Marks & Spencer, which has doubled its Irish outlets in the past year from four to eight stores, yesterday showcased a selection of its autumn/winter collection in Dublin's Blue Leaf Gallery.
The company recently announced that British supermodel Erin O'Connor will be the new face of its more upmarket Limited Collection.
These collections will test the success of Stuart Rose's appointment of Kate Bostok, formerly of Asda, as clothing chief, in its fight to reverse falling sales in Britain.
As well as limited, the show gave a taste of autumn offerings from Per Una and Autograph, along with some lingerie and menswear and was a familiar mixture of the conservative and the contemporary.
Very typical of Per Una, for example, is the crinkled, asymmetrical, patterned long skirt and it came in a breezy array of shades like bronze and sage as well as more summery pinks and oranges.
Knitwear with its neat little shapes, plain colours and belted cardigans was a refreshing contrast to the detailed drapery. Key accessories were high-heeled boots and gold or suede t-bar shoes. Irish footwear designer Isobel Sarsfield is a consultant to the company.
A more up to the minute and sweeter mix of chocolate and black set the theme for both the Limited Collection and Autograph with the season's hot items like cropped trousers, military jackets and lovely sparkle skirts. Cashmere wraps with chiffon ballet skirts caught the mood as did the delicate silk tops and scooped sequined vests.
If there was a touch of Jean Muir in the slinky jersey dresses and separates, there was more than a hint of the 1950s in prom style strapless dresses.
"Sexy Secretary" was a safe if unexciting mix of machine-washable navy and black trouser suits, grey skirts and jumpers.
Underpinnings like duck egg blue balcony bras, lilac camisoles and black shorts were more to the point, adding some real glamour.