Hourglass silhouettes and fine tailoring were on show yesterday when Chanel and Hermes met on the catwalk for the first time in Ireland.
The Brown Thomas autumn winter collection, on display at the Four Seasons hotel in Ballsbridge, drew in 360 guests for the ISPCC and some of the top names in fashion.
Hosted by broadcaster Gráinne Seoige, the show featured a taste from the collections of 12 home and international designers including Prada, Chloe, Louise Kennedy, Gucci and Alexander McQueen.
And the message was loud and clear: black is back.
And children were not forgotten either. The BT Kids collection opened the show with smart and colourful wear from labels including Burberry, DKNY, Ralph Lauren and Timberland. More or less echoing adult trends, there was a move away from skatewear for boys to a more classic look.
The Hermes collection (for grown-ups) had a distinctly Russian feel, with knee-high boots and military coats in warm, dense fabrics. The company is almost a year here but, according to the managing director of Hermes in the UK and Ireland, Charles-Henri Leroy, it has connections with the country since the late 19th century, when Irish ladies ordered their saddles from Paris.
Louise Kennedy brought only the black section from her collection for yesterday's show. Her pencil-line skirts and tailored jackets focused on the waist and a simple and stunning V-back knee-length dress was enhanced with beading at the shoulders.
A leopard-print pleated halter-neck gown by Robert Cavalli floated down the catwalk on model Johanna, and Kelly O'Byrne drew a gasp from the crowd in a black silk dress from the same designer with silk side inserts and a full train.
Slim cropped trousers, pleated and puffball skirts, and coats with military-style piping and braiding were all on view. Velvets, tweeds, antique lace, flannels, suedes and worsted wool in shades of brown and navy were mixed with dashes of magenta and gold.
Dolce & Gabbana offered a splash of colour with a floral-print pink chiffon dress with an emerald green bow.
The show closed with a taste of the Chanel collection, which included long fitted jackets teamed with pleated skirts to mid-thigh and thigh-high lambskin boots.
