The fashaholics sip champagne through a straw. The little mineral bottles are passed around until everyone has one. It's like a picnic without the Marietta biscuits, or the crumbs. We are gathered to view the autumn/winter collections from 18 designers at the Design Centre in the Powerscourt Centre in Dublin.
The mysterious man in black with matching dreadlocks is Julian Baldwin, of Access Model Management. He is hidden behind black shades, but his mother, Eilish McCourtney-Baldwin, explains that the two are on the look-out for "Ireland's first supermodel". They've also just completed a countrywide trawl for models. They were particularly impressed with the Cork women, and the men, they say. Also dressed in black from head to toe is Rory O'Keeffe, lead singer with the Ultra Montanes, while Dylan Bradshaw, a "hair messer", according to himself, is chic in grey.
Antonia Campbell-Hughes, one of the centre's newest designers, says her look is "for women who feel 10 feet tall". Her friend, actress, Susan Ateh, is looking forward to seeing these creations on the catwalk.
In between posing for the flashing cameras, Rosslare man Anthony Brennan and his girlfriend, Virginia Macari, have about two seconds to say they pride themselves on "well-tailored clothes that are glamorous and sexy". The autumn/winter collection is about to begin. This is their second season at the Design Centre.
One quick word with Cork man Tim O'Sullivan and Plymouth man Steve Toms. Their signs are "sassy, brassy and just the right side of trashy," as the pair of them rattle off. (They love Cork women too, they say.) Ciaran Sweeney - cool, calm and collected - is chatting to three of the models - Vivienne Connolly, Natasha Byram and Lizanna Kirwan. He says his look is "a little trip down memory lane" that is "getting away from trashy modernity".