IF you were trying yesterday to have something designed in a hurry, odds are you had some trouble. Most of the city's top designers and design groups were partying until the wee small hours the night before when the Institute of Designers in Ireland held their awards in the Red Box.
Among the winners were Shaughn McGrath, who won the grand prix award for his work on the U2 Pop packaging. Other winners included Tomas de Paor, who was rewarded for the gorgeous interior of Eden restaurant, and Nick Ryan from Image Now Films. Paul Kelly, MD of Brown Thomas, presented an award to Ciaran O'Gaora of Design Works, and Gareth O'Hagan of O'Hagan Contracts presented the award for TV, film and stage design. Gareth will be bringing his part of the family furnishing dynasty south of the Liffey when he opens a new Haus store in Temple Bar's Green Building next Wednesday, although fashion folk will be getting a preview of the shop at the Clarke's shoe party on Tuesday.
Of course, the well-designed guest list ensured that the awards party went with a bang - Eileen Shields, the NCAD graduate who is now main shoe designer with DKNY, arrived from New York especially for the event. She chatted with her old friend Roisin Murphy, who had just finished a day's filming for the new series of Beyond The Front Door with producer Hilary Fennell.
Also there were A-Wear's Deirdre Kelly, Minima's Helen Kilmartin and Avoca Handweavers's Amanda Pratt, who had won a design award earlier in the week.