Clothes lines

Big day bargains:A big bridal event is being held today and tomorrow in the Bridal Outlet in Baldoyle, which claims to be a one-stop shop for clothes and accessories for the whole wedding party. It will feature a fashion show styled by Catherine Condell, as well as advice on hair and make-up, florists and car hire, with champagne on tap. It's being hosted by the Moreland Bridal company, which has two premises, one in Northern Cross (which made all of Gráinne Seoige's dresses for the All-Ireland Talent Show on RTÉ) and the other with more affordable gowns in Baldoyle. The woman behind the event is Margaret Moreland, whose brother Paul had a millinery shop in the Powerscourt Centre before moving to London, where he now works as a bridal photographer; he'll be assisting on the Dublin show. Tickets are €10 each on the door at 9 Abbey Business Park, Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Dublin 13. Details and directions from www.thebridaloutlet.ie

Mumtrepeneurs in fashion

The mayfly season may be over, but not for friends Courtney Tyler and Kylee O’Brien, who have just cast their net over the Camden Street area, opening a sweet little shop called Mayfly beside the Cake Café on Pleasants Place just off Grantham Street in Dublin 8. Their shop will stock Courtney’s “eclectic artisan” silver jewellery with stones sourced from Bali, Indonesia and Thailand (www.courtneydesigns.ie). They will also stock Kylee’s imported fair-trade children’s wear (www.fairlytraded.ie) and they’re hoping to hook local yummie mummies.

Life of Dior

While all the current focus is on Coco Chanel with the release of the new movie, an important new book on Dior will be published at the end of October by the VA in London. Written by the Canadian fashion specialist and curator Alexandra Palmer, it is based on new research and examines the key years of Christian Dior from 1947-1957 from an international perspective. It will explain the sheer power of the New Look that shook the fashion world and dominated postwar fashion, making Dior the most influential Paris fashion house of the day. With a promised authoritative text and hitherto unpublished material from the Dior archives in Paris, it will be a must-read for anyone interested in fashion.