Cream of Ireland's design crop showcase new season collections

Three top fashionistas tipped for style success were revealed at the luxurious Conrad hotel today.
Supporting up and coming designers, Goss.ie headed over to the luxurious 5 star hotel to preview Emma Manley, Caroline Matthews and Blathnaid McClean’s new collections.
With strong juxtapositions from leather to metallics to hand painted silk, the young designers showcased some of their finest work, which will be featured in the hotel’s front windows and foyer for the next three weeks.
Having interned with world renowned fashion house Alexander McQueen, Dublin designer Emma Manley showcased her SS15 collection Manley – which featured a palette of sunflower yellow, teal and dusty pink.

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A departure from her well- known muted tones, the collection still featured Manley’s signature leather and metallic textures with a distinct feminine edge.
With celebrity fans such as Amy Huberman and Aoibhin Garrihy, Emma is already making a name for herself in the fashion industry.
Her new range sees fabrics paired with heavily embellished metallic skirts and silver shorts – not for the faint-hearted, but perfect for the glamorous fashionistas among us.
The 27-year-old also showcased her new accessory line which included a beautiful statement leather collar among other neck pieces.
Speaking to Goss.ie about dressing the actress Amy Huberman Emma said “When Amy wore a piece from the last collection, I think she really loved it and that was really nice.”
“I’ve only ever dressed people who want to wear Manly and I think it’s a really nice way to do it because you feel when they’re wearing it.
“They’re wearing it because they want to and they wear it with confidence and they’re proud to wear it,” she revealed.
Having dressed some of Ireland’s top fashionistas, Emma admitted who she would love to wear her designs next.
“Saoirse Ronan obviously she’s deadly,” she told Goss.ie, before adding that she’s a massive fan of Emma Stone “I think she’s just wonderful”.
Cork based designer, Caroline Matthews was also on hand to showcase her stunning collection.
Known for her bridal atelier designs, Caroline has branched away from her wedding roots and has now set up her stunning fashion line.
With a mix of muted toned asymmetrical cuts in leather, the Leeds born designer has focused on key pieces that pointed towards a woman who wants luxury but with an edge.
Under her namesake, the Caroline Matthews fashion collection was filled with bespoke designs made from lamb leather and luxury crepe tailored to taking women from day to night.
Having already dressed TV3’s Xpose girls and Ireland AM’s Sinead Desmond, Caroline also told Goss.ie that Alicia Quarles from E! NEWS had worn her designs whilst interviewing Britney Spears.
“Her stylist from New York contacted me and I sent a leather top, cigarette trousers and a blouson dress so she wore those interviewing Britney Spears.”
With her lines travelling around the world it’s no wonder she was awarded fashion designer of the Year 2014.
And Dundalk designer Blathnaid McClean also showcased her unique silk and wool designs at The Conrad.
The designer hand-paints all her garments, meaning they are truly one off pieces.
With a strong focus on formal and semi-formal occasion wear, Blathnaid admitted she would love to see “Katie Taylor or someone in sports” wearing her designs.
The 22-year-old was the youngest designer to showcase her collection, with her black hip-length wool cape standing out as her key piece in the range.
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Fashion Association hosts clothing swap before the holiday season

The Fashion Association’s bi-annual clothing swap took place in the Susquehanna room of the Hadley Union Building Tuesday.
The swap is a solution to the constant struggle many students face of wanting new clothes but not having the money to buy them.
Members of the club purged their closets over Thanksgiving break and brought their old clothes to exchange for new clothes.
Anyone was encouraged to participate in the event, as it was advertised on Twitter and CrimsonConnect.
There was no limit or equal-value swap, meaning that if students came with two articles of clothing, they could leave with five, or vice versa.
The focus of the event was generosity and giving back, which tied in with the holiday season.

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Any leftover clothing was donated to Goodwill, and any professional
clothing was given to Attire to Aspire, an Indiana County organization that helps get women back into the work force.
Treasurer of the club, Katie Waite (junior, fashion merchandising) expressed that she was very pleased with the outcome of the event.
“I’m surprised with how many people outside of the club came to participate,” Waite said. “It’s nice to see new faces here.”
Many students gave positive feedback about the clothing swap, including club member Bonnie Kautzman (sophomore, fashion merchandising).
“It’s a cool way to get new
clothing if you don’t have money to go to the mall,” Kautzman said, “and it’s a way to make new outfits and meet new people.”
Alexis Hagelgans (junior, chemistry) also noted the coolness of the idea.
“I didn’t even know what the event was until I talked to my roommate, but I’m glad I came,” Hagelgans said.
“It’s cool to give away while getting new clothes, and it’s a good way to recycle.”
Kaleigh Gilmer (sophomore, nursing) came prepared for the event.
“I was really looking forward to the event,” Gilmer said. “I brought a garbage bag full of clothes that I was intending to give to
Goodwill anyways. It’s just a fun way to donate, and I’m glad it’s going to a better place.”
For anyone that missed out on the clothing swap, another will be held after spring break.
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Bejewelled Splendour

This designer is making a statement, and that’s not an understatement. Singlehandedly responsible for taking costume and statement jewellery to a whole new, stellar level in the Indian designer market, and getting everyone from Bollywood celebs to socialites to start accessorising seriously, Nitya Arora is the woman behind Valliyan.
In a market saturated with young and trendly clothing designers, Nitya, aged just 21 in 2008, decided to take the niche jewellery market by its horns and carve out a special space for herself. And her brand features drool-worthy pieces, statement and oversized pieces that completely turn around any outfit. India’s answer to the likes of Mawi, Nitya is the rebel whose loud, outspoken pieces take on traditional jewellery trends head on.
The designer, who is exhibiting her collections at the DIVAlicious fashion 
exhibition next weekend (January 23-24), spoke exclusively to wknd. about what drives her designs, and perfecting the art of statement jewellery.
On beginning the brand
I started Valliyan in 2008, when I had just graduated from college and knew I wanted to be a young and successful designer. Every other girl you met those days was starting her own clothing line, and I didn’t want to be one of them. The fashion jewellery segment was pretty much non-existent then, but I knew it was all set to a big rage in India in the future.
simple formal dresses There’s something great about trusting your instinct and vision, and I just acted upon it. Valliyan was one of the first fashion jewellery labels to emerge in India. Valliyan is the Punjabi word for “hoops” or “earrings”, also called “baliyan” in Hindi. The label is very Indian at its core, its aesthetics and values, but with a modern outlook and packaging. My inspiration comes from my grandmother and the family heirlooms, vintage Indian pictures and markets combined with modern art and fashion.
With no formal training in jewellery design, I did get an Applied Sciences degree from Parsons The New School for Design from 2009-11, after I founded Valliyan.
On her signature designs
My best selling pieces are the statement necklaces and earrings. The Princess Leia ear cuffs, which we showed in 2011, became a rage and we are still selling them. Those are classics, and the other popular trends are middie rings, maang tikkas (hair and forehead piece), ear cuffs, and haath phools (that extend from the fingers to wrists).
On inspiration and materials
We use everything from brass, copper to glass, acrylic, wood, resin, silk thread, leather and semi- precious stones. The latest collection, for instance, is inspired by Rococo architecture with an Indian twist.
I also started combining Indian jewellery heritage with a Western influence, like small kundan polki (uncut diamonds) designed in a modern way. But everybody does that now, so what we work with a lot now is typical Indian temple jewellery encrusted with crystal and acrylic to give it a modern face.
On jewellery trends
Every market is different. Indians love big jewellery, so statement pieces do well here. But we have everything from small to big pieces. Most medium-sized pieces are a good balance between statement, yet regularly wearable. I wear a lot of small jewellery all the time, but carry at least two statement pieces in my bag in case I need to dress up a little,
Statement jewellery also runs the risk of looking dated after a few years, but not Valliyan. We design classics that are current. I still see people wearing pieces they bought from my first collection in 2008, because they’re still relevant and always will be. In terms of recycling, you just need to style it differently each time you wear it — sometimes with a solid and sometimes with prints or textures, with Indian silhouettes or with Western clothes at other times.
On the changing market trends
Ten years ago, there was no market for my kind of jewellery. It started developing around seven years ago. Back then, Indians didn’t really understand the concept for costume jewellery, because jewellery was always considered a status symbol or had a religious meaning to it, or was part of traditional occasions like weddings. Jewellery worn in such cases was always precious. Gold, silver, platinum, diamond, ruby, emeralds and sapphires were the main stars.
I feel like I changed one woman at a time. By explaining to my clients what fashion jewellery was all about, how to wear or style it — the purpose being primarily for adornment and fashion — how to look after it, what it was made of etc. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it because when one woman wears Valliyan, I know ten others are going to come asking for it. The product sells itself.
It’s a domino effect and with more brands coming into the market, you know that demand has increased as well. Bollywood celebrities have also started accessorising a lot, which helps influence the masses. With international magazines in India, women certainly have gained more knowledge about fashion jewellery. All this is shaping tastes and buying behaviour. But we have a long way to go still.
On competing and showcasing
I started Valliyan when I was 21, in 2008, and I’m 27 now, so I believe I was ahead of my times then, and now as well. I set the trend and competition follows. I’m always trying to be a step ahead. Starting young with all the experiences and mistakes to learn from, the process still continues as I grow. I’ve garnered great relationships in the industry and won the Grazia and Elle magazine awards.
Today, I am well established but have a long way to go and so much to do. Things change very fast in this industry and if you are not constantly on your toes reinventing yourself, you can fall back easily. One can’t get complacent, that’s the great thing about competition. It keeps things exciting… I’m always learning.
Valliyan started showcasing in Dubai in 2011, and we’ve done many other shows since then, but this is my second time with DIVAlicious, and I’m really looking forward to it.
On celebrities wearing Valliyan
Freida Pinto, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Aishwarya Rai… the list goes on.

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Elyse Taylor on motherhood, modelling lingerie and her Zac Posen wedding dress

More than five years since her first campaign for the brand and less than 12 months since the birth of her first child, Australian model and former Vogue cover girl Elyse Taylor is back in front of the camera for Bonds. New York-based Taylor is helping the underwear brand celebrate its centenary this year, starting with a new campaign alongside home-grown actor Jai Courtney, launching this month. On the day of the shoot in Sydney,Vogue dialled up Taylor to chat about her wedding dress and how it feels to be working again post-pregnancy. How was the shoot?
“It was an early call time but it was perfect. We shot at a beautiful apartment in Bondi so it was really great.”How does it feel to be back as a Bonds girl?
“It is such an honour. I worked with Bonds in 2009 for the 10th anniversary of their Hipsters range so it’s really nice to be back for their 100th anniversary.” Congratulations on your wedding in August. The photos were beautiful. Tell us about the process behind your Zac Posen dress.

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“It was so amazing of Zac to design my dress. He’s a personal friend of my husband Seth [Campbell]. We had three or four lunches and talked about the dress and what I wanted. He knows women’s bodies. He fitted it on a mannequin, it was three months in the making. Then he shipped it out to the Hamptons [where the couple were married] for me to try on and it was all happening.”How has your career changed since becoming a mother to your daughter Lila Louise early last year?
“I’m just trying to keep everything balanced with mum time, down time and shoots. I spend as much time as I can with her but I am also continuing with my career. We have already done two trips to Australia with her and she flies better than I do actually!”How did you get back into shape after giving birth?
“I found it really difficult. I put a lot of weight on when I was pregnant so honestly, I tried a few different diets but your body changes. The blood type diet worked for me and working out with my trainer four or five times a week. Basically, there’s no secret.”Are you still training as hard?
“Yes, definitely. I enjoy working out. It gives me peace of mind and it’s part of my job to stay active and healthy.”How do you exercise when you can’t see your trainer?
“I swim or I’ll do low-impact leg weights because I have a back injury and a bad knee so I don’t want to aggravate it.”Was there pressure to start working again after the birth?
“Not from the industry but from myself. As a model, you understand that there are so many young girls coming up behind you, it’s easy to be replaced. It was nice – they didn’t forget about me! A lot of my worries were for no reason.”If your daughter showed an interest in modelling, would you encourage it?
“Not until she’s finished her education. I didn’t start modelling until I was 17 as I finished high school. I would want my daughter to enjoy being a kid – there are so many negative aspects to the industry and you are thrown in the deep end so it’s not necessary to start too young.”
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The Real Reason Fashion Labels Are Failing Plus-Size Women

Contrary to public perception, fashion designers do not hate plus-size customers. Full-figured fashion fans have been always been frustrated by the lack of selection from their favorite brands, and I don’t blame them. Clothing manufacturers actually do recognize the buying power of the larger sized shopper, but offering styles in plus is just not that simple.
Earlier this year, blogger Chastity Garner boycotted Target for excluding fashion fans in her size range from their latest designer collaboration. Another blogger, Sarah Conley urged shoppers to vote with their wallets if they want designers to cater to them. As a woman with curves, I cheered them. As a veteran of the industry, I lived the challenge of their disappointment.
I have worked as a technical designer for multiple size ranges for brands that include Lord & Taylor, Coach and many others. I can testify that perfecting plus-size fashion is more complicated than extending a label’s size range. A sample size for contemporary or upscale label could be a size 2, 4, etc. Merely sizing up from that into larger sizes would be treating a plus-size customer like a rectangle — flattering no one. There have been plenty of companies who try, and the clothing ultimately does not sell because the fit is awful. The executives then conclude that they do not have a significant plus-size customer base and then refuse to invest in it.

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To produce full-figured clothing well, it needs to be fit on a fit model that truly represents the customer. Professional fit models guide designers into adjusting proportions and tweaking individual clothing styles to look great on their body. Even then, full-figured shoppers could be very busty, pear-shaped or muscular. One fit model cannot possibly cover every body shape in that size range.
A professional fit model’s rate starts around $200/hour. Professional plus-size models charge at least as much or more because they are considered specialists. While this may be the rare instance in fashion where larger girls rule, it is an expense that many clothing companies do not have the budget for.
Unfortunately, the fit and budget are not the only challenges. The team assigned to execute plus-size styles is often at a disadvantage from the beginning. Technical designers are the ones who fit the clothing, correct the patterns and take it from concept to production. Full-figured styles often take their direction from the brand’s main collection. While the central collection has an entire season to develop, the plus-size styles are often put into work only after the regular collection has been approved. This means the technical designers only have a fraction of the time to prepare production to hit the stores at the same time.
I love asking full-figured fit models where they shop. The most common answer is brands that specialize in their size range. Eloquii, Lane Bryant and The Avenue are the recognizable companies. They do it well because they specialize in that customer. They also have large marketing budgets.
Like any independent fashion label, many do not have the same advertising dollars as the big corporate brands. There are plenty of plus-size fashion labels developed specifically for these customers who have to rely on word of mouth. Cushie B. was launched by designer Valerie Thompson, a former design director at Josephine Chaus and Cynthia Steffe who is herself a full-figured woman. I found many stylish labels at Full Figured Fashion Week catering to all price points and demographics. They came from around the world and served everything from swimwear, office wear to special occasion. They may not have large budgets but they are ready to serve curvy girls hungry for style.
Full-figured fashionistas were one of the most successful groups of influencers at the outset of fashion blogging. This was a powerful shopping demographic largely ignored by mainstream media. Collections developed with bloggers like Gabi Fresh and companies like Gwynnie Bee that rely on feedback from vocal shoppers end up with the most engaged customers.
Designers who want to serve fans of every size need to invest their resources efficiently: have design teams work from the initial concept direction at the same time to prioritize all size ranges, and collaborate more with influencers who represent your target shopper for styling and fit feedback — see them as allies, not a battleground.
Curvy girls, treat fashion like dating. If your favorite designer ignores you, give your love to the ones willing to spend their time and money to woo you. They are out there (and like any suitor, trying hard to get to know your body). Seek out the good guys that may be under the radar. Your wardrobe is a relationship totally worth investing in.
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