ALL the dedicated followers of fashion were out in force on Thursday night for what is certainly the most outre if not the most elegante of fashion shows; the Smirnoff International Fashion Awards. It was a chance for the country's fashion magazine editors to get up to speed on all the industry gossip; Melanie Morris of D-Side groused about photographers and models with Marie O'Riordan, the Dublin-born editor of Elle and one of the judges.
O'Riordan was also able to catch up with Morag Prunty, her first editor on More! and now editor of Irish Tatler, and her Dublin-based parents who, though they had heard their daughter on RTB's Fandango with fellow judge, stylist Alanna Gallagher that afternoon, hadn't seen her in the flesh.
Dara Kilkenny, who ran the show twice while at Trinity College and is now fashion buyer of Makullas on Wicklow Street, was now on the other side of the catwalk as a judge. She came along to the show with her man-of-the-moment, Ray Boyle of The Ultramontanes who was fresh - from supporting Suede in Dublin Castle and Belfast and looking forward to his new single coming out.
Lord Henry Mount Charles turned up with his arm in a sling together with his son, Alex Slane, both supporting Mount Charles's daughter, Henny Conyagham who was modelling in the show.
O'Riordan and fellow judges, designers Richard Nott and Graham Fraser of Workers for Freedom took in some of the thumping music of the after-show party at Renards, along with show director, Enda McGrallan, Head to Toe's Jennifer Keegan, and Peter Mark's Michael Leong, before retiring, to the Clarence for a more quiet drink.