At least one parliamentarian can be expected to bring a degree of glamour to Dáil Éireann this term: Fine Gael TD Deirdre Clune, along with her mother Margaret Barry, was among the guests invited to designer Louise Kennedy's Georgian emporium in Merrion Square, Dublin, yesterday, where she showed her new collection for autumn/winter.
To the strains of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto, the models appeared in a succession of lavish, encrusted, embellished and embroidered clothes inspired by the Russian nobility of the early 20th century. There was no sign of global warming amid the fur collars, rabbit and mink stoles and heavily fringed scarves. These were worn with panache over slim black jeans as well over sparkling evening dresses.
The colour purple ruled the day, and the designer herself appeared in one of her classic, three-quarter length cashmere coats in an ecclesiastical shade of scarlet. She is very good at making glamour look easy.
There was not much in the line of work clothes in evidence - no sign of the guaranteed-to-impress power suits that were once her stock in trade. "The woman who chooses Louise Kennedy asserts not only her sophistication and love of glamour but also her effortless elegance, contemporary chic and femininity," says the press release, and with this collection, that means extravagant clothes made of velvet, silk, satin and cashmere. More ballroom than boardroom.
Evening dresses were both elegant and slinky, with sequinned or beaded bodices and lots of empire draping. The best investment pieces, however, might be found in the interchangeable black and white separates. The little black dresses and indeed long black dresses in silk and jersey were well cut, flattering and timeless, especially when shown with antique jewellery from John Farrington's shop. Sequinned and hand-beaded bolero tops were covetable, as were a number of delicate lace blouses.
A black cashmere kimono coat, lined in red silk, with red flowers embroidered on the upturned sleeves, set a number of hearts racing.
Like John Rocha, Kennedy now has a shop in London's Belgravia, and her clothes - as well as her crystal and giftware - are now available from Harrods as well as from Brown Thomas and at 56 Merrion Square. She will be the first to have a boutique at the Ritz Carlton hotel at Powerscourt, which opens in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, on October 1st.