Liberty & Light with Alex & Ani – LIBERTY COPPER Collection. #CarryLight

New York State of Mind:

Renowned jewellery brand Alex and Ani launched their newest collection ‘Liberty Copper‘ last week and I was delighted to be invited to attend the launch of such an innately special collection.

The Location: The Kilkenny Shop, Nassau St. Dublin.
The Date: Thursday October 20th 2016.

If you love New York as much as I do then this collection is for you!

Featuring original copper from the centenial restoration project of the Statue of Liberty, Alex and Ani bought the copper to preserve and use in this extremely limited edition jewellery collection – essentially allowing consumers to acquire their very own piece of historic Lady Liberty…Genius. Within this collection is the Sterling Silver Collection and 14K Gold collection.

All pieces come complete with a certificate of authenticity also!

{Artist Dara Kenny: live drawing the NYC skyline in a graffiti mural style.}

The LIBERTY COPPER Collection:

Charged with the HOPE of millions…

The Statue of Liberty inspires all to believe in limitless opportunities.
The light of Lady Liberty is represented in the copper flame located in the disc of the collection. By wearing a piece form this collection it is hoped that by bearing her light we too can carry the light, ignite the light in others and create a light indivisible. #CarryLight

Prices are reasonable for such a special and historic collection starting at:
Carry Light Spoon ring and Carry Light Kindred Cord Bracelet both €49.00.

You can shop the collection below.

{Creating my tote bag courtesy of Damn Fine Print.}

The launch was buzzing with quintessential New York vibes from live mural drawing from Dara Kenny to the brilliant Bugle Babes belting out a jazz compilation.

Guests were invited to create their own tote bag courtesy of Damn Fine Print – featuring the New York skyline and Lady Liberty.

I adore the extra attention to detail these special touches bring, they add finesse to an event and allow guests to take home mementos continuing the experience at home.

The evening was festive with guests agreeing it felt like a kick start to dare I say it…Christmas!

This is an extremely limited collection – availability from The Kilkenny Shop and Arnotts Dublin. Best get your skates on if you intend to own a piece of the collection!
If you do pick up a piece let me know! Twitter: DublinGail – Instagram: @littlegforce – Snapchat: DublinGail

Social Pics: from IMAGE Magazine.

Thank you Alex and Ani and Hunter Communications for the invitation to such a special occasion.

Thanks for stopping by, until next time…

Peace – Love – Unity.

Gail. x

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

Social Pics: © IMAGE Magazine.

*Not sponsored .

DUBLIN FASHION: The 2016 #DublinFashion Festival Launch! #GalaxyStyle

Essence of Dublin:

The Event: The Launch of Dublin Fashion Festival

A humid, wet summer’s eve saw the annual launch of Dublin Fashion Festival take place in conjunction with Galaxy Ireland hosting Ireland’s finest fashion industry folk, assembled at the same time in the same place, to celebrate Dublin and it’s shopping and fashion offerings. The venue was packed to the rafters despite the dismal evening and I was delighted to be amongst those invited to celebrate!

The always uber dapper, Darren Kennedy was in attendance as this years ‘face‘ of Dublin Fashion Festival – the first time a male has been selected to represent the festival!

The Location: City Hall, Dublin
The Date: August 17th 2016.

The Outfit: I styled my outfit around this gorgeous cold shoulder kimomo – kindly gifted to me by Boohoo.com. I’m obsessed with it! I channelled my inner Penny Lane – Kate Hudson’s character in Almost Famous and went for a seventies style look (a huge trend right now), with a modern twist! I absolutely love this outfit choice and I felt stylish and comfortable – so important. 

Hat: Penneys (Primark)

*Kimono: gifted from Boohoo.com

Top & Arm Cuff: New Look

Bag: H&M

Jeans: H&M

Choker: River Island

Watch: Caravelle New York

Shoes: Korkys

Upon arrival guests were greeted at the door with a warm welcome and informed of various hubs within the venue such as the Galaxy Ireland #GalaxyStyle hangout, the Dyson Supersonic area and the West Coast Cooler bar!

The Galaxy Style Hangout Area: a welcome hub to relax in and chat whilst waiting for the event to start and afterwards to reflect on the show with some chocolate and West Coast Cooler. How swish and stylish is this set up? Just look at the seating!

There was just enough time before the show to allow guests to snap some pictures, mingle and catch up over a refreshing offering from West Coast Cooler – I opted to try the rosè (I’m usually an original WCC kinda girl!) with a blackberry and lime zest twist. Delish! I’ll definitely be trying this concoction at home!

Hanging out in the Galaxy Style Hub: Raising a glass to the Dublin Fashion Team, Galaxy Ireland and everyone else involved in the production of the festival – it’s a highlight event in my Fashion calendar year! 

The Show:

Overview: The show opened with an acoustic version of Royals by Lorde – sung busker-style, paying homage to scenes on the streets of Dublin such as Grafton Street. The room was still, only the flash of photographers could be heard, the audience were enthralled and models marched down the runway in unison to the beat of the music. The lyrics punctuated the air like exclamation points and with a roaring applause and change in pace of music, the show had well and truly begun!

Offerings from stores such as the Stephen’s Green Centre, Powerscourt Centre, Brown Thomas, Penneys (Primark), Dunnes Stores, and various other shops and boutiques around Dublin featured with bright jewel toned hues, coupled with gold hues as seen from the likes of Swamp Fashions, as well as winter white (always a fave!), mustard, burgundy and browns littering the runway – tulle, lace, fur and suede also made a striking and prolonged appearance.

Military style influences, sports luxe options as well as formal evening wear also showcased for the women as well as country gentleman chic in the form of various style of suit, for the gents from the likes of Magee and Louis Copeland amongst others in the Menswear section of the show. Lastly, as with every winter wardrobe the colour black was never far away!

A diverse mix of styles sashayed down the run-way from mid-length and long swish coats, high neck tops, pleated midi skirts, silk/lace camisoles, gladiator sandals, culotte style trousers, fur stoles, embellished garments, co-ords, skirts with slits, chokers and platform heeled sandals in a variety of heights featured in a showcase of AW16 styles available in a host of Dublin shops.

{Not the best quality photo but I just had to include it! Galaxy Ireland treated guests to a personalised bar of chocolate – how cool is that?! It’s so hard to track down anything with my name on it! #delira #loveit }

ABOUT: Dublin Fashion Festival takes place in conjunction with Galaxy Ireland #GalaxyStyle this year. It kicked off today and runs from September 5th-11th with a schedule jam-packed with events (most open to the public) including on-street catwalk shows, a fashion photography exhibition, Luas Style Spotters to name just a few!

Head on over to www.dff.ie for all the details on the upcoming festivities!

Tell me: have any of you seen any Dublin Fashion Festival activities on the streets of Dublin in previous years?

I cannot wait for a week of  fashion, fun and frolics! 

Thank you to Clyde Carroll and the Dublin Fashion/Dublin Town Team, Galaxy Ireland, West Coast Cooler Ireland, Sadhbh and team at Elevate PR, and finally Boohoo.com/Burrell PR for kindly gifting me the kimono piece.

Thanks for stopping by guys!

Gail. Xx
Photography: © Gail O’Connor
Twitter: @DublinGail
Instagram: @littlegforce

*Kimono is a gifted PR item.

Kiehls & Tinie Tempah: The Skincare Collaboration! #TINIEXKIEHLS

Rapper’s Delight!

A celebrity collaboration with a brand always gets people talking and when it’s in support of a charity, it’s taken to a whole other level!

The #TINIEXKIEHLS #MTVSTAYINGALIVE Tinie Tempah/Kiehls collaboration was no exception and speculation was rife on social media the last few weeks, as to what Kiehls had up their sleeves, reaching fever pitch by launch day!

Launch Day: Thursday, October 13th 2015.

The Location:

Kiehls of Wicklow Street, Dublin.

I was delighted to be invited to attend the highly anticipated Kiehls skincare and Tinie Tempah collaboration, Press Launch and learn more about the campaign and concept behind it.

The Campaign:

The MTV Staying Alive Foundation is a global charity dedicated to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS and has recently been announced as Kiehls Official UK and Ireland Charity Partner for 2015!
The MTV Staying Alive Foundation lends its support to innovative projects that aim to stop the spread of HIV before it has even started. With renowned skincare brand Kiehls on board with this endeavour, the sky is the limit in raising awareness and continued support for the campaign!

Here’s How It Works:

For every unit of this LIMITED EDITION Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream sold, €2.60 will go to #charitypartner MTV Staying Alive Foundation.

Yes folks it’s that easy to support the campaign!

What makes this LIMITED EDITION Ultra Facial Cream from Kiehls extra special is the label designed by none other than lyrical lothario, Tinie Tempah!

This collaboration with Tinie Tempah continues the vision and desire of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation to:

Fuse creativity with education. Georgia Arnold – MTV Staying Alive Foundation.

Attendees at the launch also praised Tinie Tempah for taking the time to favourite several Tweets and Instagram posts regarding the product launch, including my own Tweet!

Remember guys: this is a LIMITED EDITION version of the cream and is available at all Kiehls stores and Irish Kiehls stores in Dublin’s Wicklow Street, Dundrum Town Centre and Arnotts Department Store, NOW!
RRP: €28.00 for 50ml & €54.00 for 125ml.

Brand Rep Ellen and I at the TINIEXKIEHLS launch.

The Store:

The Kiehls Wicklow Street store is gorgeous. The decor is strangely homey and inviting for a beauty store with apothecary jars on the shelves, old school Americana charm sprinkled throughout the store – a reminder of the brands beginnings. Exposed brick walls are home to a picture gallery capturing snapshots from when the best of the best explorers tried out the Ultra Facial Cream in the coldest of climates. The ultimate test for this barrier cream and one that has stood the test of time – and the mountainous terrain.
(°I’m currently testing out the Ultra Facial Cream for the first time so look out for a review later this week – let’s just say my first impression is, you definitely need to check it out! #suppleskin! )

{Two of the best explorers in the world, testing out the Ultra Facial Cream in the coldest of climbs – the Arctic.}

Tell me guys, have you tried anything from Kiehls before? I’ve tried the cult favourite Creme de Corps lotion before and loved it!
Have any of you got your hands on this limited edition release from Kiehls?

Thank you to Róisín Tierney-Crowe for the invitation and Ellen Sherry for talking me through the campaign extensively on the day.

Thank you to my amazing readers for stopping by as usual and I hope you’ve enjoyed this informative beauty related post.

Gail. Xx

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

FASHION TRENDS: Irish Exclusive? The H&M Studio A/W2015 Collection Pre-Launch & Show.

With London Fashion Week came the buzz of S/S16 collections and if you’ve been following me on my social media channels you’ll have seen that I witnessed some London Fashion Week shows in person! Yes folks, I was lucky enough to be invited to numerous shows for London Fashion Week but more of that in an upcoming blog post series and it is not to be missed, so stay tuned!

Autumnal Vibes:

For now: it’s Autumn – so I’m taking you through the latest A/W2015 collection from a favourite store of mine – H&M!

#DublinFashion

At the height of Dublin Fashion Festival we saw things kicked up a notch with a jam packed schedule of fashion shows, previews, makeup tutorials and catwalks strewn across the Dublin cityscape!

The Date: Tuesday September 9th 2015.

The Event:

With Dublin Fashion Festival well and truly under-way, I attended the H&M Studio AW2015 Collection Pre-Launch event in conjunction with Stellar magazine.

The Location:

H&M Flagship store, College Green, Dublin.

The flagship store was packed to the rafters with press, bloggers and various other fashion folk as well as some lucky Stellar magazine readers!

The Hype:

Consistently showing at Paris Fashion Week, the H&M collections are amongst some of the most highly anticipated collection drops of each season.

Guests were treated to the exclusive chance to shop the collection before anyone else, whilst sipping on bubbly and listening to the set list of a live DJ. Illustrator extraordinaire, Conor Merrimen furiously sketched delighted guests who looked on in awe at his skill and talent.
Ireland found itself with the bragging rights and exclusivity of being the first country to have access to the collection, now in-stores! Über cool.

Drop the beat: DJ, model & TV presenter Vogue Williams, banged out the tunes all night!

The Collection:

Much like nature’s paintbrush in Autumn, the H&M Studio A/W2015 Collection is a myriad of colour from lush greens, camel tones and rich burgundy to various shades of rust and cream.

A departure from the usual high street norm, this collection sees classic, staple pieces combine and compliment the edgier, statement pieces – all easily incorporated into your wardrobe for the coming season.

Metallics, embellishments, print, sequins, leather and lurex in the form of bra-lettes, seventies style shirts, lightweight turtle neck sweaters, trousers, co-ordinates, jackets and jumpsuits dot the collection and with co-ordinates/two pieces set to be huge trends this A/W embracing any of the predicted trends is easy with this collection.

The collection in pictures!

Up Close and Personal:

Intermittent fashion shows presented the A/W2015 Collection to us in a spectacular manner with models entering onto the shop floor from the escalators, beautifully spaced all the while showcasing the collection magnificently.

I adore when fashion brands use “live models”, at a launch in a store environment be it a fashion show or simply walking the room to show their offerings. It gives potential consumers the chance to see the movement of the clothes up close and personal, as well as the “off hanger effect“…What’s that you ask?
You know when you see something on a hanger and think “hmm, that’s not for me,” but when you actually see it on someone, you’re compelled to have it and start reaching for your wallet!

That’s what I like to call the “off hanger effect”. Happens the best of us.

Kudos to Jules Fallon. Linda Conway and team for their co-ordination of the models and overall presentation. Thoroughly enjoyable and gave attendees a front and centre experience with the showcase.

Seriously Stylish: styling by Linda Conway.

Menswear: was a more pared down and muted affair, whilst still hitting the mark in the style stakes.

Menswear: Sleek silhouettes came in the form of the classic trench, long-line coats, laid back leather jackets, fitted tees, chino-style trousers and staple shirts.

Work it: yep, there I am in the reflection snapping away – tan bag, tan booties!

Tell me – did anything catch your eye from the collection? What trends are you loving for A/W2015? I’d love to know! As always you can leave a comment below, Tweet me: @DublinGail or Tag me on Instagram: @littlegforce and check out the Blog Facebook page: Glamforce Blog by Gail O’Connor!

Thanks to everyone involved in such a wonderful showcase of fashion for the coming seasons, a truly enjoyable night of catch ups, fashion and fun. What more could we have asked for?!

I hope you enjoyed this fashion post and found it informative, especially if you’re tempted to add some new pieces to your A/W wardrobe!.

Thanks for stopping by!

Gail. Xx
Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
Final Image: H&M.

Beauty Alert! The NEW So…? Couture Perfume Range You NEED To Know About!

On a cool and cloudy September day in Dublin, my spirits were lifted in a haze of perfume and the promise of cocktails and chat at the So…? Fragrance Press Day for their new Couture Range!

The Date:

Wednesday, September 2nd 2015.

The Location:

One of my favourite venues the gorgeous space that is, House Dublin.

Being a huge fan of the original So…? (anyone else love this one?) fragrance from my teenage years I was intrigued and delighted to get an exclusive sniff of their new offerings and I have to say I was not disappointed.

Drawing inspiration from the fashion realm the new Couture Range delivers a hip, vibrant and fresh scent experience capturing the essence of fashion capitals such as London and Paris beautifully.

Let the streets be your catwalk. – So Couture campaign

My fave?

Oh SO Good!

Although they all smell lovely, I’m predominantly a fresher fragrance fan and so I was pleasantly surprised (and excited!) by the London fragrance, a sophisticated, cool, refreshing yet zingy scent.
It oozes the cosmopolitan vibe associated with London as a Fashion Capitol and I just love it!

The Couture Range:

Featuring names of fashion capitals such as NYC, London, Paris and Rio the range to me, vies to encapsulate the modern living associated with some of the world’s fashion capitals and fuse fashion with a suitable scent experience, conjuring up favourable memories and feelings surrounding said cities.

Other products newly launched:

Dry Shampoo: in So…? Lovely and So…? Va Va Volume, they also come in a nifty pack with two mini body sprays perfect for travel, concerts, events, music festivals and the like!

New Rock and Roll Range: So…? Rock and Roll –  trendy fragrances boasting a mixture of street chic and edgy style in tattoo-printed sleek, cylindrical bottles – my favourite from this range being the So…? For Me fragrance.

The Edible Delights & Thirst Quenchers:

Couture style cupcakes and delectable treats from House, Dublin – including signature cocktails created for the event!

Nails Dublin were on hand providing some much welcomed manicures to guests.

Gail Kaneswaren – changing it up and embracing winter white as her nail colour of choice!

So Social!

The event was so popular it even started trending on Twitter!
#placetobe

My fellow Bloggers and I enjoying the event.

Tell me, who out there is a fan of So…? Fragrances and what is your earliest memory of the brand? I love hearing from you!

A hugely successful event full of fun and frolics with a fabulous jam-packed goodie bag. Delighted.

Massive thanks to the So…? Fragrance team Joanne and Therese and also Event Manager Emma O’Farrell for the invitation and hospitality. Also, the staff and management at House Dublin for their friendly attitude, professionalism and attention to detail throughout the event.

You can get your hands on these goodies, available in Penneys (Primark) and selected pharmacies nationwide or shop the collection: So…? Fragrances.

Thanks for stopping by guys!

Gail. Xx

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
1st image: So…? Fragrance.
Blogger Group shot: Mei Ling Tong.

EXCLUSIVE! Launch of: The Body Shop NEW Beauty Products and Sneak Peek!

The Event:

The Body Shop Double Whammy Launch of their NEW beauty products from: The Spa of the World range and a sneaky peek at The Oils of the World range.

The Date:
Thursday 20th August 2015.

The Location:

The Body Shop store on Grafton Street, Dublin.

I have long had an affinity with The Body Shop’s offerings from my teenage obsession with Dewberry and White Musk perfumes (who remembers those beauts?), their mint lip balm, lip-liner in Beechwood and creamy Body Butters to my current faves the original Honey Bronzer, their Grapefruit, Coconut and Mojito Range, Chamomile Cleansing Oil and various Body Butters (still a staple).

Hence, having received an invitation to a very special double launch of the latest and greatest additions to The Body Shop’s repertoire, I excitedly accepted said invite, like a kid in a candy beauty store!

The event itself was cleverly laid out to imitate an actual spa experience, with complimentary henna tattooing, head massages and other treatments as well as plenty of samples of the new ranges to sniff, fawn over, indulge ourselves in and subsequently covet.

In keeping with the theme of the launch the event had a world journeys vibe to it with lanterns and oriental pictures adorning the space, accompanied by savoury, spiced popcorn, strawberries and cream and Prosecco to feast upon!

Spa of the World Range:

A different Spa Ritual for your every need – Relaxing, Revitalising & Blissful.

Relaxing Ritual:

In Need of Some “ME” Time?

Calm and restore the senses with a Relaxing Ritual.

This Japanese Camellia Cream smells incredible! One of my “must-haves” from the range.

The Packaging:

The packaging from this latest release – brown container and rose gold labelling is appealing as it is practical, minimal and spa-like, reinforcing the core message of the campaign to:

Turn your Bathroom into a Spathroom! – The Body Shop

Revitalising Ritual:

Feeling Low? Need an energy boost?

Invigorate the senses with this rejuvenating and energising collection. Perfect for that morning “wake me up” shower or any-time you feel you need a lift in spirits!

Blissful Ritual:

When you just have to have the ultimate, luxurious pampering session…Reach for this!
I am currently obsessed with the Polynesian Monoi Radiance Oil (smells phenomenal guys!) which I received in my goodie bag, keep an eye on the blog for a review very soon!

Another gem of this range is the Hawaiian Kukui Body Cream:

I was thrilled to be gifted with this delight and will report back soon on performance and expectations!

And the Sneak Peek?

The Oils of Life Range: – A new skincare range with a combination of 3 Precious Seed Oils – Black Cumin Seed Oil from Egypt, Camellia Seed Oil from China and Rose-hip Seed Oil from Chile fused together to create a stunningly crafted collection.

The oil fusion in this range is über reminiscent of every spa experience I’ve had, you know the drill, the heady mix of oils specifically picked to allow the user to become re-invigorated or unwind. This range is your spa experience – bottled!

Truly a welcome addition to The Body Shop – an at home spa experience in every bottle and brought to you by a high street beauty store! Mind. Blown.

*Available in mid September!

New Blushers: Watermelon Sorbet? Yes please!

The Mingling:

The After Party:

From a relaxed spa experience to an impromptu dinner and drinks with my blogger buds, the evening had taken on the ultimate girls night vibe to it! Perfect ending to a busy day…

I hope you enjoyed this informative Beauty Chat style of post everyone!

Have you tried anything NEW from The Body Shop? And if you pick up anything from the new ranges, do let me know!

A massive thank you goes to The Body Shop and its staff and Revolve PR, for their invitation and generous hospitality and everyone else involved in the event presentation.

Until next time, I’ll love ya & leave ya!

Gail. Xx

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
SHOP the products: The Body Shop.

FASHION IN DUBLIN: The Launch of Dublin Fashion Festival 2015! #DublinFashion

The Date:
Wednesday 12th July 2015:

The Location:
City Hall, Dublin.

A host of fashion’s finest gathered on a beautiful, balmy summer’s eve at City Hall to celebrate the Official Launch of Dublin Fashion Festival 2015. From high street to Irish Design, we were treated to a show-stopping array of fashion to feast our eyes upon! Truly an event not to be missed and I was delighted to be in attendance.

The Fashion Festival will run from the 7th-13th September 2015 – a full week this year!

City Hall itself is a fine example of Georgian architecture standing tall in the heart of Dublin, with palatial grandeur and stunning design and artistry, from floor to ceiling. I am an avid admirer of this type of architecture having been brought up from a young age to appreciate the architectural prowess involved in it’s structure and indeed its place in Irish history.

The Event:

Upon arrival I got some quick snaps, before mingling. I opted for a classic outfit choice one which I deem chic enough for such an event, yet I was comfortable in – always wear what you’re confident in ladies! I wore head to toe Dunnes Stores and Penneys.

The Face of the Dublin Fashion Festival was revealed and is none other than the lovely Pippa O’Connor-Ormond!

The entrance hall was bustling upon arrival with an array of faces from the world of fashion.

Moving into the main hall it was a bustling hub of activity with a heightened sense of anticipation and excitement in the air! I mingled and met some lovely people who I’d only “known” on-line. It’s always refreshing to actually meet face to face!

Emma O’Farrell was covering the event for Outfit Connector.

Image courtesy of Emma O’Farrell.

CEO of Dublin Town Richard Guiney was first up to speak with a welcoming speech and introduction to the concept of DFF.

Next up was Clyde Carroll who is the front man for Dublin Fashion Festival. Clyde spoke of the aim of DFF:

We aim to bring people back into the city to shop and socialise again. – Clyde Carroll

Clyde also humbly thanked his team who pulled off such a huge undertaking and all of the sponsors of the festival.

Last but by no means least was The Face of the festival herself, Pippa O’Connor – Ormond. Dressed in a chic jumpsuit and killer heels (all courtesy of Arnotts, Dublin), Pippa spoke about her delight at being The Face of the Festival and how honoured she was to have been selected.

Pippa also reminisced about her childhood memories of shopping the streets of Dublin with her mother and that special feeling of sparkle she always felt, especially at Christmas-time, a memory that may have resonated with a lot of us who grew up shopping in Dublin at Christmas, I know it did with me!
The city for me, always took on a magical, fairytale-esque vibe to it at Christmas…and still does to this day. It is truly special.

The Show:

The fashion show was a dynamic and delightful whirlwind of: 70’s Glam, Boho Chic, feathers, sequins, capes, monochrome, chunky sky-high heels, leather and lace. Autumnal colours of burnt orange, mustard, plum, red and green were sprinkled throughout the collections, with various shades of white taking centre stage amongst some of the collections.

The silhouettes of each outfit blended seamlessly, beautifully showcasing the latest offerings from the high street to Irish Design.

Monochrome dress: Oasis.

Designers carried within such stores as Brown Thomas, BT2, St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Arnotts, Powerscourt Centre, Debenhams, the Ilac and Jervis Shopping Centres, were showcased, along with looks from high street favourites Penneys, River Island, and Dunnes Stores to name just a few!

KYMAÏA: If you’ve read my Emergence Exhibition Launch and Fashion Show post, you’ll have seen a preview of the stunning collection from the Kabira Allain – KYMAÏA label.

KYMAÏA: The Lily Dress and Cala Cape.

KYMAÏA: The Bryony Coat, Iris Top & Lila Black Leather Skirt.

Image courtesy of Emma O’Farrell.

Image courtesy of Emma O’Farrell.

Suit-ably Stylish!

Impeccable men’s suits featured strongly in the show including designers such as Louis Copeland.

This dress from Coast is stunning and is a standout look for me. The neutral colour scheme is sophisticated and the movement of the dress is über feminine, just look at that swish!

Canon who are one of the sponsors of the event, were on hand providing complimentary snaps to guests and being a lover of photography, I’m thrilled with my keepsake!

Upon leaving, guests were gifted with a goodie bag and invited to The Meeting House for drinks.

A big thank you goes to Clyde Carroll, Daniel Fortes, and all of the DFF and Dublin Town teams, Jules Fallon, Elevate PR, and everyone else involved in the production of this stellar event. I can’t wait for Fashion Week!

Check out my Twitter @DublinGail AND for EXCLUSIVE video content from the show: check out my Instagram @littlegforce and the GlamForce Blog by Gail O’Connor Facebook page. If you LIKE what I do, why not give me a follow or a LIKE whilst you’re over there!

I hope you enjoyed this post guys, thanks for stopping by!

Until next time, I’ll love ya & leave ya!

Gail. Xx

Images © Gail O’Connor.
Thanks to Emma O’Farrell for permission to use a few of her shots.
Dublin Fashion Festival Logo images via Dublin Fashion.
KYMAÏA pics via KYMAÏA FB page courtesy of DFF & Louise Rawlins.
Shout out to my photographer friend and fellow blogger Damien Broderick for our impromptu photo shoot!

Models: 1st Option Models.
Hair & Make-up: Toni & Guy
Food: San Lorenzos.
Drinks: The Meeting House.
Event sponsors: Evoke.ie, Canon, Luas, CityJet, Naked Coconut Water, Toni & Guy, 98FM and Dublin City Council.

Fashion in Ireland: Grape and Gander Launch – Ireland’s First LUXURY Sportswear Brand!

Last Thursday saw me attend not one, but two events back to back on the same night. I love nights like this, the energy is high, the atmosphere at events highly charged and positively brimming with excitement!

My second event of the night was the Grape and Gander Clothing Launch – Ireland’s first luxury sportswear range from up and coming Irish Designers Aoife Connolly and Grace O’Rourke, creators and founders of the label. The addition of a luxury sportswear range to the Irish Fashion spectrum, defintiely warrented a celebration!

I am a huge supporter of Irish Design and was thrilled with the invitation to attend the launch of this newly established venture and collaborative effort by Irish Designers!

The Location:

The salubrious and exclusive venue that is 10 St. Stephens Green, Dublin set within the stunning interior of this Georgian building.

The Designers:

Meet:

Aoife Connolly and Grace O’Rourke co-founders at the helm of Grape and Gander, who fused their interests in fashion and fitness respectively, to design a women’s luxury sportswear line of clothing focused on comfort and practicality, with a stylish flair.

Influences:

Aoife’s time working for award winning British designer Stella McCartney and abundant interest in Yoga coupled with Grace’s love of fitness, having studied Sports and Exercise Science meshed well and the girls came up with the concept for Grape and Gander.

The Collection:

Fitness never felt so fabulous!

Designed to sculpt the female figure and streamline the silhouette, the quality of each piece is second to none. An added bonus is that the garments are seamless allowing for maximum comfort whilst doing workouts like Yoga, Pilates, Barre and Voga! (Yep, that’s a thing apparently!)

Thank you’s go to Aoife and Grace the designers for their hospitality, 10 Stephens Green and their staff and the lovely Gina Kiely of Classic & Wilde blog for the invitation.

Wondering what the first event I attended was? An exclusive, luxury jewellery launch inspired by love locks and memories! Check it out!

Thank you SO much for stopping by the blog guys! It’s always appreciated.

Gail. Xx
Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

Shop the collection:
GRAPEANDGANDER.COM

Thomas Sabo: “Love Bridge” Collection Launch – Arnotts, Dublin: NEW jewellery designs celebrating love!

Thursday 24th July 2015:

Girl About Town!

Last Thursday was eventful. No really.”Event Full” – as a double whammy of events saw me having one of those glorious, Carrie Bradshaw Sex in the City moments, dashing about town from one event to another!

From jewellery to clothing launches, it was a fun-filled evening.

First up was the Thomas Sabo launch and a sneak peek at the brand new designs to feature in the “Love Bridge” collection.

The Location: Arnotts Dublin.

All that Glitters!

Having chatted with the lovely Lorna Weightman (blogger, fashion commentator/presenter and regular contributor to TV3’s Xposé), the gals from Revolve PR and some fellow bloggers I hadn’t seen in a while (plus some I hadn’t met – always great!), I went about checking out the Thomas Sabo counter and all it had to offer!

Love Bridge Collection:
#MyLoveBridge

This new collection was inspired by the love locks attached to bridges by lovers in cities like Paris.
The message of this collection urges us to “Make Memories Last” with engraving, which always adds a really nice, sentimental touch to any piece of jewellery we give or receive. It is particularly perfect for this campaign I think, solidifying ones love in an engraved piece, as is done in the practice and symbolism of a love lock!

The ritual of a “love lock” is practised mostly by couples, however the beauty of the Love Bridge campaign from Thomas Sabo for me, is what I like to call, a simple “Celebration of Love” – a love of family, friends, life motto’s, life achievements and ourselves! Such a beautiful and empowering, core message within the campaign. Even the hashtag #MyLoveBridge allows one to feel that they are creating their very own “Love Bridge” moment!

The pearl bracelets from this stunning collection, have already made it onto my Christmas list! #christmasinjuly

The engraveable “love bridge” and freshwater pearl beaded bracelet being a particular fave.
I am a pearl fiend and adore this classic in its traditional and contemporary styles, for me the pearl oozes class and sophistication, with a touch of glamour, prep and power – all things every woman should aim to have, or at least feel like they have.

Some other pieces that caught my magpie eye! #sparkleandshine

I also adore and respect the meaning behind the “evil eye” and I’m loving the simplicity and daintiness in these pieces!

The Thomas Sabo Charm Club celebrates it’s tenth birthday this year! *sings Happy birthday to ya…

Tell me have you got your charm on yet and joined the club? I really need to take the plunge and join! Isn’t it good luck to receive your charms as gifts or is that a myth?! Let me know in the comments if there’s any truth to that! #superstitious

What about the men?

Thomas Sabo even cater to the male population with masculine yet blinged out watches and earthy, toned down, beaded pieces.

How do like the collection from what you’ve seen? Any faves? I’d love to know!

Lorna, our host for the evening spoke about her favourite pieces from the collection.

Lornas favourite pieces.

The Outfit:

I went for a palette of black and white to match the Thomas Sabo colour scheme and decided on a sports luxe approach to my outfit as the second event I was attending was a luxury sportswear clothing launch and I therefore felt the outfit was fitting for both launches!

A pop of yellow with the statement necklace provided a sprinkling of summer to the monochrome outfit. I also stepped way out of my comfort zone with pointed, backless, plimsoles – which I now adore!

P.S. I have to mention, the henna tattoo applications, a fab and unexpected twist to the evening! I opted for the triple heart – no doubt brought on by the “Love Bridge Collection” influence of the night. The lovely Sarah from Revolve PR provided some laughs whilst applying the henna tattoo and I was delighted with the result!

Thanks so much to Revolve PR for the invitation, Thomas Sabo, Arnotts Dublin and it’s staff and Lorna Weightman for being our “hostess with the mostess” on the evening!

Stay tuned for a post on the second launch I attended and a bit of a summery one for you too, coming soon to the blog guys!

As always thanks so much for stopping by!

Gail. Xx
All Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

Shop Thomas Sabo at Arnotts.

The “EMERGENCE” Exhibition Launch & Fashion Show! Irish Designers in: Clothing, Jewellery & Millinery Design!

A Celebration of Irish Designers!

A few weeks ago I received a delightful invitation to an exclusive fashion event. An exhibition launch dubbed “Emergence” built around the idea to showcase emerging talent in Irish Design within Gorey’s fashion hub.

A chance for four designers of clothing, jewellery and millinery, to showcase their creative talent and latest collections for Fall/Winter 2015. I had been looking forward to this event for a while now, so I packed my bags and went along to the event last Thursday!

The Location:

The Gaslamp Gallery, Esmonde Street Gorey, Co. Wexford

Esmonde Street is known to be part of Gorey’s fashion district. The Gaslamp Gallery made for a modern, personalised, bright and airy space perfect for a showcase event, fashion show and to house the “Emergence” Exhibition.

Gallery owner Claire was a warm, welcoming presence upon my arrival at the gallery on the rain soaked afternoon and was an amazing host for the evening.

The Designers:

(L-R) Naoimh Prim, Kabira Allain, Amanda Byrne and Áine Breen.

Naoimh Prim – Naoimh Prim: Hand Printed Textiles.

Kabira Allain – Fashion Designer and owner of the label KYMAÏA.

Amanda Byrne – milliner and owner Highbury Designs.

Áine Breen- Limu Jewellery.

Each designer is registered with and members of, The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and their passion and dedication to their craft is apparent in the detail of every piece they create.

The Behind the Scenes Access:

The “sunny south east” of Ireland obviously didn’t get the memo that I would be in town and I arrived in the afternoon off the train from Dublin to a rainy, cool and breezy “summer’s” day.

The Gaslamp Gallery was a hub of activity upon my arrival. I met with the designers, chatted a little, snapped some sneak peek shots of the collections, updated social media and then rolled up my sleeves to freshen up the hats from Highbury Designs to give a helping hand.

I have a real appreciation in seeing “the behind the scenes” at an event, it’s always so interesting to see the last minute details come together. From steaming garments to making sure hair and makeup is running on time and the photographer is getting the shots he wants, seeing everything fall into place before any event, especially a fashion event – is very satisfying to witness as a Fashion Blogger.

I couldn’t resist snapping this hat/jumpsuit combo. Hat – Highbury Designs.

This look stole my heart! The handmade, handstiched hat, adds a showstopping element to the exquisite jumpsuit and the simple, complimentary colour scheme makes this a versatile look – a modern, sophisticated take on separates resulting in a winning combination. A stand out look for me and one I would totally sport to a myriad of events and occasions!

Amanda Byrne of Highbury Designs.

Up Close and Personal with Liwu Jewellery:

A stunningly crafted collection with different meanings behind each of the designs, such as; “Love – life to the heart, grace to the body.”

Inspired by a trip to Beijing and influenced by Chinese calligraphy and the ancient meaning of the beautiful characters, Áine set about designing a jewellery collection, even the company name Liwu has a meaning – “gift”. I certainly wouldn’t mind receiving anything from this collection as a gift would you?!

The Liwu Jewellery collection is a superb array of super stylish, delicate, yet eye-catching pieces to adorn ourselves with ladies!
#newfave in the jewellery world for me!

Naoimh Prim: Hand Printed Textiles:

An earthy, classic, yet sophisticated collection including snoods, scarves and wraps – here is a closer glimpse at some of these pieces actually being showcased and some possible ways to style them.

I adore the print on these pieces and the colour selection!

Organic jersey cotton, hand printed designs in a myriad of colours and styles.

KYMAÏA: by Kabira Allain.

This coat is a must have this A/W 2015! Effortlessly stylish, yet will keep you cosy in the depths of the Irish winter.

This dress is another favourite of mine, I adore the modern, egdy addition of leather and the combination of different textures in the piece.

This cape and leather monochrome skirt ensemblé was a favourite amongst the crowd with a number of folks “coo-ing” over it!

What I love about all of the collections from the designers, is that their pieces suit a wide variety of age groups and styles.

Pretty as a Picture!

A journey of inspiration and preparation by the designers, captured and displayed in a unique fashion (pun totally intended!) at the Emergence Exhibition:

Hours of work went into creating this photographic piece by the designers themselves.

Behind the scenes the atmosphere was charged and the energy was electrifying, the pace high octane and there was a buzz of excitement that intensified with every tick of the clock…

After all of that, I freshened up and got myself ready for the event.

The Event:

Guests were greeted with Prosecco on arrival accompanied by an Artisan cheese reception. Mint and blueberry water was also available and after a well deserved glass of Prosecco it was the infused water that became my drink of choice. Delicious!

The gallery was soon packed to capacity with a guest list that boasted some of Ireland’s most influential faces in fashion, art, craft, business and entrepreneurship, with local support in abundance.

The footfall was astounding for a first time “collective” showcase by the “emerging” Irish Designers and even on a soggy evening, the queue to get in was out the door!

The Showcase:

The fashion show went down a storm and many pieces were met with appreciative nods from the attendees.

Here are some of my favourite looks from the fashion show!

Liwu Jewellery kicked off the show.

The “Three Lucky Stars” long chain necklace (pictured above) – worn with outfit from fellow “emerging” designer Kabira Allain of KYMAÏA designs. All other jewellery: Liwu Jewellery.

Caped monochrome ensemble from KYMAÏA.

Hat by Highbury Designs.

The pops of mustard are the perfect “pick me up” for winter in the KYMAÏA A/W 2015 collection.

The blue scarf and creamy coloured cape are a must have for me…yep, I’m currently lusting after them!

In the Frame! The designers and I “framing” our memories of the night.

The Outfit:

I opted for a chic, monochrome ensemblé, featuring a romantic touch with a white broderie anglaise top and added a lightweight leather jacket to give my outfit a little edge. A long, delicate pearl necklace, statement pearl bracelet, black skinny jeans, nude and black strappy wedge heels, red nail polish and a flash of silver to my bag completed the look.

I was “Live Tweeting” the event and Xposé Magazine showed their support for the designers and the event on the Twitter machine by re-tweeting my coverage of the event!
Totally unexpected but sincerely appreciated.
Absolute dolls the lot of you!

The powers that be at Xposé HQ have even given the Emergence Exhibition some coverage in the A-Listings Section of this month’s edition which is on shelves now!

The event eventually wound down and the attendees dwindled until it was time to celebrate the evening in a local pub, a chance for the designers, to actually comprehend the success of the event and the fact that they have successfully “Emerged” into the psyche and onto the radar of fashion lovers everywhere in the world of Irish Design and beyond.

Admittedly, I did do a little PR for the event but it was the designers themselves and Claire, owner of The Gaslamp Gallery who worked non-stop to pull off such an amazing event. Hard workers and talented…hats off to you ladies! (I’m full of the fashion puns today!)

This was my first “out of county” event invitation and here’s to more events like this. I’d so much fun covering this fashion event!

Emergence Exhibition at The Gaslamp Gallery:

The exhibition has been extended by special request and is now running from July 17-29th 2015 at the Gaslamp Gallery, Gorey, Co. Wexford.

A huge thank you to the designers Kabira, Amanda, Áine and Naoimh for inviting me to attend the event and to Claire from The Gaslamp Gallery for her hospitality.

If you do attend I’d love to know what you think of the Exhibit so you can:
Leave a comment below or:

Tweet me: @DublinGail 

Tag me on Instagram: @littlegforce or:

Leave a comment on the GlamForce Blog by Gail O’Connor Facebook Page!

As usual thank you so much for stopping by guys!

Gail. Xx

All Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
*Please do not use without permission.

SHOP the Looks:

Liwu Jewellery

Highbury Designs

KYMAÏA by Kabira Allain

Naoimh Prim Hand Printed Textiles

The Gaslamp Gallery Facebook Page