Speaking with RTÉ Lifestyle at the Brown Thomas Spring/Summer 2024 fashion show, James Kavanagh was a vision in bright pops of yellow.
"I love yellow, as you can see," he smiles. Pairing yellow rubber camper shoes with bright yellow Off White sunglasses and a comically large yellow keychain, the influencer wore a Louis Vuitton coat that was part of Virgil Abloh's final collection.
"He did a lot of this tapestry floral stuff, which I love," Kavanagh explains, adding that his favourite fashion-led Instagram account to follow is Advanced Style, which celebrates the style of the more senior generations.
"I love, kind of, old lady style," he insists. "I love a big - I guess you could call this granny chic - coat. I love a big coat and I love bare legs, so that's probably what I'll do for spring. If I'm warm on top, it doesn't matter about the legs."
Looking to celebrity culture, Kavanagh says his biggest style influences include Australian actor Jacob Elordi, Maynooth man Paul Mescal ("his style is absolutely stunning"), and Dublin star Andrew Scott.
"I love Brendan Courtney as well," he says. "He's great for big pops of colour and really lovely Irish fabrics like Aran jumpers and stuff like that."
"Andrea Horan is another style icon, I think, of Dublin. She would be an inspiration to me."
Stylist Ciara O'Doherty, who attended the event wearing red tights from Calzedonia with a matching red tie and an over-sized blazer, concurred that the Irish seem to be having a moment when it comes to fashion.
As well as Simone Rocha's guest collection for Jean Paul Gaultier, the stylist named Barry Keoghan as an exciting up and comer on the fashion scene.
"I feel like the men are really representing when it comes to [red carpets], the likes of Barry Keoghan are being styled really well.
"Sometimes Irish men can be very, 'if it's not a bootcut jean and a dress shoe I'm not wearing it', and that's fine, it can take a while to get them out of it, but I think seeing a lot of these guys doing this and dressing really beautifully.
"It's not even dressing in a feminine way, it's just dressing how they want, and I think that will give a lot of Irish men that little boost of confidence to do it."
As for the Spring/Summer trends she's most looking forward to, O'Doherty says the 80s silhouettes are a must-have.
"I love a strong shoulder and a nipped in waist," she explains. "I think we're getting this resurgence of the 80s silhouettes that are really feminine and powerful. I feel like I'm going to a board meeting or something, and it's fun to dress like that - it's like dressing for confidence, I think."
