The Design Centre was first established in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre 14 years ago and has been turning heads (and emptying purses) ever since. However, even the most glamorous of ladies needs a change of wardrobe every now and then, and managing director and co-owner, Shelly Corkery decided that the Design Centre was no exception. Last Tuesday, after months of work, the doors were thrown open on a wholly revamped shop in a new location within the Powerscourt Townhouse, and those most critical of friends - regular customers - were there to give their verdict. "I'm running on pure adrenalin," laughed Shelly, which was just as well as she claimed that she was stitched into her unbelievably slender Brid Nihill dress. Also wearing a Nihill number was model Karin O'Reilly who was complementing her seductive bustier top with a rather lovely diamond solitaire given to her recently by fiance Shane Rehill.
One person who had been there right from the start was designer Mariad Whisker, who returned from LA, where she has lived for the past four years, for the party. Mariad is selling her first womenswear collection, full of those body-conscious Lycra dresses and tops beloved of Californian babes, exclusively through the Design Centre. Other guests included fundraiser Ali Hewson and Morleigh Steinbergh, choreographer and partner of the Edge; Julian Fallon of First Option model agency; Lorraine Keane of TV3; designers Richard Lewis, Liz Quin of Quin and Donnelly and Jen Kelly; Elaine Toolan of Brown Thomas; singer Wendy Vard and advertising exec Breffni Ryan; singer Linda Martin; Cliona Ni Buachalla of Tyrone Productions who has just completed a documentary about Riverdance to be shown in Canada, and Charlotte Selka, formerly of John Rocha, who was introducing her fantastic range of jewellery, Rose and Crown, to the Design Centre.