Hollywood glamour at Gold Cup

LIMERICK woman Emer Nash flew the flag for the Mid-West, making it into the final of this year’s Hennessy Best Dressed Lady competition.
The Hennessy Gold Cup, which took place on Sunday, drew a crowd of more than 10,000, with thousands of ladies donning their best winter wear for the occasion.
Emer, who was highly commended on the day, wore a black jumpsuit from Vanity Fair in Newbridge, which she customised herself. She added to her outfit with a headpiece from Galway-based milliner Edel Ramburg, who many will remember as the designer of last year’s best hat at ladies day in Galway. She accessorised with black heels from Marks & Spencer and a Paul Costelloe parasol.
The coveted title of the Hennessy Best Dressed Lady 2012 went to Margaret Connolly from Mullingar, who was presented with a voucher for €7,000 to spend in the Design Centre, Dublin.
Margaret impressed judges, international fashion commentator, Godfrey Deeny, Aishling Kilduff from the Design Centre and Caroline Sleiman from Moët Hennessy with her stunning cream dress and coat by Lilli Ann, brown suede gloves and brown bag, both from House of Fraser and shoes from Barratts.
This year’s head judge charged with the difficult decision was Godfrey Deeny.
“There was a fantastic atmosphere at this year’s Hennessy Gold Cup, with everyone enjoying the glamour and the racing. We had a difficult task to choose just one winner from our fabulous finalists but I’m sure you all agree that Margaret is a worthy winner,” Mr Deeny commented.
Speaking to The Clare Champion Aishling Kilduff said she was “more impressed than any other year by the style on display” from the women at Leopardstown.
“We picked 10 finalists overall and what really stood out for us was their individuality. What we were really looking at was how each of them represented both brands, Hennessy and Design Centre, and also the overall look of the outfit and how they put it together,” she explained.
As with any February meeting in Ireland, coats had a huge role to play.
“Coats were important but just because some of the styles centred around a coat or jacket, doesn’t mean it was any easier than putting together an outfit for a summer racing festival. There were people there in dresses with their coats outside complimenting them but just like in summer, it has to be a complete look. If they are relying on just a coat, it has to really stand out. Some of our finalists wore coats but they were absolutely beautiful pieces and accessorised really well,” Aishling noted.
A real trend among the entrants and among the finalists was Hollywood glamour with rich, warm fabrics and lots of fur on show.
“The Hollywood glamour is always lovely to see and there was lots of understated pieces, which was nice too, so when you have the right accessories, it really makes the silhouette stand out. For me, the women who went for a Hollywood glamour look really stood out and there was a lot of old-style vintage on show as well,” Aishling stated.
“Another thing that stood out was the level of creativity there. A lot of women customised their pieces or made their own pieces. That doesn’t always make the winning look but it is very creative and unique. What we, as judges, were looking for was an outfit that was thought through and styled correctly. We were looking at everything from the outfit to the hair to the make-up and to the girl herself and how she wore the outfit and also her confidence,” she added.
Aishling has just started buying for the next autumn/winter season and her advice for Clare women looking at their own wardrobes for the coming seasons is simple.
“We stock over 20 Irish designers at Design Centre and although trends are very important, I think it is even more important to buy investment pieces or pieces that have longevity. It is always nice to have a good coat and a good bag. They don’t have to be on trend. Consider the shape and the style of pieces as well and ask yourself it they will carry you through a few years and if they have that timeless quality,” she suggested.
Aishling added, “Trends can be picked up in shoes and make-up or hair but we would focus here in the Design Centre in investment shapes and pieces”.
For spring/summer, she recommends binning the black and buying bright.
“Tailoring is still very relevant coming into spring/summer and colour is really important. We are saying goodbye to black and really we got rid of it a few seasons ago and replaced it with navy so that is remaining on. Navy is the new black and I think that is really very welcome. There are a lot of corals and lilacs and white and there’s a huge amount of print coming through, so it really is going to be about colour again this season. Maybe it is a sign of the times that we want something a bit brighter. The silhouette shapes are still with us. These are very flattering and show off the waist and the curves.”.
In terms of ones to watch in 2012, Aishling is predicting big things for two young designers.
“I am all about the Irish designers. I think we should be looking at bringing it back home and being loyal to our own. Sean Byrne is going to have a bright future, I feel and there also a beautiful millinery designer, Aoife Harrison,” she concluded.