On Tuesday, Louise Kennedy's spring/summer collection went on view in Brown Thomas. This was the designer's first solo sashay through the store and she was hoping customers approved. As fashion followers quaffed champagne Kennedy looked remarkably calm: "I've just come from London and I'm off to Paris next week so I'm constantly travelling. We'll also start buying in Italy in a couple of days for summer 2000 so things are hectic, but I'm used to the cycle by now."
Bond star Alison Doody looked forward to the show, saying she loves Kennedy's clothes. While willing to consider future acting roles, she has other things on her mind - principally life with Independent Newspapers (Ireland) managing director Gavin O'Reilly. "I've two little girls, and one of them is just three months old, so I'm pretty taken up with that." Also sipping pre-show champers were actors Claudia Carroll (Fair City's Nicola) and Marion O'Dwyer, who appeared in The Mammy and is excited about a new role as a Ballykissangel barmaid. Mingling with the fashion-conscious was Sandra McGuirk, who revealed she wears Louise Kennedy every day: "I work for Aer Lingus and she designed the uniform. I was picked to model it at the launch."