There were amazing scenes last week when Irish designer, Peter O'Brien, unveiled his most recent collection for Irish chain A|wear. Branches were quickly stripped of silk ruffle shirts, cashmere sweaters, pleated dresses and that side button coat.
Have a look at photographs of his collection here.
Fashion students and teenagers came out in force for the launch of the third collection in Grafton Street but joining them, to elbow, kick and shove, were women in their 30s, 40s and 50s with highlights and heels. Worlds had collided in search of couture cool. The buzz was palpable as a long queue snaked across the shop floor to the checkout, as women snapped up pieces from the designer’s latest collection – some even bought the entire range.
So what has made this man so popular? The key is his emphasis on pieces that are subtle and flattering.
"All you have to do is take a look at the clothes and you can immediately see my aesthetic. I make clothes that whisper rather than shout", he says.
Peter O'Brien is famed globally for his amazing couture and as head of design with legendary Paris fashion house Rocha. His collaboration with A|wear has been an incredible success, since he launched his first collection in 2006. Speaking at the launch of the collection, Peter spoke about his understated approach to fashion.
"I have a particular point of view about fashion which Annemarie Flood (managing director of A|wear) was very aware of. If she wanted a 'tits and ass' collection, then I wasn't the guy she was looking for. I think that if you have a fantastic pair of legs, you don't necessarily need to wear a skirt up to your crotch. I think people are smart enough to figure it out, and that being really smart and really sexy and really glamorous is having those great legs and not showing them off. Suggestion is a million times more interesting."
"I would prefer someone to say that a woman looks fantastic in a dress or a coat rather than saying she's wearing a Peter O'Brien – I've no interest in that, my job is to make someone look good."
TV star Grainne Seoige is one of O'Brien's biggest fans. "It feels fabulous to wear Peter O'Brien," she says. "You don't feel the dress is wearing you, you're wearing the dress. The kinds of women who wear his creations are confident in themselves but don't feel the need to ram it down every body's throat."
Instead of creating clothes that will only look good on a size 0 figure, Peter creates garments that are designed to flatter a normal woman's figure. "When I am in Paris, I always seem to be designing clothes for six foot models with no bust and no hips but this collection is for real women. I love meeting the customers and it’s good to know that they like it."
O'Brien graduated in Paris and designed for Givenchy, Christian Dior, Chloé and fashion house Rochas, where he was head designer for 12 years. However, Rochas dropped him in 2003, prompting him to set up his own label.
"We put a lot of work into this collection and I battled to keep the quality high – but at the right price. If you put your name to something and have customers who like it, you owe it to them to give it your best. We were altering the garments and changing details right up to the eleventh hour because I really wanted to get it right. There are a lot of full skirts in the collection because Irish women tend to like things that swing and flow."
Speaking about the collection Annmarie Flood, said, "Peter's collection for A|wear is once again truly beautiful. After the success of the last two sell out seasons, we all worked extremely hard to ensure his third collection was even stronger. It can be difficult for a designer to replicate the kind of success a first collaboration can bring.
"However this year I think he has surpassed himself. The collection has that wow factor that make people trip over the rails, as they look at it, finding it difficult to pick just one favourite piece. Once I saw it I instantly commissioned him to design his first Spring/Summer collection for us, which we'll launch in 09."
Another key part in the Peter O’Brien for A|wear success story is the price. Only 20 styles in total have been produced, with white shirts starting at €60, cashmere knitwear €120, 100% silk dresses €160 and the renowned PO'B coats €250. Elegant and beautifully feminine, the coats and jackets are lined with pinstriped and cute polka dot lining.
The black coat with waisted bustle detail is set to be the star of this year's collection. Peter's cashmere colour palette has been updated to include soft duck egg blue as well as warm taupe. Two styles of white shirt which usually sell out within the first week feature again, along with classic high waisted trousers and a full detail skirt, both with side button detailing.
Peter O'Brien for A|wear is available from a|wear Grafton Street, Henry Street and Dundrum in Dublin; Patrick Street in Cork; and Waterford, Galway and Limerick.
