Boutique Fashion With Bairbre Power - Ennis Co.Clare
Thursday, 25 October 2007
BOUTIQUE FASHION WITH BAIRBRE POWER - ENNIS CO. CLARE
Our Babs packed up her picnic basket and went on another boutique bound mission to find the best the boutiques have to offer in Ennis. Today we see what she found!!
Bairbre's Adventures in Ennis
It's the lanes of Ennis -not the walls of Ennis that fashionistas should take note of. This Co Clare town is busting with stylish opportunities and the wonderfully cobbled lanes are full of character and great hidden gems, the very thing we are on the hunt for in our countrywide search of boutiques. The reason I headed for Ennis was their fashion week initiative which runs all this week. Spearheaded by Gwen Culligan of the County Boutique in O'Connell Street (you can't miss the statue of Daniel at the end), Gwen and her sister Maeve come from six generations of retailers. Their mother started this store and it is a busy spot, full of the kind of labels I love, especially Hoss Intropia and Irish labels like Joanne Hynes and Aideen Bodkin.
However the real show stopper came from a label which has haunted me from the first boutique I visited in Carlow back in September. I saw the Pocket Venus label and didn't act on it. I instantly regretted not buying the faux suede, art deco style black jacket embellished with lots of bugle beads. It was expensive at €530 -especially the first week in September with all those back to school expenses. When I walked into the County boutique and saw it in midnight blue, I was floored, and better again; there was an amazing blue strapless dress, magnificently decorated with the same bugle beads. I instantly knew I had a winner on my hands. Imagine turning up at a ball or a wedding or red carpet event in this...........it is totally wow, a corny fashion cliché which I usually avoid like the plague but this combination is wow, wow, wow. But now that I've been doubly tempted, can I possibly resist temptation second time around?
Ennis Fashion Week is all about establishing Ennis as the boutique capital of Ireland. Among the shops I visited were:
County Boutique (065 68221947) ,Seoidin, 52 O'Connell Street (065 6823510) which has the most amazing jewellery , lots designed by the owner Maureen Harrison. You will NOT fail to find great accessories for your favourite outfit or well priced gifts here. I laughed when I heard someone comment "you must give each other a lot of gifts in Ennis because the town is full of gift shops". How true. I could do my Christmas shopping here in half a day.
Down the street at Willow, (065 6891342) the vibe is young with great brands like Ted Baker, Seven for All Mankind, Numph, Saint Tropex and Vera Moda. The handbag I picked up here is utterly divine.
Heading into the lanes, I eventually arrived Mary O'Halloran's shop An Binsin Luacra on Lower Market Street. I heard she stocked Lilith of France and I found great pieces along with Ines Raspoort, Hebedding, Oska, Zapa of Paris and Mais Il est Ou le Soleil which, at this stage, is very definitely my favourite label find on my ongoing nationwide boutique search. So I didn't do a double take when the black blouse I chose cost less than €60.
At Chez Marie in O'Connell Street,I really liked the mix of elegant, smart clothes to take you am/pm. They have lots of Lauren Vidal, James Lakeland, Okey Kokey, FeeG & Quin&Donnelly and a totally amazing cream coat that I could not leave behind. A bit like the Pocket Venus experience in Carlow, I regret leaving behind a black dress from the new Bardot label. I hesitated going out the door and now I'm back in Dublin, I think I could be making a call to Chez Marie! Concepts on O'Connell Street is handbag heaven. I loved the grey pinstriped bag I saw in the window and indoors, I was overwhelmed by a huge selection of jewellery and scarves. A place you could spend at least one hour.
The Frances boutique on Parnell Street (065 6828026) is a good place for wearable labels like Saint James (great navy cardis) and I picked up a cute hat/scarf combo, great for students. Across the street, Monica in FREYA boutique (065 6845805) was so helpful and showed me labels like great Plains, Nougat, Fuill Circle. Intrigato is the perfect stop on O'Connell Street for occasion wear, especially beaded gowns like Arruba, Rene Derhy and Official.
Two sisters, Marie and Yvonne Keane opened Kymari on Parnell Street and they stock labels like S'nob, St Martins, Lee jeans and wait till you see the shoes I picked up for less than €40. And speaking of shoes, Nozomi (065 6848096) opposite the cathedral and Old Ground Hotel put me firmly into shoe heaven. Mary Flanagan Ryan has the most exquisite taste and I found that rarity.. that women are always looking for........., stylish, glamorous evening boots that you can wear to a black toe event.
I found them at Nozomi along with amazing shoes by Magruit, Di Sandro, Bruno Magli, Marco Moreo and fab red Rebeca Sanver in suede. Move over Dorothy. These are red shoes to covet
THE OUTFITS
Outfit One - Jane
Necklace - €249.95 - Seoidin
Pocket Venus jacket - €530 - County Boutique
Pocket Venus strapless dress - €660 - County Boutique
Silver clutch bag - €44 - Concepts
Outfit Two - Joan
Pearl necklace - €69.95 - Seoidin
Pearl earrings - €57.95 - Seoidin
Cream wool coat by Brighton - €399 - Chez Marie
Black boots - €299 - Nozomi
Outfit Three - Jane
Black Shirt - €59 - An Binsin Luacra
Skirt - €230 - An Binsin Luacra
Bag by Magrit - €220 - Nozomi
Shoes by Magrit - €299 - Nozomi
Outfit Four - Joan
White Save The Queen shirt - €160 - County Boutique,
Great Plains dress - €85 - Freya
Rebeca Sanver suede shoes - €165 - Nozomi
Suede gloves - €55 - Nozomi
Accessories on the Table
Saint Tropez shoes - €39.99 - Kymari
Necklace - €120 - Concepts
Belt - €39 - Chez Marie
Bag - €55 - Willow
Hat/scarf - €69 - Frances
velvet lined scarf - €95 - An Binsin Luacra
Stockists
County boutique (065 68221947)
Seoidin, 52 O'Connell Street (065 6823510)
Willow (065 6891342)
Mary O'Halloran's shop An Binsin Luacra on Lower Market Street.
Chez Marie in O'Connell Street
Concepts on O'Connell Street
Frances boutique on Parnell Street (065 6828026)
FREYA boutique (065 6845805)
Intrigato on O'Connell
Kymari on Parnell Street
Nozomi (065 6848096) opposite the cathedral and Old Ground Hotel