Tag Archives: fashion

IT was glamour all the way in Ennis last Saturday as the town staged a day-long fashion and wellness extravaganza to showcase the variety of independent shops the town offers. Organised by Experience Ennis, the jam-packed event certainly put the fun back into the traditional shopping experience.  The day-long event kicked off at 11am with a prosecco brunch in Ennis’s hottest new venue, The Monks’ Society, formerly Cloisters Restaurant.   This was followed by a fashion show where broadcaster Lorraine Keane and stylist Laura Jordan discussed the latest trends and style tips and introduced highlights of the season from over 16 participating Ennis boutiques.   Following the fashion show, visitors went on to enjoy a wide range of events, entertainment and promotions in boutiques across the town.   Such was the buoyancy around the town, retailers reported a 30% increase in sales, and others noted it was the equivalent of Christmas Eve.  The day was wrapped up with a ‘Sex and Wellness’ panel discussion in …

THE personalised, customer-focused shopping experience that has become synonymous with the town of Ennis is still continuing despite the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. The pandemic has resulted in retail closures throughout the county, with businesses increasingly focusing their efforts online in a bid to meet these new unprecedented challenges. The last few weeks have highlighted the importance of having an online shopping presence, according to Gwen Culligan of the County Boutique in Ennis. While Patrick Burke’s is set to launch a personal shopping service utilising popular apps so people can purchase while still maintaining social distancing. The County Boutique launched its website last year allowing people to buy the latest looks from the comfort of their own home. Gwen tells us they were “incredibly lucky” to already be online when the Covid-19 restrictions were introduced. “We’re selling every day at the moment. I had been spending some time over the last few months putting things on the site, but I’ve been …

IMAGINE a “sweet shop for grown women” crossed with Aladdin’s Cave of colour, and nestled in the rolling hills of East Clare. It’s a far cry from her native Rathfarnham, but this is where millinery designer Ailish McElroy has made her home and found her passion. Working from her studio and show room in Annaghneal, a stone’s throw from Bodyke, Ailish has been grabbing headlines recently, and award nominations, for her highly creative and environmentally sustainable approach to fashion. The Dubliner made the leap into self-employment after a downturn the graphic design sector, where she previously worked for a number of international companies, and has never looked back. Her bravery and creativity were rewarded when she was recently chosen to compete with the very best in the creative sector as part of the forthcoming Irish Fashion Innovation Awards  later this year. “I was notified back in January and it was as complete surprise and an honour,” Ailish explained. “It’s one …

The first camera that fashion photographer Ronan Gallagher ever owned was a Kodak disposable one. From these humble beginnings, he is now engaged by fashion labels such as Gucci, Nike, Burberry and Hugo Boss. He was also responsible for bringing a photoshoot for one of these massive fashion houses, Stella McCartney, to Ennistymon. Ronan’s passion for photography was ignited at the age of 17, when the Barefield native became inspired by images his brother Gavin took. Gavin, who now owns his own company, Dreamcatcher Productions, in Lahinch, would return from surf trips abroad and show Ronan pictures he had taken. “I just found the concept of capturing stuff in that way really interesting and so I went out and bought a load of Kodak disposable cameras and took pictures of my friends skateboarding out the back of Glór in Ennis. From there, my interest just grew and grew,” said Ronan. Eventually, he decided to move to London to try his …

A PICTURE-perfect look at style through the ages in Clare will form part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of one of Ennis’ best known boutiques. The County Boutique will mark their golden jubilee with a very special exhibition, as part of their Eras of Style celebration later this year. They are hoping that some of their loyal customers who have shopped at the O’Connell Street store over the years will help make it a ‘run-way’ success. The October exhibition will see outfits from different decades, as far back as the 1950s, put on display, along with photographs of the very same ensemble being worn back in the day. Already, the County Boutique have been contacted by a number of customers wishing to include their beloved fashion finds in the exhibition. As an added incentive, there will be a prize for the best outfit from each decade. Gwen Culligan explained, “We wanted to do something to celebrate our 50 years here …

A SHANNON model has been the victim of some vicious online commentary, but Celia Holman Lee, whose modelling agency she is associated with, says the youngster is dusting herself off and won’t let it get to her too much. Miss Limerick World Shauna Lindsay has seen a number of severe comments that were posted about her reproduced in the media this week. Speaking about the incident, Ms Holman Lee said the teenager is getting on with things. “Of course I didn’t see it (the online remarks), I only heard it and I’m only going by what her family have been telling me. She’s ignoring all of that but it hurt her a tremendous amount, of course it hurt her. Through no fault at all of her own, she became the victim but she’s doing fine; she’s a good girl, a strong girl and she’s doing fine. It’s practically blown over now.” Shauna works in Debenhams in Limerick. Ms Holman Lee …