Cork Fashion Week

Cork Fashion Week In The News 29/09/2011

Lockdown Models — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:43:01 +0000

Cork Fashion Week In The News 28/09/2011

Lockdown Models — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:41:04 +0000

Cork Fashion Week In The News 27/09/2011

Lockdown Models — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:30:42 +0000

Cork Fashion Week In The News 26/09/2011

Lockdown Models — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:30:11 +0000

Cork Fashion Week In The News 24/09/2011

Lockdown Models — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:05:30 +0000

Irene is Irelands perfect nod to the past in today’s vintage world

Lockdown Models — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:54:15 +0000

CFW Director Emer O'Sullivan, Irene O'Brien from Irene.ie and Leona O'Sullivan from Le Chat Noir Vintage Events. Pic: White Cat Studio

We had the pleasure of meeting a gem in the Irish vintage scene at Cork Fashion Week 2011. Irene O’Brien is a vintage stylist, writer and presenter. And when Le Chat Noir confirmed that Irene would be down from Dublin for the Mad Men inspired vintage show during CFW, we couldn’t have been more excited.

Having worked in broadcasting and event management for a number of years, Irene’s obsession with all things Vintage took centre stage following the launch of her whimsical blog @ irene.ie. Documenting everything from her palpitations at discovering the perfect Vintage suitcase to early memories of her mum’s sense of style, Irene’s blog is a showcase for her varied career but mostly it’s a way to indulge her ever-active romantic mind.

Irene worked as a personal stylist with private clients for a number of years. She now advises retail clients, some of whom she represented on TV3’s Xpose; she styles for fashion shows and media shoots. Irene also contributes to the popular culture blog, culch.ie and uber-popular weekly magazine le cool Dublin. With her passion for all things retro, she has recently created Vintage themed soirees for people who, like her, pine for the magic of those decades that we didn’t get to live through the first time round (oh to ride into Studio 54 on a big white horse!) She is currently considering bringing the soirees to the wider public … this is somewhat of a ‘watch this space’ teaser if you will. And we can’t wait to see more of her vintage magic in the coming year.

Irene O’Brien is a true bright light in the vintage fashion scene in Ireland. We don’t know of anyone else who has been known to take journeys on planes, trains and automobiles all in the name of that perfect Vintage Dress… no destination is too dusty. If you love Irene as much as we do, get following her now at www.irene.ie xoxo

CFW 2011: an amazing success & still going strong with ‘Mad Men’ tonight

Lockdown Models — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:39:57 +0000

We promise to post lots of pics and stories about CFW 2011 once it all dies down, but we are busy layering on the concealor, sipping the Berocca and keeping our fashion feet on the trail all this week at the amazing events around the city & county for CFW 2011. We kicked off in superb style at the Blue Haven & Studio Blue last Friday night with the gorgeous Rosanna Davison & Georgia Salpa opening proceedings. Amazing collections from Pandumoniem, Verso, Jayne Boutique, Hattitude and many more wowed the audience and a fab night was had by all.

The second day of Cork Fashion Week 2011 saw the sell out ’Fashion @ Christchurch’ event. The audience at the historic church were treated to two shows. The first show ‘Boutique’ showcased new season collections from independent owned boutiques in the city and county. Guests mingled and shopped after the show at designer stands while enjoying food from the Blue Haven Food Co. and drinks from West Coast Cooler. The CFW Designer of the Year show followed with two categories: ‘Newcomer of the Year’ and the highly coveted Designer of the Year award.

Graduate and student designers battled it out showcasing jaw dropping collections but it was the Florence & the Machine song ’Cosmic Love’ inspired collection by primary school teacher Grainne O’Connor that caught the judges eye to win the newcommer award.

Designer of the Year was awarded to Alice Halliday for her magnificant ’Tea with Tamara’ collection.

Alice, based in Skibbereen, studied at the University for the Creative Arts in Epsom, England. Her winning collection was inspired by the Ballets Russes costumes of ballerina, Tamara Karsavina. The collection included elaborate crystal and feather embellishments with silhouettes, in both organic and geometric shapes. Drawing both colour palette and concept from the old tea-stained looking photos of Tamara. As a strong believer in ethical fashion, Alice uses a majority of recycled materials. Table cloths, doilies and chandelier crystals are combined with upholstery trimmings, intricate hand stitching and delicate bead work.

Liz Greehy, Editor of Stylebible.ie and judge on the night said ”Eventually it came down to two designers but overall it was Alice’s creative flair, her extreme attention to detail and the quality of her work that sealed the deal. Also, her collection came together very well and for me personally had just the right balance of ‘old world’ elegance and contemporary design to win me over.”

Port Laois based Irish Designer Heidi Higgins showcased her current collection, as did previous CFW Designer of the year winners Belinda Sullivan and Aidan Sheehan, who flew in from London to showcase at the glitzy event.

The shows included Irish model Jennifer Foley who was just home from walking at London Fashion Week for brands including the new collection for Danni Minogue.

CFW 2011 continues with the ‘Mad Men inspired Vintage Evening’ at the Cranelane theatre tonight. See you all there to celebrate the fashion of the past that has made style what it is today!

Lockdown Models Luciann Berrios & Helena Handbidge enjoying food from the Blue Haven Food Co at the Triskel, Christchurch, PIC: Miki Barlok

Kaizen Hair prepare for Saturday’s Fashion @ Christchurch

Lockdown Models — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:43:11 +0000

Kaizen’s expert hair team will join forces with the award winning team at Origin to create spectacular hair for the Fashion @ Christchurch show. Tickets are onsale from www.tickets.ie until this evening.

Kaizen’s leading ladies have just returned from London Fashion Week and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for the fashionable ladies of Cork! Today, we talk to Cliona & Edel, at the helm of the Kaizen brand.

The Kaizen Hair Team

How long have you been in business & what was the inspiration that lead you to open Kaizen?

KaiZen has been up and running for two and a half years now, we opened our doors in February 2009. What inspired us primarily to open our own business was being able to be in control of our own destiny longterm. We both love the fashion forward world of hair and were passionate to have our own inscription in this ever growing sector. Having come from great educational, skill training and family business backgrounds we both felt we had the necessary skills along with a positive mind set to embark on our entrapreneurial journey at the age of 24.

You have carved out a strong name in fashion in Cork in a very short time, how ambitious and involved are you in the local & international fashion industry?

Having spent three and a half years with a world renouned brand such as Toni & Guy in London, I knew this was going to be a longterm love affair with one of the most inspirational cities in Europe fashion-wise. London is uber cool and so advanced in predicting forthcoming trends before they emerge world wide and this is a huge reason we now keep a stong educational link with the capital in regards the development of KaiZen as a salon and hopefully as a Brand. While working in London at the age of 18, I was exposed to an industry that got adrenaline pumpping through your veins from the onset of my career and I feel returning to the city on a regular basis re energises this creative passion and need to suceed and drive forward to aspire to be the best. - Cliona

Having a intricit love for fashion, I am rarely without a copy of Vogue, Bazar or Elle in my hand. An addiction, even a compulsion for this industry I’m sure many women can relate to I’ve had inbuilt from an early age. Like Cliona I spent some time training in London with another prestigious name ’Vidal Sasoon’ and was also consumed by the freedom of expression through the means of fashion these Londoners (and foreigners) possed. We both love the way each individual styling of a person can set a mood or a story without the means of verbal expression - poetic almost. This is wat we try to capture and recreate when we return from business trips, seminars and workshops….- Edel

Working with both national and internationally creative like minded individuals such as Miki Barlok (fashion editorial photographer) Sascha Breuer (international session stylist) Kate Noonan (award winning make up artist), Viv & Emer at Lockdown & CFW (inspirational business women) keeps the two of us motivated. Wonderful oppertunities such as being part of the Cork Fashion Week design team and also Cliona taking part in PPQ’s A/W 2011 show at London Fashion Week, arise from simply swimming in the mindset of others.

Having completed 2 year long business courses in Chiswisk London over the past 2 years has also equipped us with the necessary people management, time management and financial skills need to run any business sucessfully. We have grown up quite alot in the past few years to say the least.

You are teaming up with another award winning salon, Origin, to showcase amazing runway hair for the first show day of CFW 2011 at Christchurch on the 24th. What preparation will your team be doing in advance of this show?

To be teamed up with such an inspirational trend setting company such as Origin is an absolute honour. Cliona trained with the company for a year before emigrating to the UK for a few years and owes her initial introduction to the industry to them.

“After 9 years it will be great to finally collaborate with the Origin team again and hopefully bounce some ideas off one another and start getting creative”

For the past 3 months we have been doing regular brain storming ideas with our team at KaiZen discussing current trends and styles. We have created a multitude of various types of mood boards for visual references on our ideas to see which types of styles were practicle for a fashion show environment. Weekly upstyling seminars and demos by our inhouse syle director have been taking place with empahsis on timing and polished finishes. Our team have been participating also in weekly hands on workshops where they get to practice the styles. We tend to look further afield when drawing on inspiration for styling – the internet has been a hugely appreciated resource for us and also ‘None‘ magazine, its so fashion forward we love it!!!

How important do you think it is that Cork has a Fashion Week to promote and celebrate our cities designers, hair, makeup artists etc?

It is in our opinion that Cork has THE best facilities in regards to accessing style right now, infact shopping and styling in Cork its absolutely at an all time high at present with some amazing designers and boutiques emerging almost weekly. Being the biggest county in Ireland we feel that Cork is somewhat overlooked unfairly in regards to the trends and opinions we have regarding fashion and feel also it is a credit to Emer & Viv to take the necessary steps to plummeting us right into the limelight where we belong. We as Corkonians have alot to celebrate and be proud of and think it will be interesting to watch the celebrities that will emerge from the mouth of the south over the next coming years….watch this space!!!

What do you hope to see Cork Fashion Week grow to in the coming years?

We would hope to see CFW develop into a national and international event like other fashion weeks have managed to do. we would hope the public would see the amount of time dedication and persistance it takes to develop an event as such and recognise all the talent that has gone into getting the event ready on a professional level. With the support of renound contacts such as Fashion TV we have every confidence this event will grow and grow and expose all the talented individuals Cork has to offer. We hope CFW will put us on the map fashion-wise and for the rest of Ireland to realise we know our stuff!!!!

What two celebs do you think in Irish & International media at present have the best hair?
Irish - we love Georgia Salpa‘s lusious locks atm simply because she oozes universal sex appeal and what woman wouldnt want her hair- right? We are also loving Corrina Durran from the band Wonderland, we feel she hits the nail on the head with her choice of colouring everytime and rocks the suitability factor.

International - Rhianna is an obvious choice as she is such a style chamellion – bold and brave – a ture trend ans style setter. we admire her risk taking ability. Dita Von Tesse has to be an all time classic favourite of ours with her raven black hair styled always immaculately in vintage 40′s glamour. her style has remained consistant and untouched for ages but it works for her.

Who do you think has the worst un-fashion friendly hair at the moment in celebville?

Katie Price aka Jordan has to win hands down for the sheer lack of respect for the hair on her head. The abuse her hair endure undergoing black to blonde transformation is suprising she has any hair left!!! Cut your hair love your not 19 anymore!!!

KaiZen is an ethos based on the principal of continually developing ones self through the means of Education. We as a team are committed to advancing and updating our skills to deliver to you our client the best service possible.

We have a integrated educational link to the best companies in Ireland and London to ensure our training is as advanced as it need to be. We also have a keen eye for fashion and offer free consultations for hairstyling for special events and occasions. Our team has 2 in house colour master degree graduates available to advise you on what colours suit your skin tone, eye colouring and over all style. With our team members attending cutting workshops and demos regularly both nationally and internationally you are ensured to receive a style tailored to youer individual needs and requirements.

Follow Kaizen on Facebook now!!

Real Madrid team tailors en route to Cork to dress the men of Cork thanks to Salingers!

Lockdown Models — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:04:10 +0000

New menswear store Salingers has opened its doors in Cork city and has the entire city is talking about it. Not only is the store interior full of history, character, style and more like a cool hang-out place to spend your days off, but it’s also full of the most amazingly crafted Italian suits and casual wear for men. See their first show collection this Saturday at 6pm at the Triskel Christchurch for Cork Fashion Week. Tickets www.tickets.ie. Here is why we have a major fashion crush on Salingers right now!

”We’ve always had a passion for men’s fashion, love what we do and really want to take it to next level for Irish men.” Christofer & Mike, Salingers proprietors & all round style gurus.

Christofer tells us about the birth of Salingers:
As you or may not know Mike and myself were both in Brown Thomas for a few years, absolutely loved working for them as they helped us perfect our trade, but we felt the need to move on and introduce something new and exciting to the Irish market. Mike is Canadian, married a beautiful Cork girl and decided this where he wanted to be. He always been involved and interested in fashion, wears the clothes well and have an easy way with people. I am from Italy, but was born on the French Riviera where I have lived many years.
I have always had an absolute love for fashion and tailoring runs in my family which is why I have such a passion for sartorial formal wear.

”We are well known in Cork, have a fantastic support group. Friends, family and loyal customers were not a least bit surprised when they heard we finally going out on our own, they know how much we believe in this venture and even in spite of recessionary times, negativity, we believe we can bring a little joy and cheer trough what we do.
We also feel very strong about changing people perception about Irish men’s fashion interest.
Irish men love fashion, but didn’t always had the choice of something original and very affordable until now.”

Where did the inspiration come from for the unique store interior?
We got many ideas from our travels, we have seen many inspiring boutiques trough the years and both have a fascination toward antiques, vintage and retro furnitures and paraphernelia…
We wanted to0 create a welcoming and warm atmosphere as clothing isn’t only just about trends, it’s a lifestyle.
We wanted a place where people not only came to shop, but felt they could also drop for a chat, a cup of coffee and listen to a little music.
Fashion is also about art, culture. It is a way of living life.

Why is it important for your businesses and others in your industry here to have a Cork Fashion Week?

It is great to see Cork being so involved in the international fashion scene, we have so much strong talent and it is truly wonderful to see it showcased in our city. We are really honoured to have a chance to be a part of it, we’ll work hard to make the men’s side of it flourish.

Salingers would be like to invite all you fashionistas to their grand opening, October 6th. Pop into the store this week to enquire about it.

Follow Salingers on Facebook and keep an eye out for their upcoming incredible ‘made to measure’ suits event. Their suiting brand GIUDICE CONFEZIONI recently dressed the REAL MADRID soccer team, the tailor who measured the players will be in store for the launch of our MTM service in November for a 2 days exclusive event. It doesnt get much better than that folks!!

Keeping us in shape for Cork Fashion Week – Educo Gym

Lockdown Models — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:54:15 +0000

With only 3 days to go to the opening night of Cork Fashion Week, we talk to Educo Gym Cork owner and well known Cork business woman Irene Twohig to get some tips on health & fitness.

Irene Twohig (right) with her sister

Ladies ensure you hydrate hydrate hydrate!!
We often confuse our thirst for hunger, so I recommend you take 2-3 litres of H2o daily..this will keep you energised and your skin looking fantastic!

Visualize success
Relax and use imagery each day to get a feel for victory. See yourself, having already reached your goal, slipping into a smaller-sized outfit. Or imagine feeling proud as you step on your bathroom scale and see the numbers. Pretending it’s already true enlists the support of your subconscious mind to make it really happen

Take your time
Chew slowly and put down your fork between bites. Your brain needs 20 minutes to get the message your hunger is satisfied.

Eat Fresh and as close to nature as possible
You’ve thanked Mother Nature for your good looks now thank her for her fruit and veg…always ensure you do your body well and intake fresh fruit and veg daily! Also look at your plate and ensure your portion sizes are in order, plenty of Veg, protein sizes should be the size of your palm and unprocessed carbs just a quarter of your plate.

Alcohol = Empty Calories
Yes Ladies I’m afraid there is no nutritive value mixed with them, alcohol is fattening, so the more alcohol you drink, the more weight you’ll gain!
Wine is also a big offender, so if you are tempted to have a drink, try light beers etc or a Gin / Vodka with a slim line tonic.The easiest way to cut back is to order the smallest size serve available.

http://www.corkeducogym.ie/