the direction of the new head of women's wear, Kate Bostock, formerly with Asda and Next.
A highlight of last night's event was the sleek tailoring that gave a certain French twist to the classical nautical mix of navy cropped trousers, red and white gingham knotted shirts and dark shades.
Audrey Hepburn came to mind more than once.
Navy swimwear with cut-out shapes and bold silver hardware was chic and shapely.
M&S has to cater for a wide range of tastes, but the differences between the ranges have been sharpened up.
Per Una's folksy printed skirts in shades of plum or orange and fat, fake-fur gilets may not have been the most appealing items in the show, but Autograph's discreet tailoring and suits were clearly aimed at professional working lives, whether a printed wrap-dress worn with a cashmere shrug or cropped grey trousers and a neat wrap jacket.
Catwalk trends were obvious in the various types of shorts and trouser lengths, from Per Una's hotpants to matelot-style culottes and cropped denims. Some of the best buys in Limited Collection capitalised on its cashmere offerings with new shapes - including cute shrugs and lean cableknit cardigans - in bright colours.
There were colourful flat pumps, metallic bags, stud belts and floppy hats, but the best accessories by far were the necklace scarves - ropes of silk-covered beads that could be used to decorate a lace blouse or embellish a gold metallic skirt.
