TV duo's designs go on the rails next season at Arnotts

A debut collection from Off the Rails stylists Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney, an exclusive womenswear range from Paul Costelloe, and the introduction of Aisling Ahern’s millinery, all due in February, are some of the highlights of Arnotts’ forthcoming spring-summer season announced yesterday in the Banking Hall of the Westin Hotel.

The Lennon Courtney 30-piece capsule collection is based on the two stylists’ experience of dressing women across the country. “We are putting into practice what we have learnt dealing with so many people,” said Lennon. “These are wearable and multi function clothes. We have workhorses and we are going to create show ponies as well,” she added, referring to the silk dresses with bracelet sleeves in a variety of colours. The collection is a mix of thoughtful tailoring, easy-going Irish-made knits with a lot of silk tunic tops, shapely black separates and dresses at affordable prices. The emphasis of Costelloe’s collection is on tailoring for coats, jackets and fitted dresses, aimed primarily at special occasions and weddings. The imaginative and well-crafted millinery of Aisling Ahern, a Roscommon architect, was chosen by Philip Treacy as the winner of the “Who Wants to be a Milliner?” competition earlier this year.

Along with this promotion of Irish design are a number of newcomers such as Vince Camuto’s accessories from the US, started by the founder of Nine West, offering totes for €140 and clutches for €135, footwear from Lucy Choi (niece of Jimmy Choo) and Gagliardi menswear, a family-owned company from Malta. January will also see Liberty of London scarves in store and in March an extensive Liberty pop-up shop with the full range of its products across the board.

Colour and print were strong themes in both womenswear and the extensive menswear ranges. Surprises included M Missoni moving away from its familiar zigzag motifs; sustainable denim from Levis; and fishing flies pinned to the lapels of Ted Baker tweed jackets.