ON SCHEDULE to hit a target of 20 million visitors this year, Dundrum Town Centre yesterday staged its first ever press preview showcasing autumn/winter clothing offerings.
“Our footfall is up 4.5 per cent in comparison to last year”, said Don Nugent, director, who confirmed that the centre will open on St Stephen’s Day this year “because there is an appetite for it. Three hundred people queued at 4am for the summer sale in July”, he said.
Stylist Angela Scanlon, assisted by the centre’s Style Counsel team, edited a selection of trend-driven items from over 20 stores from Penneys to Harvey Nichols. Divided into a number of themes such as “New Restraint”, “Grunge Glamour” or “Romantic Lace”, the womenswear took its cue from current catwalk directions, a snapshot of what the centre has to offer.
One of the best was the coat rail where Scanlon had assembled everything from a military style coat from Penneys for €40 to a luxury black DKNY coat for €295 from Harvey Nichols and a camel coat exclusive to Zara Dundrum.
Also included were capes, trenches and Lanvin-style faux fur gilets along with the season’s current favourite aviator jackets.
“What I wanted to do was to show Dundrum’s fashion strengths” said Scanlon. “There’s everything here in terms of fashion offerings”.
The Irish love of red expressed in “Crimson Crush” featured layered or colour blocked dresses in clashing shades from LK Bennett and Next with simple red skirts from Coast.
For those with more restrained preferences, another rail referenced the unfussy lines and cool colours favoured by designers such as Celine, Chloe and Helmut Lang in high street versions from Massimo Dutti, H M and Warehouse at prices from €60 to €195.
The centre’s style adviser service provides a two-hour personal shopping service for customers for €65 which takes the chore out of searching for the latest fashions such as those displayed yesterday. Those who avail of it, says marketing manager Jeannette Jordan “are people facing lifestyle changes, who may be returning to work or don’t have the time to shop. We also give them a free makeover and free carparking for the day.”