Pictured left to right: Alexander Wang, LWren Scott (purple dress), Michael Kors (gold dress) Prabel Gurung (red dress)

Whether you hail from the prestigious Upper East Side or the urban hip Lower West Side, the city that never sleeps literally pulsates with an exciting and inspiring fashion scene.

Many fashion designers use this creative hub as their fashion base, including internationally renowned designers Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan and to coincide with New York Fashion Week, Brown Thomas is bringing New York style to life with a series of NYC themed fashion workshops and masterclasses until Sunday February 19th 2012.

The style workshops taking place in BT stores over the next few Saturday’s will show you how to get the NYC look, the latest trends and  tips from the experts on how to style up the look and mix and match chic accessories.

In addition, there will be fantastic gifts on offer with purchases across some key NYC fashion and lingerie brands throughout the stores, including DKNY, Michael Michael Kors, DVF Swim and Calvin Klein.

Brown Thomas Dublin Events

11th February – Top stylist Annmarie O’Connor will host a series of fashion workshops from NYC brands DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Elie Tahari on Level 2 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

18th February – Annmarie O’Connor will host a series of fashion workshops from NYC brands DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Theory on Level 2 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

Brown Thomas Cork Event

11th February – Über cool stylist Courtney Smith will host workshops from top NYC brands DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs on Level 1 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

Brown Thomas Limerick Event

18th February – Renowned stylist Cathy O’Connor will present a fashion show to highlight key NYC brands including DKNY, Michael Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs on Level 1 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

Brown Thomas Galway Event

18th February – Fashion insider Lisa Lane will host a series of workshops including go-to NYC labels DKNY, Michael Michael Kors, and Marc by Marc Jacobs on Level 1 at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm.

Men’s perfume.

Normally not a subject that graces the pages of WhatSheWears.ie, but we’ve made an exception seeing as this one was launched with such fanfare. Marc Jacobs was in London last week launching his new “men’s fragrance” called Bang.

Described as a threesome of black, white and pink peppercorns giving a woody, spicy scent, BANG (100ml) Eau De Toilette costs €58 and is sold in Ireland at Harvey Nichols in Dublin.

For the first time ever, Marc Jacobs appeared in his own ad campaign, revealing an uber toned self lying naked on silver foil with a bottle of Bang hiding his nether regions.  Apparently, Jacobs tried the shot with clothes, but it didn’t work!

In true Marc Jacobs’s style, the fragrance launched at a bash at Harvey Nichols’ Fifth Floor Restaurant in London, attracting a stream of A listers.

Pictured getting cosy with the New York fashion designer are Beth Ditto and Pixie Lott while actor Mischa Barton and model Daisy Loewe graced his presence in the other photo.

Erin O’Connor, Diane Vickers and Jaime Winestone (wearing a fab Pauric Sweeney bag), were also in attendance.

The after-party was a private one – Jacobs left the silver-foiled walls of Harvey Nics escaping to The Wolsey to dine with Kate Moss and her Ma.

What She Ate: Fish, chips and mini burgers followed by sweet Macaroon’s

What She Drank: “Bang” cocktails and champagne

What She Listened To: Marc Ronson’s “Bang” song while Jesus Luz juggled “next tune” decisions with Scissor Sister’s Jake Shears.

Images:  Marc Jacobs Party at Harvey Nichols

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By Jennifer Ennis

It is not even summer, but the fashion world is already thinking of winter! The Autumn/Winter 2010 season kicked off in New York last week with a strong minimal, practical and wearable theme.

A possible sign of the times, it seems designers didn’t take too many risks and instead focused on consumer buys that could be worn straight after the show. With over 100 shows, it was tough to narrow it down, but here are my Top 5 from NYFW which stood out.

1) Michael Kors

Luxury man Kors described his collection as ‘the quintessential American sportswear wardrobe’ and how indulgent and beautiful it was. Consisting of chunky cashmere, gorgeous suede, flannel suits, fur hoods and beautiful knits in camel, brown, green and grey, Kors’s collection was very aspiring, timeless and wearable. Watching the show (which streamed online), one had definitely stepped in to a life of luxury and money, especially with a front row boasting of Donald Trump and Michael Douglas!

2) Diesel Black Gold

The first show with new creative director, Sophie Kakosalak was largely over-subscribed with everyone wanting to get a first look. Kakosalak kept the label’s ‘rock star’ feel with mostly leather and denim fabrics and added some glamour with one shoulder party dresses, studded booties and a velvet jumpsuit. The collection had a grunge and just naturally cool feel to it with great jeans, plaid shirts, a simple setting and an impressive model casting.

3) Diane von Furstenberg

This season, Diane injected a strong hint of masculinity to her forever feminine look, while stating in the show’s notes ‘I always wanted to live a man’s life in a woman’s body’.

DVF’s strongest show in a while featured embellishment, heavy metals, blazers and chunky knits contrasting with beautiful prints, gorgeous blouses, party dresses and full length frocks. It also boosted an original front row including writer Salmon Rushdie and was set in a fun and fashionable party surrounding.

4) Marchesa

Celebrity-favourite Marchesa designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig used Irish born dancer Lola Montez as inspiration this season. As per usual, the evening dresses were laced, embellished, beautifully sculpted and with great attention to detail. The Courtesan collection featured many short, structured dresses and a number of floor-length beauties that will no doubt be making an appearance on the red carpet this season.

5) Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger’s show was a moment in history as the last show to be held in Bryant Park (Fashion Week moves to the Lincoln Center next season), but also the first season which featured contributions from designer, Peter Som. And what a success it was!

The ‘Preppy with A Pop’ collection gave an updated, fresher look on the signature all-American Hilfiger pieces. Blazers were given a fun twist and footwear was laced and/or over the knee. This new younger approach was also echoed in the front row too with the Gossip Girl boys, Hayden Panettiere and Ashley Olsen.

Best of the Rest at New York Fashion Week

Other shows that deserve a mention include Oscar de le Renta’s beautiful and sophisticated affair, Marc Jacobs ‘cardboard box’ setting and Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen’s low-key The Row line which is gathering a firm following.

Alice & Olivia’s gorgeous dresses, Rodarte’s beautiful prints, and Jeremy Scott’s usual splash of colour and crazy were also on my radar.

With London now underway, and Milan and Paris on the horizon, Autumn/Winter 2010 is shaping up to be a good one!

Image credits: Style.com

This month’s style city feature was written by my stylish sister Noreen (pictured above). She’s lived in NYC, Sydney and Thailand so we hope to convince her to give us an insider’s guide to shopping and style for future Style City features on whatshewears.ie. Previous cities covered are Belfast and Barcelona.

West Village

For eating and drinking in NYC I recommend the West Village. I used to live on Perry Street in the West Village where there are some really cool shops around Bleecker Street.   The fab Marc Jacobs store on the corner of Bleecker and Perry Street tempted me every time I walked home.

If you can’t buy anything chez Marc, comfort yourself with a cup cake in The Magnolia Bakery (as featured in SATC) 401 Bleecker Street .  It’s just a short taxi ride from the West Village to Soho for shopping  and the Meatpacking District for late night entertainment.

Second hand designer stores

I love browsing second hand designer stores like INA. New York Magazine described INA as “The trendiest pickings from American and European runways — mixed in with rather chic no-name clothes”.  INA, 15 Bleecker Street.

You can come across some stellar finds for a snippet like my Karl Lagerfeld riding jacket , which felt like it was hand made for me.  Sadly, it was stolen from me in a  Dublin nightclub by someone who knew a good thing when they saw it!

Shopping in New York

The best district for shopping in New York is SOHO (short for “South of Houston) in downtown Manhattan.  Between the many cobble stoned streets between West Broadway and Broadway you will find a great mix of shops.

This includes the bijoux Bloomingdales if you can’t face the much larger one on 59th Street.  All tourists who show their passport in the visitors centre in Bloomingdales get 11% off all goods (with the exception of some cosmetics) even on sale items. So it is worth queuing up before hitting the clothing rails.

The flagship Apple store is located on 5th Avenue in a coverted post office building where you can spend hours just browsing and looking at the test gadgets.  Apple, Prince Street, New York.

Need a party dress or ball gown?

BCBG Max Azria is my favourite haunt if I am in need of a dress or ball gown.  Their silk cashmere cardigan wraps are the best I have found around. Other recommended shops in Soho are Betsy Johnson, Adidas and other small designers dotted around the place like Catherine Maladrino.

Broadway Shopping

If want to venture to the very busy Broadway district you will find Victorias Secret for underwear, Sephora (which is always great for makeup supplies), Banana Republic, Kenneth Cole, Armani Exchange and some fantastic shoe shops like Steve Madden.  It’s a really busy area but a good option if  you only have an afternoon to hit all the main shops and pick up some bargains.

If however you like browsing and want to avoid the annoying sales assistants (who have become even more persistent since the recession has hit… they really do care ‘how you are today’!)  at the weekend you will find street vendors along Prince Street selling fabulous, genuine jewellery.

Just last week I bought some statement earrings and necklaces with semi precious stones which, in total cost  me €200. They would’ve  cost me triple that in a retail outlet.  Be prepared to bargain though.

Outlet shopping in New York

This would be shopping hell for me but if you insist on outlet  shopping,  go to Woodbury Common which is the most popular outlet and is located an hour away from NYC – the bus leaves from Port Authority and goes on the hour.

If you want to stay put in New York for outlet shopping and have nerves of steel, head to Century 21 down at the World Trade Centre (Cortlandt Street).  My advice is to get in and out early otherwise you’ll need an oxygen mask!

I just tend to head to the sports section of Century 21 on the 1st floor  – I can’t get enough sports socks, hats/gloves  and magnificent scarves.  I bought two Pucci scarves there last week reduced from €300 each to €99 each!  This type of stuff doesn’t require trying on nor standing for hours ‘in line’.

Hotels in New York City

Check hotels.com for the many deals on hotels in New York City to be had at the moment. I suggest that you stay downtown in Soho and not  have to traipse around in cabs.

60 Thomson, The Mercer Hotel and Soho Grand are three hotel suggestions.  My motto is to stay somewhere that has a great vibe, people and a nice bar, so if you’re too tired to go out (you will be after all that shopping) let the party come to the hotel!

On my last trip I stayed at the Hudson Hotel,  356 West 58th Street, near Columbus Circle subway (near Central park and Theatre district). This Phillipe Starck designed hotel with a great roof garden is well located for shopping.  The hotel had its heyday a few years ago but the once expensive room rates have now become more accessible price-wise.

New York Restaurants

If  you fancy a quick bite while shopping in West Broadway head to Dos Caminos on West Broadway. This is an upscale Mexican restaurant that serves the most unbelievable guacamole which is served in a cauldron style stone bowl .  It’s a great place for lunch between shops or early evening when the legs get tired after shopping, why not pop in for margaritas and guacamole.

Pastis 9 Ninth Avenue, New York

Brunch in the Meatpacking District is the ‘in scene’ thing to do, so if you’re in town for a few days,  treat yourself to brunch at Pastis.  I recommend their great burgers and fries. The bar area is always good for a celeb viewing, lots of hustle and bustle,  surrounded by old French décor.

The Spotted Pig

Bono is said to be an investor in The Spotted Pig which is New York’s first authentic English style gastro-pub. Also, considering that Sarah Jessica Parker and Liv Tyler live around the corner in the West Village, you are bound to spot a celebrity here on the weekends.  Chef April Bloomfield, formerly of London’s River Café, ensures this cosy wood-floor tavern in the West Village is always packed.

If you feel The Spotted Pig is too crowded there’s always the down-home White Horse Tavern pub nearby on Hudson Street. This is a great spot in the Summer – sit outside on the benches and watch  the world walk by.

If want to feel like at home and mix with some of the locals (SJP lives around the corner) head to Extra Virgin.  Great food and a particular favourite of mine for its decor with its exposed brick walls, it reminds me of my old apartment in NYC.  Make sure to call ahead to reserve as queues of locals can be long.

My favorite bars in New York

Employees Only 510 Hudson St between Christopher and W. 10th Street.  This is a cosy new West Village spot where the staff wear chef smocks with quirky titles like Principal Bartender.

After shopping and before heading back to your hotel head to Felix on 340 West Broadway – this is a mix of Eurobrats and locals who stand on the street and drink Peroni beer to the sound of Latin music.

Head on to Novevcento which is a chaotic, casual, and exhilarating Argentinian restaurant which has a crazy party vibe after 11pm. I had my birthday there a few years ago with blurred memories from too many mojitos, so feel I need to visit each time I go back to jog my memory!

New York City Guidebooks

If in doubt about where to shop or eat, I recommend buying a Zagat’s guide–it  has all the street addresses and phone numbers and can be bought in most good newsagents.

Or just buy the latest Time Out magazine for New York – for the very latest and happening places to go, it will also have the update on designer sales for that week so it’s not to be missed!

Enjoy!

Keeping warm this weather isn’t easy, so when I saw Lily Allen in another duffle coat, (she wore a navy one last year), it made me think back to my wrapped-up uni days wearing this very same style.

Unlike my favourite coat in DCU – a Miss Selfridge black duffle with wooden buttons, Lily’s coat sets itself apart from the pack in a shocking pink colour. She’s not the only one to wear a pink duffle though – Cheryl Cole and Cat Deeley are known to wrap up in her Mulberry ones which shows just how well it’s translated from college-girl to city-girl wear.

This coat would also appeal to the practi-fashion pack amongst you; there are no mad shoulder pads nor military styles here…we all know the duffle coat intimately, thus know what to expect from it – warmth, a hood and, in this particular case, a pop of colour to boot!

Allen’s winter coat inspiration hails from the king of calculated casual himself,  Marc Jacobs, whose Marc by Marc Jacobs A/W 09 catwalk collection showcased a double-breasted duffle coat with oversized tweed trousers, accessorised with belts, hats and shawls.

You can imagine my delight then, when I found a lookalike pink duffle coat in our very own Dunnes Stores (€40, pictured left). I don’t think somehow that Marc would be offended if I chose this one over his considering the current climate (I hate that phrase, used by economists and news readers a go go), plus the fact that he’s busy getting married at the moment.

Embracing this shocking pink colour however, is not for everyone which is why it’s probably a good thing that I found an assortment of duffle coats at every price point, from black or navy (Dorothy Perkins), to charcoal grey (All Saints) – all the way to designer duffles from Etro and Gucci.

I definitely think that Paddington Bear’s favourite coat, however you style it, has always been and will always be a wardrobe essential for many years to come. I only hope that my old one is not moth eaten now that I’m about to fish it out again….

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Winter coats under €150

Muse of the Month: Lily Allen

By Frances Macken

Looks like I’ll have to clear the coat stand to make room for a bevy of new coats this season. If there’s one good thing about autumn edging its way back into our lives, it’s the accompanying wardrobe we’ve simply got to have to go along with it.

I’ve been quite the girl about town of late and the reason is that I’ve been traipsing about the streets of the city looking for the perfect statement winter coat. I just can’t come to a decision. 

It’s got to be tailored, flattering but practical. It’s got to bring me from the office to evening drinks with ease. So do I choose military? While it’s all very well to oogle at the designer military coats that featured on the Marc Jacobs catwalk (like the grey one pictured far right, €615) some of us just can’t justify splashing out so much on a coat. Luckily there are near identical military coats from the high street this year like the Batlika style from All Saints (£250, €276).

Do I choose embellished with shoulder detail, statement cuffs or big collars? In beige, black, maroon or white? With houndstooth or herringbone patterns?

Another consideration is the kind of coat which best suits my body shape. That’s a lot of boxes to tick off.

While I still haven’t made my purchase, I’ve been going ga ga for the array of chic winter coats at Reiss. Figure flattering and elegant, they are the ideal investment if you want to be both polished and practical this season. Check out two of my favourites from Reiss:

True grey coloured coat, left, Reiss (£295, €325).

Charcoal grey coat, centre, Reiss (£295, €325)

Frances Macken is an online content aficionado who loves writing about fashion, TV and all things cultural. She’s obsessed with electronic music, NYC, good books and her all consuming Twitter account.

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Every May in New York City the flowers bloom, the outdoor cafes fill with people, and celebrities come out in their droves to what is commonly known as one of the biggest nights in fashion.  This is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala (otherwise known as “the Met Ball”) which is thrown by Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

This year ‘The Model as a Muse’ was the title of the exhibition at the Met Ball and was hosted on Monday night 4 May by British model Kate Moss and designer Marc Jacobs.  Despite several names pulling out (including Naomi Campbell) there were still plenty of glamorous ladies on the red carpet.

With the Oscars, attendees tend to play it “safer”with their gown choices whereas the opposite is true at the Met where celebs make more fashion-forward statements.  Here we’ve featured some British beauties that made it on the night.

Kate Beckinsale

Kate went for quite a dramatic look in this Marchesa dress. The midnight blue gown was made up of a feathered skirt and sequenced fitted body which shows off (the top half of) Kate’s amazing figure.

Liz Hurley

Elizabeth Hurley gave Kate Beckinsale a run for her money in this peach coloured oversized, floral appliqué dress with matching clutch.  We did notice too that  her wavy long hair style was quite similar to Kates Beckinsale’s hair .

Victoria Beckham

As Marc Jacobs was too busy with his hosting duties to attend the Gala with Victoria Beckham, she attended with his fiancé Lorenzo Martone instead. Posh must’ve been reading the Polka Dot article on Whatshewears.ie over Easter as she wore a one shoulder polka dot dress  by Louis Vuitton with a pair of unusual shaped heels.  However, somehow she didn’t get the look quite right –  we think that she looks a bit odd in the polka dot number.

Agyness Deyn

The Brit model Agyness Deyn ditched her laid back street style for a glamorous red carpet look.   Her silver lamé maxi dress looked stunning teamed with Marilyn Monroe-style hair and makeup.

The month long round of international fashion weeks ended on Friday 13^th March in Paris. Marc Jacobs, who amazed us with his collection for Louis Vuitton spoke of “la crise”. “Yes there’s a crisis” Marc Jacobs admitted, but one can carry on and contribute to beauty, optimism and gorgeousness. You can’t sacrifice the beauty of the clothes“. And with that, he closed the four fashion capitals’ schedules with his show for Louis Vuitton.

Paris Fashion week sees some fabulous people bedecked in designer gear every year. This year we noticed a navy rest of outfit with Luxotica heels combination.   Alexa Chung hit the front row looking casually sexy at the Louis Vuitton Paris show. The stylista wore a long navy cardigan, black tights, and these embellished Vuitton platform sandals. A silver ring and star necklace complete her perfect outfit.

The whatshewears.ie team was also impressed by the fashion week style of Victoria Beckham’s navy monochrome look. From her Louis Vuitton Luxotica heels to her captain cap, she finished off her outfit with zipped navy dVb jeans and a sheer navy tank top and navy cardigan ensemble.  Find your perfect navy cardigan at Zara, which has a range of styles from bolero to short to long boyfriend style.

When we think of Louis Vuitton, classical chic and timeless luxury comes to mind. At the Spring show, Jacobs combined forties Parisian glamour with global bazaar twists. Note to accessory lovers , you will be particularly pleased, as each ensemble was styled with bags, belts and bracelets.  The Louis Vuitton look requires a few things –  animal prints, strong colours, sheer details, and lots of metallics

The luxotica shoes may be out of our range at €2200, so we have picked some key accessories from the Marc Jacobs show.

Topshop Leather Barrel X Body Bag (€105)
The arm candy from Louis Vuitton’s runway came in a an array of colours, all with tassels. So, when we spotted Topshop’s blood orange barrel bag with tassel embellishment and long strap, we simply had to share it with you. The drawstring shape of the bag is also very now.

Accessorize Bangles (€8 – €13). One of the details from the Louis Vuitton look was the heavy usage of tribal-art accessories. Before sending the models down the runway, Jacobs decked their arms with lots of colourful, chunky bangles. Luckily there are lots of these in the shops right now. You can get this effect by buying jewellery with a dramatic and earthy look. Our favourites come from Accessorize.