Former model Cecily McMenamin dies aged 71

Former model and Brown Thomas board member Cecily McMenamin has died aged 71.

Ms McMenamin was a model in Dublin in the 1960s along with her friend Hilary Frayne, who married Brown Thomas owner Galen Weston. She remained a close friend of the Westons until her death and was godmother to their daughter Alannah, now creative director of Selfridges in London.

From 1963 to 1970, Ms McMenamin worked with Donald Davies, the Enniskerry-based company that became famous for its shirtwaister dresses. She was for several years responsible for its London shops, whose clients included Liza Minnelli and Catherine Deneuve.

When Mr Weston bought Brown Thomas in the 1970s, Ms McMenamin was appointed fashion director. In the 1980s her Private Lives boutique became synonymous with elegance and innovation.