ONE of the most famous names in Irish fashion circles met with Ennis Rag Trade retailers for an intimate fireside discussion in the Temple Gate Hotel.

Louis Copeland, Ireland’s most celebrated tailor, and by now a household name, regaled the audience with stories of his early days in fashion, bringing those gathered all the way back to his childhood, his father a tailor and his mother a trouser maker.

With over 60 years of experience in retail, Louis enthralled the crowd who shared their own triumphs as well as their battle scars.

Katie Rodgers (Blackbird), Ciara Lynch (Brass Boutique) and Maria Carmody (R. Carmody Shoes), attending the fireside chat with Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, and Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The event was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Rosemarie Noone (Experience Ennis), Susan Linnane (Ennis 2040) and Leonora O’Neill (Ennis Municipal District Council), attending the fireside chat with Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, and Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The event was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, with Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The pair held a fireside chat for local retailers in the Temple Gate Hotel which was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, in conversation with Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The event was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, in conversation with Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The event was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, in conversation with Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The event was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, in conversation with Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The event was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Rosemarie Noone of Experience Ennis introducing Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, and Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain. The pair held a fireside chat for local retailers in the Temple Gate Hotel organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare, who was in conversation with Louis Copeland from Ireland’s best known menswear chain, an event organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

Louis Copeland, from Ireland’s best known menswear chain, in conversation with Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare. The event was organised by the Clare Local Enterprise Office for local retailers. Photography by Eugene McCafferty

The atmosphere was fun and lively; the energy of the retailers present was palpable as the audience brainstormed progressive ideas for leveraging Ireland’s Boutique Capital.

The lively discussion was organised by Experience Ennis, an organisation whose aspiration is to make Ennis the best town in Ireland in which to live and the top destination to visit.

The five pillars of Experience Ennis are Culture, Community, Aesthetic Impact, Business and Sustainability and this event with Louis Copeland is falls under the focus on Business. 

Branded as “Merchants of Ennis” the initiative is taking on areas of business sector by sector, beginning with Ennis as Boutique Capital of Ireland.

Experience Ennis is establishing a community of retailers, in the fashion sector, and working with them to leverage the town and revive Ennis’ status of Boutique Capital of Ireland.

There was a great turnout on the night with Ennis retailers who shared the breadth of their experiences, brainstorming about how to raise the fashion retail tide of Ennis.

The next series of Merchant of Ennis will promote night life in Ennis through the creation of a cocktail trail and competition, promoting Ennis Purple Flag status.

The Purple Flag standard, launched in 2012, is an accreditation process similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches.

Bars are invited to put forward their resident mixologist to compete for the best signature cocktail. They will be rewarded with a cash prize, training for all staff and the soon to be coveted Cocktail Shaker trophy.