AS anyone who witnessed his contribution to last month's charity fashion extravaganza in the Point Theatre will already know, Philip Treacy is the world's finest milliner. It has been 18 months since the Galwayborn designer held a show, but last week in London he presented his latest collection - and received fresh accolades for his talent.

As expected, the front row held many of 27 year old Treacy's high profile admirers, including Bryan Ferry, Simon Le Bon and Boy George (the last of these looking a little the worse for having stayed late at John Rocha's post show party the previous night, when he had joined Van Morrison and Brian Kennedy for an impromptu singalong). But everyone present was thrilled to be there; demand for tickets beforehand had been intense.

Of course, Treacy didn't disappoint. His latest collection builds on work already seen and contains delights such as the Venetian style Doge's crown in black velvet extending up to a point and with feathers trimmed down the front. Then there was the enormous silver oval disk like an extended platter half covering the head, and the black woven hat like two halves of a lozenge with the wearer's eyes peeping out between them.

Looking like fashion conscious Bedouins, models came out wearing sculptured velvet wraps in purple and red folded around their heads and under the chin. In contrast, a simple inverted red oblong rose like a television satellite dish from the crown of the head, sprouting just one black plume from its centre. And looking like a swirl of wood shavings caught by the wind, bleached feathers lifted up in a disingenuously artless fashion above the head. An outstanding demonstration of his unique talents: let's hope this latest Treacy collection won't have to wait for another charity event before it is seen by his Irish admirers.