Deirdre McQuillan's style file
FAST MOVER
Sara Cochrane, a 23-year-old NCAD fashion graduate from Coleraine, Co Derry, has just taken up a three-month paid internship in the design department at River Island's head office in London. The high-street retailer, which sponsored the award and donated all footwear for the NCAD Fashion Show in June, was impressed with Cochrane's streetwise and commercial approach to contemporary fashion. Cochrane's collection, inspired by "cartography and human endeavour" made much play with printed mapping graphics and had a strong urban sportswear edge.
PAMPERED POOCH
Parisian dogs may be the most pampered on earth, but if Wendy Crawford has her way, Dublin dogs will soon be up to scratch, so to speak. Her dog jackets are made from silk tweed, colour coordinated orange metallic fabric and elaborately detailed fringes. "They are for fancy dogs, really," says the designer, one of this year's NCAD textile graduates. For proud male owners, she has designed coordinating jackets embellished with a silver dog motif, worn here by Ciaran Lombard. Order on 086-3393643 or 01-8259399, wendycrawford@hotmail.com
KNOT TO BE MISSED
Blue surgical gloves, black refuse sacks, rolled bits of Yellow Pages and even elastic bands are some of the mundane materials that weaver Claire Bracken has transformed into a series of nine wall-mounted squares using traditional rug making techniques. Her startling exhibition in the NCAD textile show would make a very dramatic and bold installation piece for a lobby, hallway or gallery, and her mix of traditional and unconventional materials have great tactile qualities as well as visual appeal. She's had a colourful career to date, renovating flats and apartments, taking bets on Tote machines in Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium and working as a scout leader teaching camp craft and survival skills. Now she wants to pursue a career in creative textiles. Architects and designers, take note. She can be contacted at 087-2949790 or e-mail funkystuff81@hotmail.com
BERRY GOOD
"Berylicious" was the title of Fiona Graham's unusual accessories collection for her degree show at NCAD. AN honours textile graduate, with her sights set on accessories and table-top decorations for weddings and special occasions, her collection was inspired by the "lusciousness and decadence" of fruit such as blackberries and strawberries. It included elaborately embroidered and beaded bags, headpieces and hats, and table decorations made of mounds of cascading brambles laden with fruit. Her prices range from €45 for a berry necklace up to €450 for a strawberry plant and fuschia table centrepiece. Call her at 01-4943279, or 087-4170448 or e-mail figrahamie@hotmail.com