He's on the arms of all the women - including Rihanna

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:The luxury handbag designer Pauric Sweeney was at the launch of the Dylan Hotel's new magazine, Dylan, on Wednesday evening. He had to catch a 4am flight to Paris to attend a ceremony in the Irish embassy in honour of fashion friend and Tipperary native Helen Lambert, the chief executive and founder of Lambert and Associates. Lambert received the insignia of the "Ordre national du Mérite".

Sweeney, who has a shop in Mayfair, London, is gearing up for Paris Fashion Week next month and working on a project, Collapse, about re-imagining Irish craft. The designer, from Donegal, also has ambitions to write an opera with his composer friend, Dominic Bouffard. Sweeney is, by proxy, on the arm of every woman in showbiz including Rihanna who “bought a bag last week”, and his bags were the accessory of choice for the stylist Cathy O’Connor and the fashion and beauty writer Triona McCarthy at the launch.

Members of another fashion house were present. McCarthy was with her partner, William White, and his mother, former model Vivianne White. William’s grandfather, Henry White, was the founder of the brand of the same name. Triona is expecting a baby boy in April and they have called the bump “Trilliam” as an amalgamation of their names, even receiving Christmas cards addressed to “William, Triona and Trilliam”.

The presenters of The Holiday Show on TV3, Ciara Whelan and Jon Slattery, attended. This series sees the pair staycationing in Ireland. All 6ft 8ins of Martjin Kajuiter, the head chef at the Michelin-starred Cliff House Hotel in Co Waterford, were also present.

Who we spotted:Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon of Off the Rails; stylist Colm Corrigan; fashionista Maria Fusco.