Fashion

Forty Foot Jumper reflects the designer’s Dublin heritage

Style File: Bargain hunts, vinyl thrills and teenage kicks

The Forty Foot jumper by Hannah Ennis.

Deirdre McQuillan's face
Deirdre McQuillan
Mon Jun 17 2019 - 06:00

GOLDEN BOYS

An Irish inspired menswear collection from Hannah Ennis, a recent graduate of the London College of Fashion, made its debut in London last week at the Oval Space in Hackney. Called Golden Boys, the socially and environmentally sustainable collection explores Ennis’s Dublin heritage and is aimed at young customers but with a broader reach. Pictured is the Forty Foot Jumper (inspired by the former nude male bathing place) knitted in merino and with an upcycled shirt made out of nine old shirts. The cuffs of the shirts have been handsmocked and the shorts made with tweed. Sportswear materials are intricately manipulated to give them an extra thrust that might attract those “alienated by an overbearing sportswear culture”, according to the designer.

Materials have been sourced in Ireland from Magee in Donegal and Emblem Weavers in Wexford while Oxfam provided second-hand textiles like ties and shirts; ties bonded to yellow nylon feature in two outerwear pieces. The title of the collection, Golden Boys, reflects the aura around Irish sporting heroes so the new shapes are aimed at those who find glory in sports as well as those who feel excluded by them.

Ennis plans to sell the jumpers later in the year for €200-€300. hannahennis@aol.com

HUNTING THRILLS

Tomorrow being Father’s Day, avoid disappointing paternal expectations with a surprise gift that might please a sensitive ego. Shopping for men, however, is often a challenge for female shoppers of any age. In a recent survey conducted by TK Maxx, a third said that the most satisfying aspect of shopping is “the thrill of the hunt, finding a bargain and the satisfaction that brings”. Though TK Maxx contains all sorts of one-off bargains, the sheer volume of stuff on offer can make a visit a daunting prospect. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that with up to 60 per cent less than the RRP and with several deliveries a week, there is always a good chance of finding a real gem. The advice is to start somewhere easy like homewares before tackling all those clothing rails for unexpected surprises.

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OLD SCHOOL VINYL

The Sony turntable with Bluetooth connectivity €269.

If the man in your life is into vinyl – now a huge trend like organic food – he will know that turntables are back in fashion. In 2007, UK vinyl sales hit an all-time low of over 205,000, but nearly 10 years later were 10 times higher and still show no signs of slowing down. With Bluetooth connectivity you can play music the old school way with Sony’s new turntable whether dusting off your old records or with new releases. It’s called the PS-LX310BT Turntable (€269) and its features include built-in Phono EQ which supports phono and line output, two operating speeds 33 and 1/3 and 45rpm and a newly designed tone arm for rich, clear playback and one-step auto play for simple operation. So it provides high quality sound on any wireless speaker, soundbar or headphones with Bluetooth capabilities. And everybody can enjoy the music.

TEENAGE TALENT

Appiok modelling a suit by Adam Farrell. Photograph: Eoin Greally

This remarkable suit with flying feathers is by Adam Farrell, a young NCAD fashion student who will be starting an internship with Richard Malone in London later this year. The model is Appiok from NotAnotherAgency and the image was taken by an up and coming young photographer from Dublin, Eoin Greally – all concerned are under 21. Great to see so much emerging youthful talent combining forces.