Fashion

Irish gloves grace Milan and eco-friendly handbags

Dominique McMullan and Deirdre McQuillan round up this week’s fashion news and style tips

The third issue of Franc magazine, which aims is to create intelligent and accessible conversations about fashion, is avilable now. Irish glove queen Paula Rowan is celebrating ten years of her brand this year

Deirdre McQuillan
Dominique McMullan
Thu Oct 6 2016 - 07:00

IRISH GLOVE QUEEN GRACES MILAN

Irish glove queen Paula Rowan, in another forward step to her European expansion, has just launched her latest collection in 10 Corso Como, Milan’s retail mecca with its mix of fashion, food, books and unpredictability. This sees her signature soft leather gloves (including her popular gauntlet) embellished with fur, ruffles, statement zips and bows. Standard colours of black, brown, cream have added shots this season of mandarin, cerise and turquoise, the latter, however, not always an easy one to match. This year, she is celebrating 10 years of her brand with a limited edition “Hand on Art” collaboration with artist Mark P Cullen and these gloves and a specially commissioned piece of artwork are on sale in her Westbury Mall store. DMcQ

STYLE SECRET

Beth Chilton, cofounder of Hope & Ivy: “Every time you go shopping pop in an easy pair of heels, a hair brush and some lipstick in your bag and everything will look fab on you in the changing rooms.”

These Dorateymur Delta patent-leather ankle boots are something a futuristic kick-ass Barbie would wear. Le Suri’s black tote for €325 is eco and animal-friendly

“Every time you go shopping pop in an easy pair of heels, a hair brush and some lipstick in your bag and everything will look fab on you in the changing rooms.” Beth Chilton, co-founder of Hope & Ivy

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READING INTO THE WORLD OF FASHION

A thoughtful essay by Briony Somers on masculinity, menswear and masculine codes in dress is just one of a number of interesting items in the third issue of the Irish fashion magazine, Franc.

Pioneered by Somers, a model and TCD philosophy student, the magazine’s ambitious aim is to create intelligent and accessible conversations about fashion and includes an essay by Jessica Bagnall who has worked with Lanvin in Paris and Haider Ackermann on the Vetements phenomenon and ‘concept’ clothing.

Two fashion shoots are also included by photographer Veronika Faustmann, while Jenny Drea discusses the performance role of modelling. Franc (€5/€4) can be found in The Winding Stair, Made Dublin, Om Diva, The Library Project, Nowhere, Article and Sunday Books (online). For further details, visit francmagazine.com or subscribe at francmagazine.com/subscribe. DMcQ

ECO-FRIENDLY HANDBAGS

A newly-launched Irish handbag brand called Le Suri has just been awarded the PETA-Approved Vegan logo for their eco and animal-friendly designs. Founders Nina and Paab met in London three years ago and discovered a mutual passion for design and a shared love of Portugal the “home country” of cork.

A total of 95 per cent of all cork trees in the world grow in the southern parts of Portugal, Spain and Italy which is where Le Suri sources all the materials for their clutches, totes and satchels, like this black tote (€325).

Cork is soft, ultralight and feels like fine, smooth leather and with the wine industry moving towards screw tops, the fashion industry sees opportunities in using the bark from the cork oak tree. le-suri.com DMcQ

WEAR IT

These are boots a futuristic kick-ass Barbie would wear, and that’s why we love them. Dorateymur Delta patent-leather ankle boots (€415). DMcM

STEAL VS SPLURGE

These suede over the knee boots for €1,595 from Gianvito Rossi (left) are not made for walking in puddles but neither are these Mia block heel lace-up boots (€54, right) from boohoo.com DMcM