Ennis to bag Winslet memorabilia?

A dog may be a man’s best friend but handbags are a woman’s and ladies across the county could get the chance to have a major Hollywood star’s ‘best friend’ on their arm later this month as part of a fundraising effort in aid of Haiti.

With six Academy Award nominations and one win, Kate Winslet has something special and thanks to the Ennis Fashion Week committee, someone in Clare could soon have something special belonging to the screen legend.
The committee is holding a fashion show shortly and expectations are high that, as well as presenting the latest in spring/summer fashion, the group will be showing off a handbag donated by the British actress.
“Kate Winslet is a fabulous icon. I adore her style. She dresses so simply and just looks fantastic. She has a real figure as well and is a real women’s advocate,” revealed Ennis Fashion Week committee member, Gwen Culligan.
“We were trying to think of a way to raise money and I saw photos of Kate at the Golden Globe Awards. She wore a stunning one-shoulder black dress and it was so simple and beautiful. She has a great presence. She reminds me of one of those old screen goddesses like Rita Hayworth. I thought it would be wonderful to auction something from her, like a piece of clothing or jewellery or a handbag,” she explained.
While organisers were remaining tight lipped on Wednesday about the specifics, Kate’s handbag looks set to be auctioned to benefit The Haven Partnership in Haiti, an Irish charity building houses in the Caribbean country for the past nine years.
“We had a fashion show last Easter with a view to keeping the businesses involved in Fashion Week prominent in people’s minds. Our meeting to organise the 2010 show was just after the earthquake in Haiti and we just felt we had to do something to help,” Gwen recalled.
This year’s show, Boutique Chic at Glór, will take place on Thursday, March 18. Organisers also hope to have a poster from the A-list celebrity available for auction on the night and the event will also feature 10 exhibition stands from local boutiques.