Details of what may be the biggest fashion show yet held in Ireland were announced at the weekend.
The Brown Thomas International Fashion Show will be staged in Dublin's Point Theatre on Friday, February 11th and broadcast live on E's the Late, Late Show. It will be hosted by that programme's presenter, Pat Kenny. The night will feature clothes by Irish and international designers. Among the former are John Rocha, Louise Kennedy, Lainey Keogh, Philip Treacy and Mariad Whisker, while the latter category includes Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Chloe, Gucci and Prada.
Sponsored by the Dublin department store and 2 FM, the show is expected to follow the format of a similar event held in the Point in February 1996. On that occasion, £220,000 was raised for three Irish charities.
A spokeswoman for the show's organisers said the intention this time was to make more than £300,000. The beneficiaries will be the ISPCC, the Chernobyl Children's Project and the Maria Keating Cancer Awareness Fund.
The three principal organisers are Caroline Downey, Ali Hewson (wife of U2's Bono) and Ronan Keating of Boyzone.
A number of international models have already confirmed their participation, including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Christy Turlington and Yasmin Le Bon. Jerry Hall has also agreed to model, along with her eldest daughter, Elizabeth Jagger, while other familiar names on the ramp will be Lee Woods (daughter of Rolling Stone Ron Woods) and Jasmine Guinness, whose grandfather is Mr Desmond Guinness.
Tickets for the show go on sale today.