Clothes line

Ireland's answer to AbercrombieFarrell & Browne, which has just opened its doors on Nassau Street replacing Easons on the corner of Dawson Street, is an Irish version of Abercrombie & Fitch, the trendy (and controversial) US retail store.

Its huge black and white photographs of beauteous youth, its collection of jeans, shorts, preppy T-shirts, knits - and the throbbing music - make its focus undeniably urban street youth. The interior spreads into the newly-revamped and relocated Blarney Woollen Mills. It has probably the most spacious fitting rooms in the city, in what was formerly a hotel patronised by Charles Stewart Parnell. The historic building's dark interiors, a contrast to its brash, everyday clothes, are certainly worth a view, and are testimony to another more gracious age. Marble and parquet flooring, intricate mahogany woodwork and beautiful fireplaces, all part of the original building, now form a readymade elegant backdrop to the chippy streetwear.

Girl power

Another new shop is Alila on Drury Street in Dublin 2, a street fast becoming the location of Irish-owned endeavours rather than branches of British retail chains. Alila is an uncompromisingly girlie place, with colourful flirty dresses, partywear and jeans, and accessories such as shoes, costume jewellery and specially made cocktail rings. Owner Ali Murray, whose family background is in wholesale fashion, has assembled a host of glitzy US, Spanish, Italian and Romanian labels for her shop, mostly exclusive to her, and racked up on pink and red jewelled clothes hangers. Customers love the hangers so much, she's selling them, too, at €7 apiece or 4 for €25. This outfit by young Romanian designer Elena Perseil costs €350. Alila is at 41 Drury Street, Dublin 2, 01-6799547.

Creative Designs

Are you a student fashion designer with talent and ambition? If so, check out www.createurope.com for news of a new competition for young European designers. First prize includes a residency in Berlin, coaching from leading fashion industry specialists, presence at fairs, patronage of established fashion designers, and inclusion of selected designs in a German mail-order catalogue. A European jury of fashion experts will select 30 finalists, who will present their collections in Berlin on October 18th. Deadline for entries is June 30th.