From The Kingdom Newspaper,
Thursday, August 26, 2004 :
click here to return to Caroline Leahys website
click here to return to Caroline Leahys website
FOR once, Kerry’s queens of fashion were upstaged by a queen from another land – but they didn’t seem to mind.
Celebrity television presenter Kerry McFadden, who was crowned Queen of the Jungle following a colourful reality TV contest, stole the show at the Festival of Kerry fashion spectacular on Sunday night when she took to the catwalk to model some of the very latest in must-have fashions.
But while the former pop star wife of ex Westlife star Bryan McFadden topped the bill, there was no shortage of other attractions as Kerry’s top designers and boutiques put on a show to remember.
Sponsored by Newbridge, the fashion gala at the Brandon Hotel was like a who’s who of the Kerry fashion industry with models from the Celia Holman-Lee agency parading the dynamic range on offer for this autumn and winter. Gifted Causeway designer Caroline Leahy once again grabbed the limelight with a stunning knitwear display but the wide-eyed dedicated followers of fashion were also treated to snatches of splendid collections from Kerry’s other fashion leaders.
These included MacBees and The Style Room from Killarney, Hannons of Castleisland, B-Young and Eyecatcher from Killarney and Ela Maria of Newcastlewest. Also displaying their current range were Fashion World of Killarney and Tralee, Hevana of Cork, Weardrobe, Tralee, Mexx, Tralee and Effigy, also from Tralee. Others to grace the ramp on the night included Limerick stores Tippe Canoe, JR Fashions and Annette, Abbeyfeale and K Boutique of Rathkeale. Among the more interesting displays on the night were unusual collections from the Limerick School of Art and Design and Syan O’Mahoney of Dublin.
The shoes modelled at the show came from Nozomi of Ennis and Limerick, head pieces were provided by Limerick milliner Francis Nevin while make-up specialists for the occasion were the crew from the Sanctuary Spa in Tralee.