Compiled by DEIRDRE McQUILLAN

Stylish portraits

The fine portrait of fashion designer Paul Smith is by Milan-based Irish artist Nuala Goodman. The piece is from a series of 14 portraits that started in 2004 when she painted the celebrated architect Ettore Sottsass. The 14 portraits of friends and people from her design world, described by designer Alessandro Mendini as 'distinct personal descriptions', form part of Gardens, her much lauded exhibition at the Palazzo Fortuny in Venice last year. The furniture, rugs and fabrics from the exhibition were recently on show in Minima in Hanover Quay, but the good news is that the 14 portraits will also be included when Gardens moves to the Motor House at Farmleigh on August 17th.

Boutique of the week: The Italian Wardrobe

The Italian Wardrobe in Sligo, one of the town’s more interesting fashion destinations, is owned by Chiara Poli from Verona, who is married to an Irishman.

Poli opened her shop four years ago and buys exclusively for it in Italy, her primary aim being to offer smart, everyday workwear rather than special occasion attire.

“It is casual Italian chic, simple shapes, but in high-quality materials,” she says. Though customers are predominantly local, others come from Dublin, Galway, Northern Ireland and even Gran Canaria and London. In October, she will move to bigger premises and include bags, shoes and lingerie for the first time, everything in tune with the clothes. Italian women put more emphasis on quality accessories such as bags and shoes than the Irish, she thinks, but adds that the Irish dress “creatively”. Her colours for winter include Bordeaux, dark greens, pale blues and “very Italian” camel and taupes, along with red “because the Irish love red in winter”. A good place to find well-cut (and waterproof) down feather gilets and coats, for instance, in grey or taupe, some fur-trimmed.

The Italian Wardrobe, 25 Market Street, Sligo tel: 071-914 1783

Fashion competition

The lucky winner of the Italian Peroni Moda fashion competition in Ireland will not only get a trip for two to Milan but also an opportunity to work with the designer Marco de Vincenzo (whose work is pictured left) on his Milan Fashion Week show in February and a spread in Image magazine. Finalists will also have their designs showcased at a special catwalk event in Powerscourt, Dublin in October. The competition, which is open to up-and-coming Irish fashion designers over 25, requires applicants to submit one full look that takes its cue from Peroni’s Nastro Azzurro blue ribbon.

Entries close on August 10th. Further details from promoterms.com/peronimodaor peronimoda@drury.ie