The Gloss February 2017

FRISKY LADIES / HOT NEW DESTINATIONS / EXPECTING AT �� / LEARNING TO SWIM / HUNTING AND GATHERING

MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2017

with THE IR

WEDDING PARTIES

Zero fuss, more fun

ISH TIMES

A Tweak TOO FAR

Fixing cosmetic clangers

E

E S RO S O N I O L XP E W O P Y H C N PU S ’ K PIN

R

CONTENTS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Blush Georgette crêpe jacket; matching blush camisole; rainbow tweed and

PU B LI S H E R

JA N E MC DO N N E LL E D I TO R

NEXT ISSUE

SARAH MC D O NNE LL

SATURDAY MARCH 4

S T YLE E D I TO R

AISLINN CO FFE Y B EAUT Y ED ITOR

lace shorts; all

SARAH HALLIWE LL

CHANEL. Satin and perspex

AR T ED ITOR

LAURA KE NNY

sandals, JIMMY CHOO. Blush

ASS ISTAN T ED ITOR – F EAT UR ES

SARAH BRE E N

Twist GM Epi leather handbag,

AC T I N G ASS I STA N T E D I TO R – FE AT U R E S

LOUIS VUITTON.

PE NNY MC CO RMICK ASS ISTAN T ED ITOR

SARAH GE RAGHT Y A DV ER T IS IN G SA LES D IR EC TOR

TRACY O RMISTO N CONT R IB UT ING ED ITOR S

Polly Devlin, Noreen Hall, Antonia Hart, Catherine Heaney, Aoife O’Brien, Peter O’Brien, Therese Quinn, Luis Rodriguez, Natasha Sherling CON T R IB UT IN G P HOTOGR AP HER S

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HUNTING & GATHERING Metamorphosis in fashion and home

12 MOODBOARD: FRISKY Susan Zelouf has a February frolic

�� A GLOSSY WEDDING

Celebrate without losing perspective

24 TALKING PANTS Kathryn Kemp-Griffin on luxury lingerie

28 STARTING OVER A woman finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at 42

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32 ROSE IN BLOOM

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Pink is the colour of spring: find your way to wear it

THE TIPPING POINT Going too far with cosmetic treatments

Food business founder Sara Mitchell on a foodie weekend

47 MAN IN A SUITCASE Greece and Rome, Muscat and Mexico

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THIS GLOSSY LIFE Meet Irish actress and model Caitriona Balfe

2 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

ON THE COVER Pale pink dress, PAULE KA. Floral jacquard coat, MICHAEL KORS. Fuchsia Hangisi satin shoes, MANOLO BLAHNIK.

STAY IN TOUCH

3�

41 MY GLOSSY WEEKEND

Michael Dwornik, Neil Gavin, Renato Ghiazza, Olivia Graham, Al Higgins, Neil Hurley, Doreen Kilfeather, Lisa Loftus, Barry McCall, Amelia Stein, Suki Stuart

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Y R A U R FEB

Letters to MARILYN MONROE ... OLD-SCHOOL education ...why affairs are DU JOUR in Paris ... and hope for the YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

F

ollowing on from our story of the Newbridge Museum of Style Icons (November 2016) WILLIAM DOYLE purchased at the Julien’s Actions sale of MARILYN MONROE’s estate, the letter from JEAN KENNEDY to Marilyn Monroe which confirms the actress’s relationship with her brother Robert. Doyle also acquired a St Christopher’s medal which he felt “would resonate with an Irish audience.” It was a busy month for Doyle, who was granted a rare audience with the fashion icon (so overused as a phrase) HUBERT DE GIVENCHY. At 89 (and an imposing six foot six), he took part in a press conference to mark the opening of a retrospective of his work (entitled “To Audrey with Love”) at the Gemeentemuseum in the Hague.

The museum is probably the most important fashion museum in the world (after the V&A) housing 20,000 notable fashion garments. Givenchy’s exhibit spanned almost five decades of design and Doyle was there to see the AUDREY HEPBURN pieces he had acquired for MOSI on display. “The museum asked us to loan Hepburn’s yellow dress from Charade, and her floral dress from Funny Face.

Givenchy’s relationship with Hepburn was so special, tears came into his eyes when he was speaking about her. We also loaned the Givenchy green tweed suit that GRACE KELLY wore on her visit to Ireland and subsequently to the White House, to meet JFK.” In what was certainly the first and possibly the last act of design, Monsieur de G pronounced that he would now, if designing it again, add a bow to the front of the Charade dress. The first of the grands couturiers to do so, Givenchy sold to LVMH in 1998.

boarding school for 7-13 year-olds in Kells in Co Meath (there’s a Montessori for three-to-seven-year-olds). The shabby, no-frills old school is staffed by masters and matrons of another era, notably husband and wife JOHN and AMANDA LEYDEN, who prepare a very diverse coterie of students, Irish and international, for secondary school, many of whom are headed for public schools such as Ampleforth and Harrow. Expect Latin, cricket, and the students to be upside down in a tree on the grounds come nightfall. The unique atmosphere produces interesting graduates. Headfort alumni include chef DOMINI KEMP and jockey CHARLIE SWAN. The closing film, Handsome Devil, written and directed by JOHN BUTLER and starring ANDREW SCOTT, is set in a rugby-obsessed boys’ boarding school. Scott, playing an inspiring English teacher, lights a fire under two students and helps them find their way and their voice. AMY HUBERMAN appears, while BRIAN O’DRISCOLL directs the on-pitch action.

  

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Fashion notes. How does ANNA DELLO RUSSO beat the cold – apparently by wearing heating pads under her couture. Who’s on our radar? Dutch designer SANDER LAK – former head of design at Dries van Noten is making waves while CHITOSE ABE, recently anointed by KARL LAGERFELD as “one of the most exciting designers around” is always good to name drop. JW ANDERSON never fails to surprise and his recent AW17 collection at London (Men’s) Fashion Week featured crocheted “granny squares” in psychedelic colours, replacing pockets on cardigans and used as scarves. Time to repurpose that old bedspread perhaps?

Part endurance test, part style safari, when fashion month kicks off in New York, editors seek refuge in a clutch of luxurious haunts. Baccarat Hotel & Residences sits across the street from MOMA and is an elegant Parisian hotel particulier. In Paris, Le Bristol’s new Café Antonia is inspired by the original fashion icon MARIE ANTOINETTE, while in Milan Il Principe di Savoia has hosted epicures such as MARIA CALLAS and EVA PERON and its amber-lit Principe Bar is an unofficial common room for stylists, designers and models. Claridge’s still reigns supreme in London, though since its former, flamboyant general manager THOMAS KOCHS has taken over as managing director at Café Royal on Regent Street, some of the glossy posse are following him.

   The Audi International Film Festival opens at the end of the month, directed by GRAINNE HUMPHREYS. Top of our list of must-sees are two films with a boarding school theme. The opening film, In Loco Parentis, a documentary by NEASA NÍ CHIANÁIN (of documentary Fairytale of Kathmandu notoriety) about Headfort, the

WHEN WILLIAM MET HUBERT: At “To Audrey With Love”

We’re sure that fuchsia will be a huge this year, regardless of design. Don’t fear wearing pink - give it some fierceness by pairing it with khaki as seen at J Crew, and team it with this year’s It shoes; some J’ADIOR kitten heels.   

   What will be the iconic dress of 2017? Last year it was ROKSANDA ILLINCIC’s Margot dress. ROLAND MOURET’s Galaxy dress started the trend, with Self Portrait’s designs seemingly ubiquitous on red carpets.

Meanwhile, best-dressed homes are embracing Art Deco chic, as seen in WOODY ALLEN’s latest film Café Society – filmed in the home of DOLORES DEL RIO in Santa Monica, California. A backlash to shabby chic, MAURIZIO PELLIZZONI, interior designer says, “In 2017 we will see a more sophisticated and elegant style brought to interiors.” To work this trend mix art deco items such as Lalique paperweights, Cork woman AIVEEN DALY’s Chevron chairs, and furniture from Eichholtz, with a palette of silvers and whites.    Paris, City of Light, City of Debauchery? is a recent Ifop survey for dating website CAM4 that confirms the stereotypes – the ‘cinq-a-sept’ is thriving in the French capital and adultery is expected. Keeping mum about conquests is very much a Gallic trait as opposed to the “oversharing” of other nations. As Valentine’s Day approaches, read former PRESIDENT MITTERAND’s letters to ANNE PINGEOT, his secret mistress (Letters to Anne: 1962 - 1995 and Diary for Anne 1964 - 1970). They remind us that passionate prose trumps texts and emojis.    Considering a career change? If you follow InstaMum CLEMMIE HOOPER (@mother_of_daughters) and her blog (Gas and Air) you’ll know she’s passionate about encouraging women to train as midwives. Her new book How to Grow A Baby (Vermilion) is published this month and is a pregnancy companion with a refreshingly young voice.    Dates for the diary. LEAH HEWSON’s solo show in the RHA on Ely Place runs from February 16 - March 12.

Gallery visitors may include her uncle BONO. The Chinese New Year heralds the Year of the Rooster, a sign signifying honesty, fidelity and protection. After the havoc wrought during the Year of the Monkey in 2016, experts predict new awakenings. From a feng shui perspective it’s time to buy a new doormat and ensure your bedroom promotes a good night’s sleep. Check too the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival. Running until February 28, the lively agenda of cultural and family events encompassing art, music and makeup, also sees MEI CHIN – former editor at Vogue, Mirabella and New York Times share secrets of Chinese cookery. See you there! ^ THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 3

LOWDOWN Key 144 The Other Room

by Vanessa Bell from the exhibition at The Dulwich Gallery, London.

THIS MONTH

WE ARE ...

NIPPING TO LONDON for the VANESSA BELL exhibition at the Dulwich Gallery, (until June): the sister of Virginia Woolf and lynchpin of the Bloomsbury set, Bell painted the Bloomsbury set – soaked in colour and full of character. We’re staying at THE BLOOMSBURY of course ... Mopping up the last of the ONLINE SALES … snap up sneakers and velvet f lats for next winter, or wear in early summer with a bare brown foot ... Sending a note on our new NEON STATIONERY by Monoset; www.monoset.com ... Having a quickie with an Italian: MAX BENJAMIN’s new Amalfi candle has a whiff of rosemary, thyme and lemon ... Reading THE LESS STRESS LIFESTYLE, in paperback this month. Commit little acts of kindness — like buying a friend a gift on a random day — to feel better.

SEEKING SUNSHINE in Cannes, or the seaside town of MANDELIEULA NAPOULE, to be exact, ten minutes outside the city, where the Irish-run resort of LES MIMOZAS provides a great, low-frills base from which to explore the Riviera for two or three nights. We’ll be dining in gastronomic hotspot La Napoule (in whose pretty medieval château and gardens Adam Clayton married Mariana Teixeira De Carvalho in 2013), five minutes away by car. Michelin-starred Restaurant L’Oasis has a leafy garden terrace in the best South of France tradition, where we’ll plan our trip over dinner. The following morning, into CANNES for a stroll on the Promenade des Anglais and onwards to Vaullaris and the Musée Picasso.

We’ll drive up to SAINT-PAUL DE VENCE to the Fondation Maeght (don’t miss the Sean Scully in the garden), followed by lunch at the Colombe D’Or, and home via Antibes and an afternoon of people and yacht-watching in the port ... Trips to the Fragonard museum in GRASSE and ÎLE SAINT HONORAT with its monastery, vineyard and chapels will have to wait for the next visit. Les Mimozas has a pool, tennis, golf, spa, a simple bar and restaurant. A onebedroom apartment with breakfast and dinner for two on one night plus a spa treatment, costs about d370. If you have a PJ, you can land at CannesMandelieu private airport, just a stone’s throw away. www.les mimozascannes.com.

6 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

EATING UP silky noodles in the moodily-lit ramen bar at KOKORO on South William Street; digging into a whole lobster at LOBSTAR in Monkstown, burrowing into the basement of MR FOX on Parnell Square … fasting with Green Beards’ threeday cleanses via www.deliveroo.ie.

LETTING OSCAR NOMINATIONS INSPIRE SPRING WARDROBES Yellow Tivoli dress, Max Mara Studio 0360, at Brown Thomas.

We’re rejecting the monochrome of Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals and injecting the primary colours of LaLa Land ...

RESTORING BALANCE at SHEEN FALLS in Kenmare, Co Kerry, where huge family suites with generous bathrooms give breathing space to relax and unwind, where beds are divinely comfortable, so much so, you just won’t want to get up for breakfast. You won’t want to leave the hotel at all, with drawing rooms to loll in beside open fires, a well-stocked library, a small but excellent spa and pool, a sweet little bar and a delicious dinner to look forward to. There’s nothing stuffy about Sheen Falls, and staff are helpful but totally unobstrusive. You could venture to KENMARE for a stroll in the village, or drive or cycle the RING OF KERRY or the beautiful BEARA PENINSULA, go walking on nearby trails. Or you could, if you found January tough, just pack some books and resolve to have some quality downtime, resting and reading and switching off with the help of some spa treatments. Sheen Falls reopens fully this month, with rooms from d259 with breakfast. www.sheenfalls.com.

Photo Michel Gibert, uses as a reference only.

French Art de Vivre

Long Island 2. Modular sofa, designed by Roche Bobois Studio.

RezĂŠ. Pedestal tables, designed by Roche Bobois Studio.

European manufacture.

UNIT D1 - Beacon South Quarter, Dublin 18 - Tel: 01-653-1650

3D Interior Design Complementary 3DService Interior Design Service

www.roche-bobois.com

ALL-NEW JAGUAR F-PACE

ABOVE ALL, IT’S A JAGUAR. FROM €44,100

Welcome to Jaguar as you’ve never seen it before. Now you can enjoy the dramatic drive and beauty Jaguar is renowned for, with added practicality.

Inspired by F-TYPE, its powerful, muscular looks give the All-New F-PACE a head-turning road presence. And it delivers the connected steering feel and sharp, responsive handling of a sports car too, thanks to its aluminium double wishbone front and Integral Link rear suspension.

A master of sporting performance and everyday practicality, F-PACE raises the game. jaguar.ie

Official fuel consumption figures for the F-PACE in l/100km: Urban 5.7 – 12.2, Extra urban 4.5 – 7.1, Combined 4.9 – 8.9. CO2 emissions g/km: 129 – 209.

Drive responsibly on and off-road. Price quoted is the for the F-PACE 2.0 i4 Diesel RWD Pure model.

VALENTINO

HUNTING

PINK POWER

FANTASY FASHION

JASON LLOYD-EVANS

Transformation is the name of the game in fashion, though sometimes the shifts are so subtle as to be near-invisible.

Designer Pierpaolo Piccioli now leads the Italian house of Valentino alone, since Maria Grazia Chiuri departed mid2016 for Dior. (Under their dual creative leadership, the Valentino label enjoyed a billion-dollar revival, with romantic, whimsical collections thrilling season after season for eight years.) For SS17, Piccioli serves up an all-pink collection, with looks that range in colour from blush to bright fuchsia, saying “I didn’t want it to be distant, but starting from the idea of metamorphosis.” In case you think fashion is for flakes, you should know the erudite Piccioli read Ovid’s epic Metamorphoses before he started out, which may have inspired the bright morphing trees, ostriches, jellyfish and birds on this sugar-pink jacket.

If you’d rather read your myths than wear them, it won’t be for you. When you see the motifs appearing everywhere this spring, you’ll know it was PP who pressed the button.

THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 9

GATHERING

VALENTINO

Channel the Trend 1

2

3 4

6 5

7

JASON LLOYD-EVANS

9

8

F LOR A & FAU N A

SEDUCTION OF NATURE 1. Metamorphoses by Ovid (translated by Arthur Golding), Penguin Classics, d12.59, at EASON. 2. Print silk dress, Coach 1941, from c595; WWW.COACH.COM. 3. Anthomedusae archive art prints by ERNST HAECKEL, $10.99; www.art.com. 4. Nail polish, YSL, c24, at counters nationwide. 5. Gold-tone salt and pepper pots, from a selection, c9.99, at TK MAXX. 6. Cactus candle, MAISON LA BOUGIE, c40; www.selfridges.com. 7. Crayola Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm, CLINIQUE, d20.50, at counters nationwide. 8. Floral cupcakes, c27.99; WWW. BISCUITEERS.COM. 9. Blackberry & Bay soap, JO MALONE LONDON, d16, at Brown Thomas. 10. Pink ruchedleather shoes, VALENTINO GARAVANI, c690; www.valentino.com. For stockists, see www.thegloss.ie.

10 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

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PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP Spring collections at Kildare Village Discover more than 90 boutiques with savings of up to 60%*, including Só Collective – a new home for Irish fashion, design and craft – exclusively at Kildare Village.

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01/17

Shanghai

MOODBOARD

1 I’m crushing on fashion designer/ filmmaker/ beautykeeper Tom Ford.

“I LOVE TO FLIRT, AND I NEVER MET A MAN I DIDN’T LIKE.”

5

“WE ALL WANT TO BE A LITTLE GLAMOROUS, A LITTLE PLAYFUL AND A LITTLE MISCHIEVOUS AT TIMES.”

DOLLY PARTON

3

JASON WU

6 2

4

THI S MO N TH T H E M O O D IS:

FRISKY SUSAN ZELOUF swipes right A much younger friend of mine, recently broken up with his girlfriend, has started using dating apps to meet women. He let me browse his collection of profiles, consisting of a huge breadth of potential partners from a variety of counties, countries, professions and looks – he’s even been chatting with a transgender woman. He’s dating one of them, but remains open to the possibility of others. After two years of settled life, he wants to experience more: more conversation, more diversity, more adventure, and probably more sex. Risky or frisky?

A potent theatre game I played while training to become an actor involved circling the stage as the director shouted mounting responsibilities for us to shoulder, from first job to first child, paying bills, balancing chequebooks, buying a home, dealing with illness, grief, loss – life challenges that stress our minds and bodies, ageing us.

What began as a frisky jaunt became a weighty, slow stumble as the game’s point became clear: age happens when life’s burdens become too much to bear. So, is it possible to engage with playfulness, at any age? How can we frolic when we feel more like freaking out? Does growing up have to mean growing old?

Interior designer Laura Farrell gave herself a puckish brief when reimagining the dreamy interiors of Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Ireland’s only two-star Michelin: “I wanted to create a luscious backdrop as seductive as the menu always has been, ravishing enough to inspire a couple celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary to get a room at the adjoining Merrion hotel in lieu of after-dinner drinks!”

Rare whiskey or get frisky?

Watching our Rottweiler pups at play is instructive: they wrestle, tussle, nuzzle, lick, bark, bite, yelp, growl, hump, stare, sniff, bristle , run, leap, collapse. Beasts don’t seem to need to assess their relationships, to parse affections, to hold back – they play for the pleasure of it and/ 12 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

or to survive, teaching us a thing or two about mindfulness along the way. Sir David Attenborough admitted, on his BBC Radio 4 Life series, that he’d fancy being reincarnated as an animal with an “extravagant” sex life; racy, wild, unconstrained by the social mores imposed by our wider communities. What would life on earth look like if we allowed ourselves to get as frisky as promiscuous monkeys, orgiastic mole rats, big cats at night, husband and wife-swapping lemurs, randy dolphins, opportunistic ibex and bounteous, generously endowed sperm whale, instead of working late in beautifully-cut Beckham, building our careers, or hunkering down at home, our play dates behind us?

Bee and I met in Rome in the late 1980s, both of us cast in a cheesy Italian television show. English Rose to my Dark Lady, on set I took the blame for being a bad inf luence, but the naughty blonde was the real troublemaker. Thirty years later, Bee had lost her husband, caring for him through a lengthy illness, giving him a “good” death. She untangled the family’s complex finances, raised two grief-stricken daughters while processing her own loss yet still manages to radiate a highspiritedness and lust for life that makes her the best fun to be around.

With f lights so cheap, day trips to London are spent racing around the cosmetics department of Selfridges trying on lipsticks, testing perfume and cadging samples until we are too hungry to undergo another free makeover. Grazing Harrods Food Hall, my frisky friend and I consider the merits of underwire bras, fur-lined clogs, huge sunglasses, why we adore Tom Ford, where to get the stickiest cinnamon buns in London (Swedish bakery Fabrique), what country boasts the most handsome men (Italy), the most interesting men (Northern Ireland) and who we’d choose for an unrepentant shag, should we feel like it; we tend to indulge in another bun instead, with cardamom, but it’s the frisky thought that counts. ^ @SusanZelouf

THIS MONTH’S MOODBOARD I’M SIGNING UP for a Salon in the Art of Seduction, after hours at Coco de Mer’s erotic Covent Garden boutique (1).

I’M FIFTY SHADES DARKER in a silver embroidered masquerade mask by coco-de-mer.com (2).

I’M SHAKING my body like a horny pony to Prince’s Lovesexy (3). Source classic vinyl at Freebird Records, Wicklow Street, Dublin 2.

I’M FLIRTING outrageously in Minimal-Baroque sunglasses from www.prada.com (4).

I’M MULTITASKING in Rouge Louboutin, a rich matte lip colour and naughty necklace (5). At Brown Thomas.

I’M LICKING sticky cinnamon buns from London bakery Fabrique (6) - they last longer that way!

W E BELIEV E In colour. In its power. And in its potential.

Our interiors are made up of layers, from furniture to lighting. And colour is the most flexible layer of them all.

With colour, you can change an entire space in an instant. With ease. With speed. With conviction.

Our 28 original paint colours available in eggshell and emulsion, from ÂŁ37/â‚Ź48.

neptune.com Dublin. Fermanagh. Kildare. Kilkenny. Limerick. Meath. Offaly. Wicklow.

WEDDING TRENDS LOUISE KENNEDY

THE BESPOKE BRIDE Having a wedding dress made to measure was a wonderful experience for jewellery designer Natasha Sherling

Right: Ex-petite main at the the Dior atelier, Israeli Lihi Hod now has her own busy atelier.

This picture: Sherling on her wedding day, wearing her Emilia Wickstead dress. Below: Sherling with Wickstead in her London atelier.

It’s a classic line: I wanted to look (and feel) like me, but as a bride. A love of London-based designer Emilia Wickstead’s ready-to-wear brought me to her Sloane Street shop to enquire about creating something bespoke. Her style is ultra-feminine, but very clean cut. Her choice of fabrics and clever tailoring won me over.

The whole process reversed my usual role – that of designer.

This time, I was on the other side of the desk. It wasn’t a case of picking and tweaking from a few samples. This was a startfrom-square-one process, something I adored. I sent Emilia pictures, we talked about how I wanted to feel. I explained my preference for sleeves, and I told her that I didn’t want to have to wear funny underwear on the day. And a challenge: I wanted a full skirt, without any underskirts. I wanted freedom of movement, to zip it up and go, and for the dress to move with me. In the end, a silk zibeline cleverly fused with gauze meant the skirt - just one layer, no tulle – had the voluminous effect I loved and the freedom of movement I craved.

14 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

THE WEDDING SALON JOIN THE GLOSS ON MARCH 25 AT THE MERRION

The London appointments were a joy. Emilia’s cotton candy-hued atelier, dotted with seating upholstered in florals to match her rails of readyto-wear, is retro and chic and made me want to redecorate my house. Emilia was always there, along with her head seamstress, Brigitta – a supremely serene, no-nonsense lady with a neat bun and a white coat.

A full toile was made; this cotton canvas version of the dress was where the major alterations were made before the Real Thing was sewn. By way of advice, this is the importance of choosing a designer who matches your personal aesthetic and having a clear idea of your desired vision for the day – then there will be no surprises. Feedback is essential – as a designer myself I can assure you it is much more helpful to receive direction during the process rather than at the end when it’s more difficult to make changes.

My much-desired sleeves were kept all the way to the last fitting, when I had to admit that if it was in any way warm, I might keel over, so they were removed. Fortuitous, really, because the May sun beamed down on our outdoor ceremony.

A dramatic train also remained nearly to the end. But I had to admit that draping the extra fabric over my arm all night would be a total bore. I wholeheartedly recommend keeping reality in check – your day will be all the better for it. The length of the train, in the end, was guided by the length of my mother’s wedding veil. She died eight years ago – to wear it was both special and important to me. Sharon Hoey and her star team on Merrion Street in Dublin returned it to pristine condition by steaming the creases out, replacing the comb, and removing some seriously seventies-era silk flower adornments.

It was the perfect finish. ^

Event planner Tara Fay will host a day of bridal dressing, hair and make-up, table design, menus, flowers, gifts, photography, budgeting and planning. Tickets (c75) include coffee, luncheon, a Wedding Salon folder and gift bag.

To book, call 01 275 5130.

PERFECTLY MEASURED Aoibhín Garrihy in Manley Bride.

For a bespoke wedding dress consultation, visit LOUISE KENNEDY (top) 56 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, 01 662 0056.

Try CAROLINE ATELIER (right) www.carolineatelier.com, and EMMA MANLEY’s Manley Bride (above) www. manley.ie.

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WEDDING TRENDS

CLASSIC WITH A TWIST

MODERN MRS

Ever wondered what the sartorially-savvy wear on their own big day? Fashion editor Giovanna Battaglia sported four different gowns throughout her glamorous Capri wedding. Her Alexander McQueen gown (pictured left) consisted of an elaborate embellished corset which sat neatly over a frothy ruffled skirt with an enormous train.

More is definitely more for the new Mrs Engelbert. On the other side of the world, actress Eva Longoria roped in her BFF Victoria Beckham to design her a custom dress “made with love.”

A few style updates will help put a modern spin on a traditional wedding day

Gillian Anderson, 48, chose a traditional tulle gown for this year’s Golden Globes.

Giovanna Battaglia (now Engelbert) in Alexander McQueen.

AISLE INSPIRATION There are so many dresses just perfect for your nuptials

MARCHESA 2017

Check out beautifully restored, 300-year-old Gloster House set on 140 acres in the heart of Co Offaly. www.glosterhouse.ie.

THE ADD-ONS

Pearl necklace with gold clasp, Juvi, c179, at Arnotts. Metallic Romy lace shoes, Jimmy Choo, c575, at Harvey Nichols. Pearl belt, Chanel, at Brown Thomas Dublin.

Lace and pearls are quintessential wedding touches. Luckily, they are bang on trend for SS17.

GOLD STANDARD NEWTIC N MA O R

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: White Renee open-back stretch crepe gown, Stella McCatrtney, c2,350; ivory sweetheart-neckline crepe dress, Victoria Beckham, c3,200; both www.net-a-porter. com.White Astral beaded gown, c725; www.needleandthread.com.

AL ERE E ETHGANC ELE

Deconstucted macarons à la framboise.

THE BRIDESMAIDS DECONSTRUCTED CLASSICS Deconstructed dishes contain all the classic ingredients of the original but presenting them in a new way adds a visual, and sometimes gustatory twist.

16 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

Choose simple white tableware (as fine as possible), and add drama with metallic trims on cutlery and stemware.

Hiring a few key pieces will lift an otherwise ordinary tablescape; a little gold goes a long way. Caterhire has introduced Victoria, a new range of gilt-rimmed glasses and flatware; www.caterhire.ie.

GIAMBATISTA VALLI

CELINE

If you want to look classic, go easy with the self-tan.

Create sun-warmed skin with peach and bronze tones for eyes, lips and skin.

NOVIS

BEAUTY NOTES

Y TEL ULAL C A A IMM INIM M

ERDEM

THE HOTSPOT

Sugar Stack 18k white gold earrings with pavé diamonds, Paloma Picasso, c5,350, Tiffany & Co.

Floral Agatha dress, c360, at Hobbs, Dundrum Towncentre, Dublin 16.

Avoid any dress that can be tied more than two ways! Think feminine silhouettes, billowy sleeves, pretty prints and cascading hemlines (ankle or midi-length). Complimentary, not matchy matchy.

Co unty Wicklow +353(0 ) 4 0 4 6 4 5 4 8 w ww.no eldempsey. com

WEDDING TRENDS

FASHION LOVER

SIMONE ROCHA

AWARDWINNING DRESSES

MOLLY GODDARD

Inspiration for the most current yet timeless dresses, accessories and settings

White Happy Clouds silk/ cotton mix tiered dress, Rosie Assoulin, d3,498; www. moda operandi.com.

CLICK CHIC It has been, until now, virtually impossible to find a dream wedding dress without setting foot in a traditional wedding dress shop.

But this year a slew of fabulous ready-towear-designer dresses are available, online at least. And there is one to suit every budget.

Whitelace dress, d160; www. asos.com.

Ivory Juliette one-shoulder lace dress, d758; www. whistles.com.

BIG ON BRAIDS Forget big dos: braids, inspired by spring catwalk shows, from Christian Dior to Simone Rocha, make a relaxed yet elegant wedding look. The softened plaits at Preen are especially flattering, as well as easy to do. For a wavy, summery vibe, wash and plait hair the night before and wake to a done-but-undone braid.

Diamanté comb, Lulu Frost, d95, at Loulerie, 14b Chatham Street, Dublin 2.

PREEN

ROSIE ASSOULIN

White bowfront silk dress, Delpozo, d5,502; www.moda operandi.com.

Former fashion model and actress Agyness Deyn (pictured left) chose a Molly Goddard dress for her wedding to her hedge fund manager beau.

Deyn’s pretty tulle dress is typical of the west London designer who won the British Emerging Talent prize last year for her modern-yet-nostalgic princesslike creations. The British Womenswear Designer 2016 award was given to our very own Simone Rocha. Look out for her SS17 collection – it’s every fashion-loving bride’s dream.

Feather card and envelope set, 012 for four, at & Other Stories, 26-27 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.

SAY THANKS

There’s no nicer way to write thank you letters than on some great stationery.

Beautifully simple, & Other Stories’ stationery collection, from their new Gift Shop, is a writer’s dream.

INSTA-BLOOMS

Coloured Hangisi satin shoes, Manolo Blahnik, d820, at Brown Thomas,

@FJURA

Use Instagram to cast your inspiration net internationally wide. The social networking app is spectacularly festooned with beautiful bloom still-life compositions.

FASHION’S HEAVY HITTERS

WALK THIS WAY Forget traditional white or ivory bridal shoes, intead think jewel-toned satin slippers – they add an air of luxury.

18 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

Viktor & Rolf have launched their first ever bridal collection and it will be stocked in Browns Bride, the exclusive bridal boutique in London’s Marylebone. “The rebellious Belgian design duo, known for their truly modern take on fashion, have created gowns that are modern and sleek, but no less dramatic for their obvious lack of trimmings and lace,” says Caroline Burstein, founder of Browns Bride. For information or to book an appointment, call 0044 207 034 1400 or email enquiries@brownsbride.com.

Miller Brothers Stone, Charvey Lane, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow | T: 0404 32222 | sales@millerbros.ie | www.millerbros.ie

WEDDING TRENDS WEDDINGS

CLICHÉ FREE Depart from tradition and consider cooler alternatives

HAVE YOUR CAKE ROKSANDA

Get your fix of tongue-in-cheek frivolity with a fun topper for your cake; www.hippenings.com.

SLEEK AND POLISHED The key spring beauty trends of polished skin paired with a strong matte lip look chic for a modern wedding look, particularly with a tailored outfit. Ditch the up-do, and go for a sleek side-parting.

For couples who want to party, an evening wedding can be a great choice.

SAY YES TO A (GREAT) DRESS

A GREAT LOOK

BOTTOM DRAWER

Oriente Italiano platter, Richard Ginori, c169.50; www.weddingshop.com

Not sure what gift to give? Show love with an oversized serving dish or platter from a really dreamy dinner service.

Or buy anthing from Irish organic cotton company, White & Green; whiteandgreen.ie.

20 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

ANTONIO MARRAS

NE INI FEM TS CU

ERMANNO SCERVINO

Choose a great dress you will wear again. By choosing a sleeve you can leave that old faithful pashmina behind. If dresses don’t work for you, then opt for wide-leg trousers or a slick jumpsuit.

T OA IL C

KTA

C CO

CAROLINA HERERRA

GUEST DRESSING

IRT

I SK

MID

INVITATION INSPIRATION

EG E-L WIDUSERS TRO

Reject traditional printed invitations. A handwritten card or note feels more intimate.

CAROLINA HERRERA

LOR

KF

R DA

Alternative brides: Take inspiration from the SS17 runway STARS.

ALS

ISABEL MARANT

Actress Dianna Agron chose two showstoppers for her wedding festivities: an ethereal nude gown straight off Valentino’s runway and this breathtaking peacock-embroidered Gucci dress (pictured above) with a white turban. Why not break away from all tradition in a floorskimming print dress or wear a vintage gown. Add dramatic accessories.

Trinity Trees cards, c7.50 for three; niamhjackman@gmail.com. Oh That Pink limited edition hand-bordered stationery set, from $59.99; www.nancysharoncollinsstationer.com. Blue Loom fountain pen, c40, at The Pen Corner, 12 College Green, Dublin 2.

HOME SWEET HOME Really romantic, personal weddings can take place at home. Serve your favourite champagne, spend your money on a great caterer, a before and after cleaning service and even a low key wedding planner that can do the running around for you.

Your guests will be charmed.

OLD(ER) - SCHOOL INSPIRATION

BIANCA JAGGER wore a cutom-made maxi skirt suit by Yves Saint Laurent.

WALLIS SIMPSON chose a Wallis Blue waist-defining dress

by Mainbocher.

CARRIE BRADSHAW JANICE DICKINSON married Mr Big in toned it down, for a vintage suit and once, in a chic ivory Manolo Blahnik pumps. dress with sleeves.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR selected a hooded, forest green dress for her fourth wedding.

miele.ie/experience

Miele. For everything you really love.

Discover stunning design, intuitive technology and unbeatable quality.

Miele Experience Centre

At the Miele Experience Centre we invite you to come and explore the full Miele range of kitchen appliances, and to be inspired by expert appliance demonstrations and cookery masterclasses.

We run weekly exclusive cooking events in our Miele Live Kitchen, situated in Citywest. For a full list of events and booking info please email events@miele.ie or visit www.miele.ie/events

miele.ie/experience

The Miele Experience Centre, Dublin Your destination for appliance inspiration.

2024 Bianconi Avenue Citywest Business Campus Dublin 24 Phone 01 461 0710

COOKING AND BAKING

VACUUM CLEANERS

LAUNDRY

DISHWASHERS

COFFEE MACHINES

REFRIGERATION

10 YEARS YOUNGER

Think there’s no such thing as a capsule of youth? Think again…

ELIZABETH ARDEN ADVANCED CERAMIDE CAPSULES DAILY YOUTH RESTORING SERUM THE BREAKTHROUGH In 1990, Elizabeth Arden started a skincare revolution by developing skinidentical ceramide technology available in the first ever single-dose capsule. Now, new and improved Advanced Ceramide Capsules are the result of 25 years’ research into the key role of ceramides in the skin. This new-generation formula, combining powerful new ingredients and higher levels of existing ingredients, delivers triple the anti-ageing power.

IN CLINICAL TESTS, 100% OF WOMEN showed an improvement in skin radiance and luminosity, and an improvement in the OVERALL APPEARANCE of their skin.

THE BENEFITS This serum is clinically proven to take years off the look of skin for a visibly firmer, smoother, healthy appearance. The enhanced Ceramide Lipid Complex helps support skin’s own natural protective barrier repair function against moisture loss. Botanical Complex Technology, with alfalfa extract and olive lipids, helps to increase hydration levels and soothe the skin, while Retinyl Palmitate, a form of vitamin A, and Tsubaki oil, rich in oleic acid, boost skin’s elasticity and minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

NEW-GEN CAPSULES The capsules are biodegradable and free from fragrance and preservatives, so that each dose is packed with maximum levels of advanced ceramide technology.

Thirsty skin really drinks in this elixir, which is rich in nourishing omega oils – perfect for a post-winter boost.

Skin looks brighter and has that elusive glow. And the capsules are ideal for your travel bag.”

SARAH HALLIWELL, BEAUTY EDITOR, THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

*?? † BASED ON A US CLINICAL STUDY OF 43 WOMEN AGED 36-64 AFTER 8 WEEKS OF USE. ‡ BASED ON A US CLINICAL STUDY OF 43 WOMEN AGED 36-64 AFTER 2 WEEKS OF USE. § BASED ON AN IMAGE ANALYSIS CLINICAL STUDY OF 44 WOMEN AGED 36-64 AFTER 12 WEEKS OF USE. **BASED ON A CLINICAL STUDY OF 44 WOMEN AGED 36-64 AFTER 12 WEEKS OF USE. †† BASED ON SELF-ASSESSMENTS OF 44 WOMEN IN A US CLINICAL STUDY AFTER 12 WEEKS OF USE. ‡‡BASED ON SELF-ASSESSMENTS OF 43 WOMEN IN A US CLINICAL STUDY AFTER ONE USE.

PROMOTION

TRIED & TESTED

WHY USE CERAMIDES? Ceramides are lipid molecules naturally found within skin cell membranes. These essential lipids are the most crucial component for keeping the skin’s moisture barrier strong. Ceramide levels decrease with age: by your thirties you’ll have lost about 40% of your skin’s ceramides; by your forties, more than 60%. This loss of essential lipids causes skin to look less healthy and can result in wrinkles, unevenness and reduced firmness.

YOUR ROUTINE Twist open the Advanced Ceramide Capsule and smooth the serum onto cleansed face and neck. Use morning and night before your moisturiser.

The ideal way to prep skin is to use Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster as a first step, ensuring that skin’s natural repair processes are supported and skin is properly receptive to treatment.

IN OUR CLINICAL TESTS SCIENTISTS REPORTED:

IN A CONSUMER PERCEPTION TEST:

CLINICALLY PROVEN TO TAKE UP TO 10 YEARS OFF THE LOOK OF SKIN*

95% OF WOMEN REPORTED THAT SKIN FELT INTENSELY HYDRATED ††

100% OF WOMEN SHOWED AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THEIR SKIN†

97% OF WOMEN SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE APPEARANCE OF WRINKLES §

95% OF WOMEN DEMONSTRATED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN VISIBLE FIRMNESS AFTER JUST TWO WEEKS ‡ CLINICALLY PROVEN TO INCREASE VISIBLE SKIN’S FIRMNESS BY 58% †

100% OF WOMEN SHOWED AN IMPROVEMENT IN SKIN RADIANCE AND LUMINOSITY** 88% OF WOMEN SHOWED IMPROVED SKIN TEXTURE** 86% OF WOMEN SHOWED MORE EVEN SKIN TONE** 93% OF WOMEN REPORTED THAT SKIN IMMEDIATELY LOOKED HEALTHY AND FELT SMOOTHER ‡‡

TRY IT FOR YOURSELF Think of your skin as a brick wall. Your skin cells are the bricks, while ceramides and other lipids make up the mortar that holds them together.

As skin loses its ability to replenish ceramides, it can no longer sufficiently bind those skin cells together, resulting in skin that loses its firmness and clarity and looks dry and dull.

Head to your nearest Elizabeth Arden counter to receive your 7-day supply (while stocks last) of Advanced Ceramide Capsules (RRP €48, 30 capsules).

Find your local counter and more information at www.

ElizabethArden.co.uk.

DR DENDY ENGELMAN, ELIZABETH ARDEN CONSULTING DERMATOLOGIST

Facebook: @ElizabethArdenUK

Twitter: @ArdenUK

Instagram: @ElizabethArdenUK

YouTube: ElizabethArdenBeauty

LINGERIE

TALKING PANTS

On both sides of the Atlantic, there’s a lot of panty pressure. In America panties (as we call knickers) don’t get much respect. “Don’t get your panties in a twist,” “I see London, I see France, I see (YOUR NAME’s) underpants.” Even the saying “Don’t get caught with your pants down” suggests some dark, shameful secret lurking down there.

In Paris, panties get more respect, but that can lead to pressure of a different kind. You can be judged rather harshly for the kind of panty you wear. When I first moved, my new French friends gave me serious advice about what to put on for my first visit to the gynéco (pronounced JEAN-ekko, the short and friendly version for gynecologist). My gynéco was next to a Monop’ (the short and friendly version for Monoprix, the ubiquitous half-department-half–grocery-store chain) in the heart of the 15th arrondissement on rue Vaugirard, the longest street in Paris. The first time I went there I clumsily knocked his extensive pencil collection off the corner of his Louis XVI desk, and my anxiety only worsened when I realised why my friends had been so insistent that I wear the right panties: there was a nice examining area with a real Persian rug, but no changing room. Not even a complimentary gown.

It’s hard to believe that all this panty pressure is only a few decades old, like panties themselves. For centuries women went commando every day, not just on date night. Panties just did not exist. It was bad enough having to deal with all those hoops and petticoats when it came time to pee, without also having to move aside a panty when you squatted in the bushes (these were also the days before toilets and plumbing).

Catherine de’ Medici tried to do something about the lack of panties, but she was way ahead of her time. The French queen loved to ride horses, and was desperate to get a little more coverage while mounting and dismounting, so she introduced culottes, closedcrotched pantaloons, way back in the 16th century.

Fast-forward to the 18th century. Culottes are now knee-length breeches worn by aristocratic men. In opposition, disgruntled working-class revolutionaries began to call themselves sans-culottes, without breeches, opting for full-length trousers instead.

By the early 19th century, women wore long pantaloons, albeit fendu à l’entrejambe, split at the crotch.

Fortunately, as the century closed, so did the crotch.

The iconic brand Petit Bateau is credited with creating underwear as we know it; they began production in 1918 and continue to this day. Originally destined for children, the panty caught on with women, too, and over the next couple of decades manufacturers produced different-coloured briefs that varied in coverage.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that bras and panties were made to be worn as a set. It 24 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

still works this way in France — bras and panties stay together, both in the store and on the body, whereas, in North America, they are usually segregated: bras hang on mini-hangers in one section and panties are thrown into a bottomless bin elsewhere.

But how can you possibly know how two pieces will look together if you don’t see them together ?

The most important word I learned once I moved

For French women, MATCHING sets are an ESSENTIAL aesthetic. to France was dépareillé. It means mismatched — as in wearing one kind of bra and another kind of panty.

Before that, I had never considered the relationship (was there one?) between my bra and my panty. For French women, matching sets are an essential aesthetic.

They bring a sense of harmony and complete an artistic picture.

Understanding dépareillé and its subtleties explains the unique relationship French women have with their lingerie and their bodies. It’s a rule, but that doesn’t mean you can’t break it — as long as you break it on purpose with intention and style. More than a wardrobe decision, dépareillé is an attitude, a philosophy — a way of life. You have the choice: to match, or not to match. You can choose to be

dépareillé or not, as long as you know that you’re doing it on purpose and not because you are behind on laundry. If you are a matchy-matchy kind of person, get in the habit of buying two panties with every bra. And if you buy two different panty styles, you’ll get even more wear out of your bra by having that extra wardrobe option. If you are not a matchy-matchy person, and you like the idea of being dépareillée, be sure to mismatch with style — your style. If anything goes, and that’s the way you like it, you’re all set. If it’s complete anarchy above and below, look for similar fabrics. Select a common fabric such as cotton, jersey, or silk, and pair your bra and panty accordingly.

Or look for similar colours. In French, camaïeu is a range of tones in the same colour family. This is a good way to go about mixing and matching. If you have a sense of colour, use it to create contrasts.

Or if you would rather stay simple and chic, black and white will create a modern and contemporary look. A black bra with leopardprint panty, for instance. Or mix patterns. Polka dots and stripes, horizontal stripes and vertical stripes, f lowers and abstract colours are all great places to start. ^ From Paris Undressed The Secrets of French Lingerie by Kathryn Kemp-Griffin published

ILLUSTRATION BY JUDITH MURNAGHAN

American Kathryn Kemp-Griffin upped her underwear game when she moved to Paris, where a pair of pants has special power

INTERVIEW

LET’S DO LUNCH

by Anne Harris

ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN O’NEILL

Over baked cod at Twitter’s Dublin HQ, Sinéad McSweeney talks “fake news” and the Trump Twitter storm

T

he first big test of the Trump administration, it had been said, would be to ensure the President did not press the button – the Twitter button. The run-up to the inauguration saw something of a Twitter storm. Polls called for Trump’s account to be closed. Politicians obsessed about “fake news”. Highprofile Twitter executives resigned in number. I was beginning to wonder how a nice Cork girl called Sinead McSweeney, with the face of an angel, accepted promotion to head up this new media monster, at such a pivotal stage in its life.

“It wasn’t Twitter that got Trump elected. It was print and broadcast media headlining his tweets,” McSweeney insists. “He isn’t even the biggest user – he only has 20 million followers. Katy Perry has 95 million.” And Twitter itself isn’t even that big, she says. Next week, on Internet Day, the troika of Google, Facebook and Twitter will be the discourse. But, “They are massively ahead of us.

Twitter has brand recognition way beyond its size.”

We meet the day Donald Trump held his first press conference in almost six months. The ensuing political 26 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

“What Do I Want to be When I Grow Up”. “Because it embodies Managing the notion of growing.” Over Director of and over she emphasised the Twitter in traditional values, “empathy Ireland, Sinéad McSweeney and respect” inculcated by her studied Law in upbringing in Midleton. Twitter UCC. She lives critics would argue that respect in Dublin with husband, Noel and social media are mutually Whelan, and their exclusive. Justine Sacco, the son, Seamus. woman who boarded a plane for South Africa, having tweeted a bad joke about AIDS and landed twelve hours later to find her life in ruins, shamed by tens of thousands of tweeters, is not an isolated case.

“We have become a lot better at dealing with people who have been targeted, a lot tighter on the way people can report,” says McSweeney. “Algorithms don’t do it.

People do.” She’s firm about “fake news” too. “What is meant by fake news? If it’s a lie, let’s call it a lie.” And if she has a mantra, it’s “fostering good behaviour in our children.” Not what you would expect from the boss of a social media organisation.

The logistics of the Queen’s visit led her to Twitter. “I was communications director of An Garda Síochána. We had rolling road closures. I thought, Twitter is exactly what we need. Perfect for public service announcements. We set up an account and had 15,000 followers in two days.” Four and a half years ago, she moved to Twitter, having done her time. But a solid background in public service and politics (she met her husband, writer and barrister Noel Whelan, “in Fianna Fáil”) doesn’t quite explain it. This character comes from somewhere deeper.

McSweeney “meets” her international counterparts every two weeks. No viva glam here, everything is virtual.

“We always have questions about people who are suspended from the platform for breaching the rules around targeted harassment. In the last year, the nuances of free speech and censorship have been much discussed. What to do if someone wants to say something but fears what will happen to them if they do.” Censorship, apparently, is the new Twitter problem. A qualified barrister by training, she would love to do a masters in free speech.

“I think about all of this from the perspective of being the mother of a seven-year-old. What do I do to make sure he is developing values of empathy and respect?”

“You love being a mother,” I remark. “I kind of do.

When I was growing up, it wasn’t a priority. I wasn’t the sister who was a favoured babysitter. Then when Noel and I focused on becoming parents, we found it didn’t come easy. Our son Seamus is a miracle of science. We had him on our first IVF. The disappointments came later as we tried to add to our family. I had the failures and miscarriages. Things like that don’t always hit you in the moment. Everyone experiences being a mother differently. Everyone experiences not being a mother differently. Everyone experiences not being able to be a mother differently. You go through all those losses without knowing you will have got anything at the end.”

Perhaps what she got was endurance, and an aptitude for the kind of critical thinking which can bring old and new media together. “On other platforms you choose your friends. Twitter is open to everyone. The company itself ref lects that personality. If there is boardroom intrigue, everyone knows.” Ironically, it’s an old media story – the medium as the message – but transparency is strength.

“Can you imagine if Twitter wasn’t there?” she asks.

As it happens, I can. But I am thinking. ^ SINEAD MC SWEENEY:

fallout is undoubtedly an argument for allowing him keyboard, as opposed to face-to-face, access. Twitter’s Dublin headquarters at lunchtime is strangely removed from this maelstrom. All sweetness and light: a hip and relaxed workforce in a bright, airy space. In the communal ground floor, one wall bears the legend “Love Where You Work”. Blackboards announce the Chef’s Specials: braised lamb or baked cod. The salad and juice bars alone would make you love where you work. I chose the cod.

To my surprise, nobody pays.

“With most American companies, you’re not in the game for recruiting talent if you haven’t benefits. There’s breakfast, dinner, lunch. We have amazing shower facilities for people who run or cycle to work, some reimbursement of gym fees and on-site yoga and circuit training classes.”

I admit to being in culture shock. I come from the old media world where talent is a sequence of lambent paragraphs, benefits is the privilege of press freedom, and lunch is paid for, literally and metaphorically – in short, you take responsibility for your words. Can life in this bubble and old media ever meet?

Invited to speak on the concept “Imagine” at a recent Tedx talk in Belfast, Sinead McSweeney chose for her theme

“We offer Ireland’s only range of burglar-proof windows and doors with eco glass as standard – keeping you safe, and saving you money.”

Jim Toal, Managing Director

www.fairco.ie

FIRST PERSON

M

y 40th birthday party was everything I had hoped it would be. Unlike many of my friends, I had embraced the prospect of meeting this milestone. I truly felt as though I had something to celebrate. I had loyal friends, a successful business and three children I was incredibly proud of.

My early 20s had been great, but an unplanned pregnancy at 25 had resulted in a marriage we had rushed into and two more children in quick succession. The marriage had limped along but when we called it a day after ten years, nobody was truly surprised. My ex-husband and I had remained on relatively good terms but at the end of the day, I was a single parent and as a result, my 30s had been fraught with so many of the issues that single parents face.

With a fledgling business and three children, I had felt like I was constantly chasing my tail.

Turning 40 was like a new beginning for me. My business was ticking along nicely and I was finally reaping the rewards of my efforts. My youngest son was turning twelve and due to begin secondary school in the autumn. No more school runs and packed lunches for me, I thought, as I reserved his place on the school bus with his two older sisters.

After many ups and downs, our life had settled into a groove that we were all happy with. And so, on a sunny July evening I celebrated with 50 of my nearest and dearest in a rooftop restaurant overlooking Dublin city. It was perfect. Mojitos on tap and scorching weather added to the already heady atmosphere, and when the club downstairs opened at eleven o’clock, we were all on top of the world. It had been a perfect evening. Two years later I remembered the evening wistfully and felt all my excitement for the future ebb away — I had just turned 42 and was pregnant as a result of a one-night stand.

Ironically, I had met him in the same club where I had celebrated my 40th birthday. It wasn’t often that I ventured from the suburbs into town for a night out, so when I did, I usually ended up at the same spot, one of the few places in Dublin where you could listen to music, enjoy a few cocktails and not feel like the oldest swinger in town. He was recently divorced, handsome, successful and interesting. A combination almost unheard of among the 40-something set. I was immediately drawn, it had been a long time. I had never considered myself lonely but that night I allowed myself to ponder the what ifs. I decided to just relax and enjoy whatever happened.

Six weeks later, as I watched the blue line appear, I wondered how on earth I had been so foolish. My predicament smacked of teenage irresponsibility. My eldest daughter was 17 and I couldn’t bear to think how she would take the news that her mother was pregnant.

An abortion was out of the question, but was having a baby in these circumstances? After walking around in a daze for some weeks, I finally summoned up the nerve to call the father and arranged to meet for coffee. His reaction was as expected. He had children in their 20s and he had no interest in starting again. I understood, but was resentful at the same time. He gently reminded me that I had options which he was more than happy to finance and he seemed baffled by my insistence that a trip to London to take care of the problem wasn’t for me.

knew this couldn’t be the same. I felt no joy at the impending arrival, just dread. The nine months were a rollercoaster of emotion; I felt wrung out and completely unprepared. Luckily, I had good friends who never once questioned my choices. My parents had passed away some years previously and in a way I was glad they weren’t around to witness my predicament.

On a biting cold day in late February, we finally welcomed Harvey into the world. At nearly 8lbs he wasn’t small, but he was perfectly formed. I had been convinced that once he arrived, all my newborn knowledge would come rushing back but that wasn’t the case. It was like learning to walk again. I had forgotten everything and a lot had changed. Looking at all the other new mums in the hospital, I noticed a few older women like myself. Maybe I wasn’t that unusual after all, I pondered. Maybe this time wouldn’t be much different, although I worried that my son had no father in his life, unlike the others.

When Harvey’s big brother and sisters arrived to meet him, I felt the relief wash over me. They were smitten. I knew it wasn’t going to be all plain sailing but we were off to a good start. As expected, once we arrived home, our nice quiet life was replaced with utter chaos. Reverting back to bottles and nappies was a challenge and bringing a baby everywhere was not something I relished. Life as we knew it was over. Financial stability meant I didn’t have to worry about money and I quickly realised I was going to need some help. I just couldn’t cope and I would eventually have to get back to work. I still had a business to run. Two weeks later, I was lucky enough to hire a wonderful nanny but, as my return to work date approached, I began to panic. Before Harvey’s arrival I had avoided questions about my pregnancy but I knew that was about to end. I was convinced clients were speculating about my single status and Harvey’s parentage and I dreaded the thought of explaining myself.

So I didn’t. Most people were kind enough to discuss the situation behind my back, only a few actually asked me invasive questions outright, all of which I deflected. They soon moved on to more interesting topics, and Harvey and I became yesterday’s news.

A few weeks after I returned to work, I summoned up the courage to get in touch with Harvey’s dad. I expected no reply and I wasn’t disappointed. Some small part of me remains astounded that he could have no interest in meeting his son. Maybe that will change one day, maybe not. I considered the idea of contacting him for child support, but then dismissed it. I don’t need his money and I feel I should respect his decision not to be involved — after all, it was a choice I gave him. How I will explain this to Harvey in the future, I’m not quite sure.

Some sort of normality has returned. Harvey will celebrate his first birthday in a few weeks and we will no doubt all struggle to remember a time when he wasn’t part of our family. His elder siblings dote on him. It was a big year for my eldest daughter too, as she turned 18. Another adult in the house. Finally. She has a boyfriend and is madly in love, as only an 18-year-old can be. I tried to have “the talk”’ with her once it became apparent they were exclusive, but her reaction was fierce.

“Mum, relax, I don’t want to end up like you.” It may not have been the response I was looking for but if it does the job … ^ In conversation with Charlotte Gunne.

Names have been changed.

STARTING OVER

28 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

A surprise pregnancy at 42 forced one divorcé to face starting over — and explain the situation to her mortified teenage children We parted awkwardly, with no promises to keep in touch.

It was another month before I had the conversation I had been most dreading, with my children. Their reactions ran the gamut from disbelief to complete mortification. As anticipated, it all revolved around what their friends would think. That people would know their mother had sex was unimaginable. I completely understood. I was overcome with shame myself and knew instinctively that my own reaction would have been the same at their age.

Telling my ex-husband was another conversation stopper.

When he burst out laughing it took all my reserve not

“I felt no joy at the impending arrival, just DREAD. The nine months were a ROLLERCOASTER. ” to slap him across his smirking face. As my pregnancy became more obvious, the children’s embarrassment grew. How could I preach about precautions to my daughter when I had so flagrantly broken my own rules?

I endured weeks of the silent treatment from them, but as with all of life’s trials, the worst of it passed and we all eventually came to terms with the situation.

Nearly 15 years after my last pregnancy, this time my body fought me every step of the way. I was constantly exhausted and had persistent back pain. I felt old. Every time I saw an expectant mother it made me conscious of my age. They all looked so young. As my due date approached, I was fraught with anxiety and fear. I had bounced back after my other children were born but I

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BUSINESS NEWS

MAKING IT HAPPEN Backing women business leaders

HEDGING YOUR BETS

IN THE NEWS

ARE WE PREPARED FOR MORE SURPRISES?

DR ELAINE SULLIVAN is CEO of

P

eter Drucker once said that “trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window”. The folly of forecasting was laid bare by last year’s wins for the pro-Brexit side in the UK referendum and Donald Trump in the US presidential election. Both the opinion polls and betting odds had suggested different outcomes in the run-up to those events.

Our base case is that the global economy INVESTEC’S TIPS will grow by 3.6 per cent this year – effectively, FOR SME’S the same as the average annual pace of growth This implies more volatility for exchange • BUY OR SELL ONLY since 1980. So, are we in a “Goldilocks” IN EUROS rates and commodity prices. One positive environment, where economic expansion is • FIND NATURAL aspect of currency fluctuation, specifically not too hot or not too cold?

HEDGES IN YOUR movement in the dollar, is the growing Of course a forecast is only as good as the BUSINESS tourism numbers. Another positive will assumptions underpinning it. The main risk • INSURE YOUR be for Irish consumers buying European to the Goldilocks narrative is that 2017 has no BUSINESS AGAINST ADVERSE fashion: stock will be cheaper for retailers. shortage of political events that could muddy MOVEMENTS The downside of fluctuating currencies the outlook. Major elections are due to be held THROUGH HEDGING may be felt, however, by the food and drinks in France, Netherlands and Germany. Across industry where exports were eight per cent the pond, it remains to be seen how much of down in 2016 with weaker sterling contributing additional the Trump rhetoric will translate into policy reality. Closer to competitive pressures. This is likely to continue this year as home, the UK is scheduled to trigger Article 50 – the start of the the impact of Brexit continues. So, no matter what industry process where the British government will negotiate the terms you are in, currency fluctuations will be a risk. By working of its intended divorce from the EU. with the experts, you can manage that risk.

After last year’s surprises, we think people will be more Aisling Dodgson is Head of Treasury at Investec Ireland nervous than usual in the run-up to each of 2017’s major events.

FACTS

30 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

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NURITAS INGREDIENTS TO REACH ONE BILLION PEOPLE

The go-to topic now is of course how to get more women on boards. While many women in business seek non-executive roles, it can be a very process-driven job that won’t play to everyone’s strengths. How many companies are really benefiting from the skills that women can bring? As The Irish Times recently reported, there is still a glaring lack of female executive directors on high-profile boards: just two boards of 50 Irish plcs listed on the ISE comprise one third women.

Of these two, just one – the agrifoods business Origin Enterprises – is chaired by a woman, Rose Hynes. It’s good Lynda to see that in the non-corporate world, the Arts is leading Carroll the way. At the National Gallery of Ireland, four recent appointments to the Board of Governors and Guardians are women – ANN PRENDERGAST, LESLEY TULLY, LYNDA CARROLL and JACQUELINE HALL – bringing the total number of women on the Board to ten out of 17.

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IN EU FUNDING TO SUPPORT FINAL-STAGE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL PEPTIDE

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appointed as NonExecutive Director of AIB. She is Managing Director of open eir, eir’s Networks and Wholesale Division, and is responsible for CSR. Prior to joining eir, Lennon held a number of senior roles in Vodafone Ireland. She is a former Non-Executive Director of the Irish Management Institute, DIT Foundation and sits on the Council of Patrons for Special Olympics Ireland.

Room at the Top

A

T & S ATS

CAROLAN LENNON has been

BOARDS WATCH

THE TALENT SPOT DR NORA KHALDI, NURITAS Nuritas, the Irish digital biotech and R&D firm founded by Dr Nora Khaldi, is tipped for success in 2017 as EU funding and backing by investors (including Bono, The Edge and Salesforce CEO Marc Beniott) will help bring to market a breakthrough food ingredient - a revolutionary peptide to be exact - considered to be a world-first in diabetes prevention.

Dublin-based oncology company, CARRICK THERAPEUTICS which recently secured $95M in Series A EU funding.

A former VP at US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and UK medical leader AstraZeneca, she leads the company’s focus on developing therapies for aggressive and drug resistant cancers like lung, stomach and pancreas. “Our aim is to build Europe’s leading oncology company. Targeting aggressive and resistant disease is where we can make a real difference to patients’ lives.”

Jacqueline Hall

At home with perfection.

Created with simple, clear forms.

Realm Concepts Ltd. The Waterfront, Hanover Quay, Dublin 2 Tel. 01 480 44 00, hello@realm.ie www.bulthaup-hanoverquay.ie Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram @bulthaupHQ

NATURALLY CHIC Pale pink cotton drill dress with smocked waist, HERMÈS. Nude Gamble Diva leather boots, LOUIS VUITTON. Steeplechase 90x90 silk scarf, HERMÈS. Fuchsia Artie suede handbag, JIMMY CHOO.

FULL BLOOM Pale pink dress, PAULE KA. Oversized floral coat, MICHAEL KORS. Fuchsia Hangisi satin shoes, MANOLO BLAHNIK.

In a season of prevailing pinkness, find your shade, shape and a way to wear Photographed by TOM CORBETT | Styled by LUIS RODRIGUEZ

RETRO LADYLIKE Green and grey crew-neck sweater; pink floral-print silk/wool coat; red patent leather belt; all MIU MIU. Blush leather handbag, ROGER VIVIER.

SMARTY PANTS Pink box-cut jacket, MIU MIU. Pink silk top; matching pink cotton trousers; both ELIZABETH AND JAMES. Blush leather sandals, ROGER VIVIER.

SHINE TIME Pink satin blouse; copper silk and wool skirt; both BALLY. Brown Olympe leather belt, HERMÈS. Pink leather handbag, BALLY. Leopardprint pony hair and leather block-heel shoes, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN. Photographed by Tom Corbett. Styled

by Luis Rodriguez.

Assisted by Alexander Boutin. Hair by Moiz Alladina at The Wall Group for Kevin Murphy. Make up

by Brian Duprey at Judy Casey for MAC Cosmetics. Casting by Holly Corbett at Bernstein & Andriulli.

BEAUTY

THE TIPPING POINT With cosmetic treatments and surgery becoming more affordable and commonplace, PENNY McCORMICK contemplates the perils of going overboard

“I want the name and number of Julianne Moore’s surgeon!” texts my friend Vanessa. She and I have been friends for two decades, sharing a love of celebrity gossip, swapping beauty triumphs and errors and issuing our own annual POY list (Product of the Year). Hourglass’s Ambient Lighting Palette, Charlotte Tilbury’s Full Fat Lashes, This Works Deep Pillow Spray, Dr Organic Deodorants, Oribe Dry Texturising Spray and Lancôme’s Miracle Cushion Foundation are just a few that have made the cut. The fact that Vanessa used to be a head honcho for Estée Lauder is vital background information. She takes looking good to a completely different level than I do; grooming is her raison d’être. She has detected that Moore has had work done, though I don’t see the signs. Those being the raised eyebrow, the puffy cheeks, the glassy looking skin or the “bunny lines” (that develop on the side of the nose to compensate for frozen eye muscles) that I’ve spotted on, say, Courtney Cox or Charlene of Monaco among many others. Or the slightly-off-can’t-put-myfinger-on-it face as revealed on the red carpet to much brouhaha by Renée Zellweger and latterly Lady Gaga, who stepped out at the British Fashion Council Awards in December, a mere hologram of herself. I try to give Julianne Moore the benefit of the doubt but Vanessa is having none of this. She is poring over this year’s Pirelli Calendar and critiquing the actresses’ faces.

It’s photographed by Peter Lindbergh, who is credited with inventing the supermodels when he photographed the power posse of Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington for Vogue in 1988. Fast-forward 30 years and he’s still working his magic with (forgiving) black and white portraits of 15 actresses including Helen Mirren, Robin Wright and Kate Winslet. Lindbergh’s idea was to “celebrate natural beauty and femininity”. Yes, it was a change from the usual scantily clad swimwear shots of younger models but really, who are they kidding?

Nicole Kidman and Uma Thurman are not “natural”.

Enviable genetics and bone structure aside, they’ve admitted to having help with erasing the fine lines and a lot of expression to boot. Meanwhile, Lindbergh and assorted stylists deployed a wind machine, undone hairstyling, artful chiaroscuro lighting and a top makeup artist to achieve this supposedly truthful beauty.

Lindbergh also photographed Giorgio Armani’s recent campaigns, called The New Normal, in his iconic style.

In the latter, we’re supposed to believe that the addition

One recent patient was an 82-year-old, who wanted a NECK LIFT to show off to her bridge partners. of a white shirt and a pair of classic black trousers will give us the Armani poise and allure that Nadja Auermann and Yasmin Le Bon exude. It’s neither fair nor particularly honest. Le Bon is an advocate of the Venus Freeze (combining pulse magnetic fields and radio frequency, it raises skin temperature to stimulate repair). Deconstructing these sorts of images, celebrity make-up artist Lisa Eldridge has shown, via her YouTube tutorials, that she uses no less than a dozen products to achieve the “no make-up” make-up look.

Last year, when we both had milestone birthdays, Vanessa and I went our separate ways in addressing the inevitable signs of ageing. After much research, she decided on a course of Botox perfectly timed during the Christmas holidays so that when she returned to

work her colleagues would notice how “well-rested” she looked. She now counts down to top-ups every nine weeks. I keep asking if she has a photo of Melanie Griffith on her fridge door as a warning, and she joins in by adding the names of Priscilla Presley, Olivia NewtonJohn and, of course, Jocelyn Wildenstein. Though we laugh, she shows no sign of desisting.

For my part, I have trialled a loose “wellness” approach that comprises Pilates, aesthetic dentistry (Invisalign works wonders), regular facials and all manner of products with a side sprinkling of cinnamon and a pinch of turmeric thrown in for good measure. I’m conversant with Mirielle Guiliano’s seminal book (French Women Don’t Get Facelifts) and I’ve interviewed many a supermodel (Elle MacPherson, Adriana Lima, Natalia Vodianova) to ask them for their anti-ageing secrets.

I’m always amused when they say water and sleep. If only. As per the #iwokeuplikethis Instagrams, I am having none of it as they resolutely keep mum about their cosmetic surgeons.

In the spirit of authenticity, my body brushes languish in the bathroom cabinet alongside my Sarah Chapman’s Facialift and assorted bee venom formulas. My latest regime is the SoKo approach. “Are you doing the 12 steps?” used to be a reference to alcoholic recovery; now it’s about the South Korean cleansing routine.

These multi-step regimes use a variety of products with decidedly weird ingredients. Snail mucin, donkey milk, starfish extracts, sea kelp, bat droppings and maple tree sap are all staples. Look out for this year’s wonder treatments that include “sparkling” cleansers with carbonic acids, rubber masking and an increased use of egg white. Is my skin any better for all this? Possibly, THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 37

BEAUTY but I’m dying to try the award-winning Erasa XEP30 serum as endorsed by Linda Evangelista, and Biotulin the topical organic gel as used by Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton; both hailed as quick, natural Botox fixes.

FaceGym’s newly opened premises on the King’s Road is my next port of call when I visit London – a collaboration with A-list facialist Alexandra Soveral, it promises to lift and realign features with swift, firm facial massage and a bespoke mix of aromatherapy oils.

If I were to go the surgical route (never say never), like the steady stream of Irish women beating a path to his door, I’d consult Dr Dirk Kremer, who works between Harley Street and Dubai (and is cited as “the best cosmetic plastic surgeon for neck and facelifts” by Tatler UK and W magazine). His speciality is celebrating individuality and recognising the beauty of each face.

Less is more, he tells me: “Most of the time there is just an imbalance of a single facial feature; correcting just one feature can harmonise a patient’s face, though nowadays it is less about perfect symmetry and more about harmony in face and body.” He points out, as I have also noted, there’s no point having an unlined brow when your décolletage is crepey, your hands ridden with age spots or your neck is veering towards turkey territory.

As long you are fit, age is no limit, though Dr Kremer is quick to add that he does say no when necessary. One of his most recent patients was an 82-year-old who wanted a neck lift to show off to her bridge partners. “Patients are my business cards and I refuse surgery when it is against my aesthetics or feel the health and expectations of the patient are in question.”

Dr Kremer has developed his own SkinDoc formula to help with skin rejuvenation, while his trademarked TBT (Turn Back Time lift) for the eyes and face is far removed from the old-style wind tunnel look. He’s not a fan of the traditional facelift, and favours repositioning facial fat and lifting the skin in a vertical manner against gravity. In so doing he reconstructs his patients’ younger natural anatomy of their faces. The result is a lift that often goes unnoticed by friends and family yet can prolong youthfulness for at least a decade.

Ultimately, for Dr Kremer, it’s about giving women confidence in themselves that translates as beauty.

Of course, Vanessa has already researched “threading face lifts” and I am sure she will go for an eyelid procedure, before going the whole nine yards. For now, she is almost at the end of a lengthy IPL course. She rationalises that the expense will be worth it in the long term, though is tight-lipped when I ask if she is healing. An inexperienced practitioner burnt her and she ended up in A&E with her Brazilian the subject of much scrutiny (ouch!). This has not put her off her stride. Latterly, she has been sending me links to features on permanent eyebrow tattooing. I make non-committal noises and go back to using my trusty Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper & Touch-Up. Eyebrows can take ten years off your age, we are told, so Vanessa has followed through. “What do you think?” is her first question when she shows me the before and after pictures of the procedure done during a lunch break. Fortunately, we are on email so she can’t read the non-verbal clues my little white lie would reveal.

Yes, it’s a good job, done well, but I am totally against it.

The reason: Vanessa’s face is slowly changing in front of my eyes. Soon I fear I won’t be able to recognise my friend. That’s the new normal. ^ 38 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

WHAT TO DO WHEN...

YOU’VE OVERDONE THE BOTOX “Fillers, particularly hyaluronic acid fillers, can be dissolved if overdone; Botox on the other hand cannot. If too much is injected you have to let it wear off, which normally takes about five or six months.

At the Mulrooney Clinic we employ a more conservative approach; we inject a very small dose of Botox initially and review all patients in two weeks (the time it takes for Botox to fully take effect). If the patient needs more we then add it in, thus ensuring you never overdose, and all patients are followed up. Celebrities with good work are the ones who don’t look ‘done’, even though all celebrities are having treatment! Jennifer Aniston looks really natural and I feel she has more laser and Ulthera treatments with less Botox and fillers. Angelina Jolie, on the other hand, has a lot of Botox and fillers but it’s well done and looks good.” DR JANE MULROONEY, Dr Mulrooney Clinic, Ballsbridge, Dublin; www.drmulrooney.com

YOUR FACELIFT IS TOO TIGHT “An over-operated face with hollowed upper eyes and tight, stretched skin, the so-called ‘wind tunnel’ look, is difficult to reverse. Too much skin and facial fat has been removed and pulled to the side instead of repositioned. A wrinklefree result after a facelift is not always the best.

An overdone face will need time to relax again.

This can take years and I would recommend waiting instead of rushing into corrective surgeries. Too early a surgical intervention could worsen the result. Eventually, facial fillers to the cheeks might help to restore some volume.

But don’t rush from a ‘wind tunnel’ face to a ‘feline’ face caused by overdoing facial fillers. ” DR DIRK KREMER, Harley Street Aesthetics, www.harleystreetaesthetics.com

YOU’RE EN ROUTE TO A TURKEY NECK “Ulthera (ultrasound therapy) is the best non-surgical treatment for a sagging neck. The crepey, wrinkly skin can be helped with laser, such as CO2, Fraxel, mesotherapy while pigmentation and redness can be improved with IPL and Fraxel. To prevent some of these changes apply SPF50 daily and never apply perfume directly to your neck.”

DR ROSEMARY COLEMAN, consultant dermatologist with a special interest in aesthetic and laser dermatology. Blackrock Clinic, Dublin.

YOUR CHEMICAL PEEL GOES WRONG “Getting hooked on chemical peels can have a detrimental, long-term effect on your skin. There are three different types: AHA (fruit acid) offers a superficial peel, TCA (Trichloracid) is a medium-depth peel and Phenol is the deepest. AHA and TCA can be relatively harmless if you don’t overdo, but it is important to have a Phenol peel performed under strict clinical conditions, with proper downtime; if not, unwanted side-effects include permanent hypersensitivity, abnormal healing, scarring and skin colour changes as well as the possibility of infections, allergic reactions and permanent skin damage. The primary treatment is to focus on boosting collagen, as this valuable protein is crucial to the health and strength of the skin. For maximum benefit the collagen needs to penetrate into the lower layers of the epidermis. Only pure collagen is suitable; it must not contain any bacteria, germs or viruses, and the most important thing is to provide collagen molecules in a form that can penetrate the epidermal layers. This is the basis of our MED Day Collagen Protection and Night Collagen Repair, specifically formulated for highly sensitive or damaged skin. These stimulate cell regeneration and improve the elasticity of the skin, while their anti-irritation complex diminishes redness.” DR ERICH SCHULTE, collagen pioneer and founder of QMS Medicosmetics, www.qmsmedicosmetics.com.

YOU’VE GOT IPL BURNS “IPL burns are similar to seconddegree burns and should be treated as such. Use a cold water compress to cool the skin and seek medical advice. It’s important to remember the burn must be kept moist by using an ointment that keeps the skin hydrated so it doesn’t dry out, as this helps prevent scarring.

Something like petroleum jelly would work.

A doctor can then prescribe the appropriate antibiotic ointment or, in more extreme cases, oral steroids or antiviral medications. Once the skin has healed we can then look to treat the hyperpigmentation that often follows. Murad Advanced Active Radiance Serum (d95, Edvard & Pink, Dundrum Town Centre) is ideal as the Resilient-C Vitamin C complex in the formula is 50 times stronger than ordinary topical vitamin C, with the power to help brighten and reduce any pigmentation and help skin repair.”

DR MURAD, board-certified dermatologist, www.murad.co.uk

R

AH

HALLI WE

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Buffet PREEN

BY

SA

BEAUTY

MODERN FLORALS

N

aturally, there’s a profusion of florals around for spring, and not just on the catwalks.

Perfumers are always looking at ways to make floral scents with an air of modernity rather than powdery grandmother. Show-stopping modern florals that resist the Valentine’s clichés include YSL’s Black Orchid Floral Shock (d81), a profusion of freesia and gardenia notes laced with an unexpected mineral sea breeze accord and a hit of iced coffee. Lancôme are also putting their best floral forward with a new twist on La Vie est Belle, La Vie est Belle Bouquet de Printemps (limited edition, from February 22), resonates with intriguing notes of pear and patchouli alongside the lavish jasmine, iris and lily of the valley. And L’Occitane have come up with a gourmand floral which balances floral notes with a warm sweetness. Gourmand scents, with “edible” notes, aren’t for everyone: not all of us want to smell like candyfloss, although super-sweet scents continue to be popular with younger customers. “Terre de Lumière is a fresh aromatic gourmand,” explains one of its three female perfumers, Calice Becker (the genius behind J’Adore for Dior and Tommy Girl, as well as several of the luxury By Kilian perfumes).

By blending the most special “floral, feminine” French lavender with warm honey, beeswax and tonka bean, they aimed to capture the Exotic “golden hour” in Provence, when blooms in ice the sun is lowering and the earth is on the Dries van Noten warm. L’Occitane’s research found SS17 catwalk that “calm and serenity” are the most important things in a fragrance for women, and so green tea and bergamot injects fresh air and light into this scent. “It’s the French lavender that makes it fly and explode,” notes Becker. The ingredients are sustainable, and the very best.

“We spent a lot of time going to where the crops are, to be sure that, when extracted, we have the very best of them, and to remember their origins,” notes Becker. How timely: a walk on the warm side, bottled. From d65.

40 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

THIS MO N TH

WE’RE USING ...

1

BRIGHT & BALMY

THE ONE TO WEAR

All things bright and beautiful hit counters this month: TOM FORD’s Shade & Illuminate Lip Colours (d54) (1), to mix, match or layer lips with; YSL’s glam Tint-in-Balms (d33, at Brown Thomas; nationwide from March) (6) come in every glossy, hydrating shade of lip-smacking colour.

Prep lips first with MAC Lip Scrubtious (3), a sugar-based exfoliator to buff and nourish lips with delicious tinted flavours like Summer Berry and Sweet Brown Sugar. At Arnotts from February 23. We also love CLINIQUE’s cute team-up with Crayola (see page 10): the rainbow colours of Chubby Stick lip crayons take us back to being in primary school.

We can’t get over how beautiful this YSL Call Me Grey nail colour is (4). It’s all we want to wear right now; the only competition comes from fellow YSL shade, Catch Me Pink. The dove grey and fuchsia are an inspiring combination for an interiors colour scheme, too … d24.

THE EYE-OPENER To diminish eye bags and cover that grey/green tone that lingers around the eye, we’re lashing on NUXELLENCE Eye (2), a three-inone to cool and decongest, plump and cover with some concealer, which also blurs and illuminates.

Not much makes our eye area look smoother and less puffy at this time of year, but this is definitely helping. d41.

2

3

THE ESSENTIALS The new spring skincare launches are all very fancy, but the key staple to invest in is a good moisturiser.

Having tried out gallons of hydrating creams this winter, the two we’re staying loyal to contain a host of plant and flower extracts: CLARINS’ intensive Hydra-Essentiel (5) (d45), features perilla seed oil 6 (perilla, from the mint family, is even richer in fatty acids than chia seeds); KIEHL’S Pure Vitality Cream (d56, from February 15) is silky with shea butter, honey, ginseng root and antioxidant radish root, like a supersmoothie for your skin.

4

5

TAKE THREE Long-wear is our foundation of choice, worn by 60 per cent of us. Yet many of us are still looking for our perfect fit. Try these new arrivals:

�

FOR EVERY SKINTONE

The many fans of LANCÔME Teint Idole will scramble for the updated Ultra Wear 24H Wear & Comfort Retouch Free SPF15, serious mouthful that it is.

There’s no danger of this shifting, whatever you subject your skin to, and the colour range has been expanded to an impressive 40 shades. For full coverage, look no further. c39.50.

�

FOR MATURE PERFECTION

Our tester (aged 65+) is devoted to GIORGIO ARMANI Luminous Silk – one of the most flattering and wearable bases for mature skin – and was sceptical whether this new long-wear, Power Fabric SPF25, could compete. But it turns out to be light yet lasting, with the finest oil/ pigment balance.

It fuses with skin and protects it from UVA and UVB rays. In 15 shades, c49.

3

FOR LASTING SOFT-FOCUS

CHANEL Le Teint Ultra Tenue Fluid is a long-wear, mattifying foundation with a new lightdiffusing complex: fancy new powders diffuse and reflect light for a soft-focus finish. It also resists both oil and water in order to stay put. Skin looks nakedly radiant. It’s especially good at boosting oily skin without clogging it. In 16 shades, c50.

SOCIAL LIFE Clockwise from left: Sara Mitchell of Poulet Bonne Femme; an image from Black Sheep Foods’ Instagram page; Almeria, Spain; The Vintage Kitchen.

My

GLOSSY

WEEKEND Sara Mitchell owns rotisserie business Poulet Bonne Femme with her husband Gavin McCarthy and enjoys a weekend spent locally with family and friends after a busy working week

This year got off to an amazing start. We just signed with Avoca’s parent company Aramark which means expansion of Poulet Bonne Femme into other markets.

As a result we expect to be travelling to the UK a lot which is exciting. It’s still hard to fathom that our idea of a rotisserie van at various farmer’s markets, when Gavin was made redundant in 2009, has grown into the brand it is today.

We actually got the idea on holiday in Spain – we always go to ALMERIA on the south-east which has the most beautiful coastline and empty beaches. It was there we first saw the chicken rotisserie that inspired Poulet Bonne Femme.

Gavin and I love socialising; it’s part of who were are as a couple and I enjoy getting dressed up for a night out. I’m currently into my Isabel Marant velvet dress with little puff sleeves; last year I seemed to favour jumpsuits. I had a great Maje black jumpsuit and a stripy Sandro one that I wore to my brother-in-law’s festivalthemed 50th birthday.

My style has definitely evolved over the years. When we first started our business we were lugging around a trailer and carrying boxes of chicken in and out of fridges so I was always in a pair of jeans and runners – no style required! While jeans are a still a staple in my wardrobe I try to dress them up with a shirt or top. I favour Cos because of its simplicity and I love Kooples too. They are stylish enough for any unplanned meetings.

My go-to shop is BT2 in Dundrum and I’ve never been disappointed there.

Friday is my favourite day of the week and the weekend always starts when the kids descend from various playdates. With three boys at home (who are eight, six and two), I rely heavily on my childminder who also happens to be our first-ever au pair. I’m not sure what we’ll do when she leaves us in June but I will postpone that challenge for now. Gavin and I like to experiment with recipes by cooking something new and later we unwind with a lovely glass of red. I try to have a digital

detox and stop looking at my phone from 7.30pm.

At the moment, we’re planning Gavin’s 40th and hope to go away with a group of friends. Ibiza and the south of France have been floated as venues, though I’ll probably go away with him on my own too. BERLIN is on my wish list, especially because of its food scene. For me cocktails, good food and music are the key to any party.

During term, we’re up at the usual time on Saturdays as the older boys have football training and matches and Gavin and I always attend these. It’s an ideal time

“For me cocktails, good FOOD and music are the key to any PARTY.” to meet other parents and afterwards we take the boys for a treat; hot chocolate at THE CAFE AT 64WINE at Glasthule. I recommend their wine and cheese board on a Friday evening. After that we’ll drop into all of our outlets. Saturday is a busy day for Poulet Bonne Femme and we like to make sure everything is in order. Gavin is on the operational side and we have a team of 26. People always ask about us working together but it’s always been just the two of us and I can’t imagine it any other way.

While Gavin is on site, I spend most of my time at meetings in AVOCA, or at the office, though we call each other constantly.

During the year, I go away with girlfriends for a long weekend. Last year it was beautiful BORDEAUX. We stayed in an Airbnb for the first time, cycled around the city, and no surprise, we seemed to spend the time eating and tasting wine! The highlight was an amazing antiques market. I could quite happily have bought all the furniture.

Me-time in a house full of boys is problematic but I find a scented candle helps (by Cloon Keen Atelier), or an indulgent Laura Mercier Crème Brulee bath. I also collect vintage silver and china that I pick up in local charity or antique shops; there are so many good ones between Dún Laoghaire and Blackrock. I escape on Instagram and follow interiors and foodies such as Rockett St George, The Green Spoon, Gastro Gays and Black Sheep Foods – the latter is a local catering company and if I had an event I’d use them as I like what they do.

Gavin and I like to try new restaurants. THE VINTAGE KITCHEN (in Dublin 7) was a recent treat, while DUNNE & CRESCENZI (on Lower Frederick Street) is a favourite, as is SAKURA (on Wexford Street). I’m not into spas – I much prefer going for an overnight stay in a hotel with good food. Saying that, I thoroughly enjoyed a few days in the MONART SPA (Co Wexford).

On Sunday, you’ll probably find us at the People’s Park in Dún Laoghaire where it all started. We seem to spend most of the day drinking coffee and meeting friends and family. I’d have to nominate STICKY BUN in Clonakilty for its Badger and Dodo coffee and the best lemon drizzle cake in Ireland, while CAKE CAFE in Camden Street is another favourite.

Later I’ll put on a roast. Sunday cooking is so healthy and hearty and we make it a bit of an occasion. In my sparetime I browse cookery books and am currently inspired by Palestinian cookery. I’m not one for prepping the week ahead as I hate to waste Sunday night – it’s sacrosanct for me. As a result, Monday mornings are always a dash.” ^ As told to Penny McCormick THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 41

Terre de Lumière The New Fragrance

The essence of the golden hour

BOOKS BEDSIDE TABLE

What is WILLIAM NICHOLSON reading?

Epic, evocative and empathetic, Adventures in Modern Marriage is part of the Sussex Trilogy sequence by William Nicholson. Documenting a male mid-life crisis and the minutiae of family dynamics, the novel tackles love and sex in middle age. Nicholson has written Shadowlands and Life Story for television. Published

by Quercus, C24.99.

RED NOTICE: HOW I BECAME PUTIN’S NO 1 ENEMY

by Bill Browder A terrifying true story of how Putin’s Russia works. The author watched aghast as the Russian prison system murdered his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky for daring to expose corruption. After a long battle he got the Magnitsky Law passed

by President Obama to sanction the killers and show them they’re not untouchable.

Bantam Press, C13.95.

WHAT DO WOMEN WANT?

by Daniel Bergner A complete revelation, to me at least, about the nature of female desire. If you’ve always assumed, as I have, that men and women want very different things from sex – men want physical gratification, women want emotional connection – then read this book and experience a radically new perspective. Canongate, C10.50.

CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH OPIUM EATER

by Thomas de Quincey De Quincey was the first (in 1822) to write of the extraordinary dreams associated with laudanum – opium diluted in alcohol. He wrote what he called "impassioned prose", meaning that he wanted the writing itself, through highly charged language, to convey the intensity of his experiences.

Vivid, glorious, and ultimately horrifying.

Penguin, C4.50.

especially one that leaves you so vulnerable and requires you to don swimwear throughout the darkest months – is exceptionally gruelling.

The admission that you can’t do something, that you need help, and that you look daft attempting to do it was crushing. The lessons were exhausting and for a month at a time I would feel like I was getting nowhere. It took until October for me to have the confidence to shove my face in the water and properly exhale. It took until spring before I could swim even half a kilometre in the pool, and I still had a panic attack when I got back into the sea that May. But in July I made it; pier to pier.

And I’ve never looked back. I had been aiming for some sort of lofty “connection” with the ocean, but what I found in the sea was a better connection with myself. My learning to love swimming turned out to be about almost everything but swimming itself. It helped free me from the numbers game of running – distance, time, and goals no longer mattered in an environment when you could never be sure what the tide or current would be doing. To get in, and to enjoy was enough.

Above all, the experience helped to reconcile my own relationship with my body, during a time while I was undergoing a turbulent couple of years of IVF treatment. This had never been my intention — I thought I would travel the world on Instagram-able expeditions then get pregnant the minute I tried. But the prescription drugs, the weight I put on as a result of IVF, the confidence I lost in realising that the limits of what my body could do might be related not to sport but to fertility — they ground me down. They left me a shadow of the confident self I had fought so hard to become through running.

But swimming buoyed me up. To feel free in the water was my solace while my body shape changed, and to swim at all felt like a triumph when I reached my lowest point: a miscarriage. Slowly, as I swam in the sea almost daily for a whole winter in Brighton, I learned the amazing things that my body could still do — it could conquer fear; it could swim, and feel free and weightless when on land it felt heavy and unwieldy; it could withstand the cold as my acclimatisation grew and grew; and it could feel confident

STROKES OF GENIUS

Alexandra Heminsley overcame her fear of water by learning to swim. In the process she reclaimed her body after the rigours of IVF treatment

I

t wasn’t so much that I decided to take up swimming as that I got into the sea one summer’s day … and realised I couldn’t really swim. I had always been able to do that sedate sort of breast stroke, the one you do on holiday when you don’t want exercise, you just want to cool off in the pool.

And I had always been happy to take a splash off a beach on holiday. So I assumed I would be fine in the sea for a one-day swimming course in my home town of Brighton.

But I was wrong – there were currents, lapping waves and a sense of powerlessness I was entirely unready for. It was the best the instructor could do to get me to swim ten strokes between the panic and the crying.

I thought I was opening the door to a new adventure; instead it felt as if I had unleashed a fresh world of terror and anxiety for myself.

As the summer progressed, I would stare at the sea on my beachside runs and simmer with frustration that that first swim hadn’t been what I had hoped for. How had I got it so wrong? Eventually, after a summer of trying to get in, losing my nerve and scrabbling out again almost immediately, I committed to taking a proper swimming course. Three terms of twelve hour-long lessons.

And then I would be able to swim the kilometre from the Palace Pier to the West Pier … allegedly.

All through the winter, week after week, I showed up at my local pool to learn how to swim front crawl entirely from scratch. The experience of taking on a new skill –

Swimming BUOYED me up. To feel free in the water was MY SOLACE.

and proud in swimwear.

I honestly would not have coped if I had not had swimming to save me: it returned me to my sense of self, in a body I could respect as mine, when nothing else could. ^ Leap In: A Woman, Some Waves and the Will to Swim (A15.99, Hutchinson) is out now.

THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 43

WINE

H

ave you tried any wines from Georgia or Armenia recently? Or Morocco, or the Lebanon?

Or Hungary, or Slovenia? Or Switzerland, or Jura? Before you claim zero interest in esoterica, let me gently suggest you think again. A fascinating new trend that favours unusual wines from unfamiliar places is building momentum as never before. Wine fans might as well contemplate it – maybe even embrace it. Better the way-out and the wacky now and again than the more of same old thing, particularly if that implies being glued into an impermeable time warp of Prosecco and Sauvignon Blanc.

Impressive bottles from all of the countries just mentioned made an impact at tastings held in Ireland over the past year.

I expect to see even more newcomers soon, as what once seemed like the wine world’s outer fringe becomes increasingly fashionable. Two important groups are driving the demand for off beat offerings. Young sommeliers are fired up by the idea of matching the most innovative restaurant food with the most adventurous wines. And our most dynamic specialist retailers see that, even if they can’t easily compete with supermarkets on price, they can beat them into a cocked hat when it comes to offering customers something different.

THIS WONDERFUL LITTLE PLACE ... LONDON

Danni Barry of Deane’s Eipic in Belfast is Ireland’s only female Michelin-starred chef

I

’ve had my Michelin star since September 2015 and, to be honest, it still feels a bit unreal. Michael [Deane] was striving to build a really nice restaurant in Eipic with a small team – just three in the kitchen and three on the floor. To achieve a star in just over a year was certainly a team effort and everybody has ownership of it.

I may be the head chef but there’s so much more to it than just me. Sadly, we can’t keep staff for anything anymore – they’re forever being poached away from us. It’s great though, one of my sous chefs has opened his own place.

That’s what you want – good people going out and doing their own thing.

There are plenty of talented female head chefs in kitchens in this country, like Jess Murphy of Kai Café in Galway. I think the reason only one of us has a Michelin star is down to timing. I’m sure in five years I won’t be such a novelty. Lots of the producers who win awards are women too, like Birgitta Curtin of the Burren 44 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

W

IN

E Georgia is perhaps the most intriguing country to begin to raise its profile here, besides being the oldest with over 8,000 years of wine production to its credit.

Since independence from the former Soviet Union was declared in 1991 many of its wineries, mostly small in scale, have begun to focus on high-quality wines which are sparking interest in export markets.

Local grape varieties are one element underpinning distinctive Georgian f lavours, with Krakhuna and Mtsvane for whites and Saperavi for reds heading a long, mind-bending list. Traditional production methods are another. These involve qvevri – clay pots like big amphorae half-buried in the ground, allowing for continuous micro-oxygenation — and a period of up to three months during which the grape skins remain in contact with the juice.

To western palates the results can seem dramatic, yielding deeply coloured, pithy, whites and grippy, textured, sometimes rather jammy reds — all challenging to drink alone but goodtempered with food. Although Georgia also produces modern styles, the forward march of the natural wine movement suggests that its age-old, artisan approach will continue to grab the most headlines.

Of the wine regions I visited last year, the most compelling fashionable fringe contender was France’s Jura, far enough off the beaten track between Burgundy and Switzerland to have preserved a unique way of doing things. Although Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown here the most striking wines are made from Jura grape varieties, the white star being Savagnin (also known as Naturé). Its fame rests on vin jaune, Jura’s fabulously intense, long-living, sherry-like creation — but Savagnin also produces stylish and more youthful white wines like the one on the right. ^ @MaryDowey

Smokehouse and Mag Kirwan of Goatsbridge Trout.

Before they opened The Clove Club, Isaac McHale, Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith used to do a supper club which I’d heard about and had always wanted to visit.

These guys had worked in some of the best kitchens all over the world but restaurants are expensive to open, especially in London, so it was an genius way to get their names out there.

The Clove Club is in an old town hall in Shoreditch and it’s quite a chef-y restaurant in that it opens on Mondays and attracts a lot of industry people. They have their own charcuterie hanging just inside the front door, which sets the scene, and the service is friendly and informal. The bar is gorgeous but what really makes it special for me is that the open kitchen is right there in the restaurant. It’s so calming to watch the staff at work, especially in such a small space, and it’s always nice to be on the other side of the pass for a change.

It goes without saying that the food is unreal – creative and innovative. Every time I go there I’ve found something on the menu that I’ve never seen or tasted before. One of my favourite dishes is a raw scallop in brown butter dressing served with a really strong, intense truffle purée and mushrooms, dusted with clementine powder. Everything is so raw and fresh, the flavours are incredible. I can genuinely say it’s one if the best dishes I’ve ever eaten.

As a chef, I make it my business to try new places all

EY

Some stylish newcomers to the wine list are enchanting MARY DOWEY this month

M A RY D O

W

THE FASHIONABLE FRINGE

BY

DOMAINE ROLET NATURÉ DU JURA 2013. This distinctive Jura white is fruity and slightly nutty – a treat with roast chicken or Jura’s Comté cheese. From Clontarf Wines, Dublin 3; Baggot Street Wines, Dublin 4; Drink Store, Dublin 7; 64 Wine, Glasthule, Co Dublin; La Touche, Greystones, about 025.

DIDIMI KRAKHUNA, IMERATI 2013. At a tasting of natural wines by Pascal Rossignol of Le Caveau and Cliff House sommelier Thierry Sauvenot, this appley Georgian white was a superb match for organic salmon with pickled vegetables. From www. lecaveau.ie; Corkscrew, Dublin 2; Green Man, Dublin 6; 028.

ZORAH KARASÌ ARENI NOIR 2013. An alluring red from Armenia, made from the Areni grape and aged in traditional amphorae. Like a ripe Pinot Noir with a firm edge: try with pork or beef.

From Mitchell & Son, IFSC, Dublin 1; Terroirs, Dublin 4; Redmonds, Dublin 6; Florries, Tramore; World Wide Wines, Waterford, usually 039.99.

Clockwise from left: Barry at work in the kitchen; The Clove Club; Spring herb broth.

the time. There are very few that I actually go back to, not because I don’t want to, but because there is always somewhere new and different opening. That I’ve been back to The Clove Club four times speaks volumes.

It’s sometimes hard to switch off and enjoy the meal experience, because I’m always looking for inspiration.

I totally stole their brown butter dressing. I changed the garnish and the dish around it but it’s that kind of flavour that sticks in your head. ^ SARAH BREEN The Clove Club, Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London EC1; www.thecloveclub.com. www.deaneseipic.com

ISH

FOOD B Y

TR

DESE

IN

FOOD

E

THE FOOD OF LOVE

Breaking free of tradition, TRISH DESEINE proposes a simple wedding brunch to go wrong with a proper Bloody Mary and fun to create the theatre of a Bloody Mary bar with all the trimmings. Set out two or three salt mixes and a shallow bowl of water for decorating glass rims, ice, vodka (infused and plain if you like) good tomato juice in jugs and then go to town on the garnishes. Pickled and raw vegetables, shrimp, bacon, oysters, chillis, olives, cheese – you can

The same loose principles and menu ideas will work for any joyful SPRINGTIME lunch or BRUNCH gathering.

I

’m getting married. I cannot wait for my big day. I’ve chosen the place, (Ballyvolane House in Co Cork) written the guest list, decided on the style of my dress and have a pretty good idea of how the food and drink will play out.

All that’s missing is the groom, and the more I think about it, the more I wonder if sorting the occasion first and then (in my case) the man to go with it might not be such a bad idea.

Not loving cheesy romance, a respect for my closest friends, my taste in food or my small luxury Irish hotel habit would be deal-breakers at any time in the relationship. Yes, the ability to cut to the quick is a wonderful bonus of arriving at my stage in life.

These days, particularly for the second (or more) time around, intimate, DIY weddings are the new cool. Just as cooking for friends has become, for better or worse, the ultimate means of self-expression, a homemade celebration allows you to break with the pre-packaged “unique” offerings from the marriage machines and make the whole event more intimate — and probably less expensive. No hard and fast rules, then, but the same loose principles and menu ideas will work for any joyful springtime lunch or brunch gathering.

First for the welcome drinks: create a cocktail. Or two; one with alcohol, one without — less fuss and more economical than setting up an entire bar. If it’s brunch-time, it’s impossible

perch an entire light meal on a stick over a Bloody Mary and it helps keep guests nibbling while you prepare the rest of the food.

For brunch, or any other around-midday spring gathering, fruit, f lowers and bubbles are the right combination. Mimosas, Bellinis and champagne cocktails, perhaps with sparkling Irish cider for a change, garnished prettily with fruit and edible f lowers are just the ticket. Have the bases made up then add the ice and the sparkles at the last minute and serve in pitchers.

For the food, have no qualms about an entirely cold menu, and if you feel something must be hot, make it one of the canapés (retro chicken volau-vents also go down well) and/or one fork-friendly main course like a creamy luxurious lobster mac n’ cheese made with 2lbs of cooled lobster meat, a simple roux, a mix of Comté and cheddar, and light Japanese Panko breadcrumbs.

These quantities would serve twelve for lunch: you can find the full recipe online at www.thegloss.ie.

Levantine dishes are lavish, festive, colourful, beautiful and practical to serve, so scour Ottolenghi or order the new Cook for Syria cookbook (proceeds go to UNICEF) for inspiration. Go to town on f lowers and fruit as decoration but do not worry about intricate arrangements if that is not your skill. Likewise for the cake.

Draft in help for that, I say. A table redolent with white and pink peony and rose blooms or with a “runner” of ferns, spring blossoms and pussy willows in its centre promises plenty, renewal, nature — everything we love and cherish about spring. ^ @TrishDeseine

ALL THE GREENS � SALAD WITH

ALMOND DRESSING

A tasty use of your jar of nut butter is to mix it into a vinaigrette. Here’s a combination to help chase the February blues.

For 2 (20 minutes prep and cooling) 1 avocado, peeled and sliced • Handful of green seedless grapes, halved • Baby spinach and rocket leaves, washed and spun • 6 asparagus spears, steamed and cooled • Sunflower sprouts • Salt, pepper • Dash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice • Olive oil • 1 tablespoon almond/Brazil/hazelnut butter 1. Make a vinaigrette with the oil, vinegar or lemon and nut butter. It will be a little sticky so break it up with a fork while mixing.

2. Arrange the salad ingredients on two plates and drizzle with the sauce.

CRAB AND PINK 3 PEPPERCORN POTATO SALAD

Never underestimate the popularity of a good potato salad. Supremely practical, versatile and economic, here’s a posh pink twist which would go down well with big numbers.

For 6 (30 minutes preparation and cooking) 20 or so firm/ waxy potatoes • 500g crab meat • 450g mayonnaise (or a mix of mayo and yoghurt) • 2 tablespoons crushed pink peppercorns • Juice of a lemon • Salt and pepper 1. Peel, steam, cool and cut up the potatoes.

2. Mix with the other ingredients, season with the salt and pepper and serve.

THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 45

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F

TRAVEL Clockwise from left: Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman; Barrafina, London; Caiscais, Portugal; G Rough hotel, Rome.

February, the darkest of months. Yes, the days may have been getting longer since last year but this still doesn’t feel like spring. February is the cold rock bottom of winter. Our last warm day is at its furthest away. The moral hangovers from the C word (Christmas) and the forgotten resolutions of last month kick in now too. The first of February should be Saint Solpadeine’s Day. The only thing this month is selling you is scentless roses. February is the month to run away somewhere or at least to start playing and editing your teaser holiday trailer in your head.

It’s not spring in Argentina. A work opportunity means that I’m trying to move a meeting 8,000 miles from Oman to Buenos Aires, but I am good with either. Oman is the most chilled part of the Arabian Peninsula, a world away from the dystopian Disney of Dubai and its slightly more serious cousin Abu Dhabi. Outside of conference room roulette in Muscat, Oman’s low rise, white-washed coastal capital, I plan to dip in and out of the cavernous Muttrah Souq, known locally by its Game of Thronesish moniker, the “Market of Darkness”. A morning’s drive from Muscat there are a brace of tasty hotels that aren’t trying to be famous for being the superlative of anything. The Alila Jabal Akhdar is handsomely perched over a gorge in the Al Hajar mountain range but if I get my way it will be the SIX SENSES ZIGHY BAY on the Musandam Peninsula.

If I really get my way I’m going west and the prize will be South America’s European beauty, Buenos Aires, just in time to catch the toasty tail of their summer. Sunny days and cool nights in, this February day-dreaming has me wandering aorund the cobbles of San Telmo with as my base the tiny but mighty mix of natural fabrics and marble that is HUB PORTEÑO in swish Recoleta.

My guaranteed deep tissue heat-seeking fix will come from Mexico in a few weeks. Starting in Baja at THE RESORT AT PEDREGAL then megacity slicking in LAS ALCOBAS in confetti-coloured Mexico City before a farewell, weather-dependent but very grand dinner date in the jungle in trendy Tulum. That’s me in April, but meanwhile, back in February …

With summer still a long way off, TIM MAGEE has some ideas for last-minute mini-breaks and sophisticated holidays

VALENTINE’S DAY IN ROME Saint Valentine is buried in Rome, not deep enough if you ask me. I got engaged in Rome. It was a stupid idea – not the engagement – but the destination. There seemed to be proposals on every street corner, like the Moonies had crossed the Rubicon. My partner of then and now said yes in the most unromantic of settings – well, to be precise, “Go on so,” she said. Back in the sandal days of Rome, Februarius was the Month of Purification, the 15th being the festival of being righteous – just what we need after January.

Italy’s great cities aren’t at their best in summer. Too much tat and temper-inducing temperatures. Rome is at her most seductive in the cold. Roman food is winter food. The ning-ning soundtrack of Vespas against the foggy streets and crammed restaurants and taverns in Testaccio could be an ad for Valentine’s Day for grownups. Despite it being international date night, the hotel rates were good when I last checked and I don’t know who the god of eclecticism is but the G ROUGH HOTEL near the Pantheon should be her temple.

FOOD TOURISTS If, unlike me, your belly has been on best behaviour last month and you’ve an unreasonable latent hatred for the 14th of this month there is no need to go any further than a rainy overnight in Soho. As the casual dining hub of London, you don’t have to leave Soho to eat really, really well. Even the restaurants don’t travel.

BARRAFINA, the most consistently great restaurant I have been to, moved from its home in Frith Street a whole street away, to live under the same roof as the other seminal local, QUO VADIS. Now under the brilliant Jeremy Lee, Quo Vadis means “Where are you going?” On a rainy night in Soho just having dinner in either of these two means the answer should be “nowhere”.

Barrafina f lies the Spanish f lag better than anyone, and Quo Vadis is a British embassy in its own land, but if you do venture outside of this marriage, Soho is the United Nations of cuisines. The Japanese know how to deal with winter – they beat it about the head with big bowls of hot noodles – and Soho is home to two noodle sensei, the steamy neighbours of TONKOTSU and the empirical KOYA BAR, home to the best udon outside of Japan.

HOPPERS, the Sri Lankan cracker, is next door to Koya Bar. BAO, London’s take on New York’s famous Momofuku’s Ssäm

Bar is just a few blocks away on Lexington Street. When you are done sitting on little wooden stools, or queuing, then nip around to sit up at Jacob Kennedy’s glorious bar at the now veteran BOCCA DI LUPO and graze on their hot olives stuffed with pork and veal.

I’ve stayed a few times at sweet little HAZLITTS and got a really decent rate on their site last time compared to some of the nearby newbies. It is a more than a little mad but jammed with personality and class. Just like Soho.

FOR FAMILY The authority on five-star family holidays, MARTHINHAL have opened in Caiscais in Portugal.

I don’t really like highlighting this place anymore as Caiscais for me is still the best all-round sun holiday destination in Europe. Now they also have added a class city centre Lisbon hotel in the smartest part of the city too, with MARTINHAL CHIADO. I’ve done Portugal with a regiment of kids though, so next time I am going to Puglia and blowing the money I’ll save on f lights on a villa in Borgo Egnazia.

FOR TWO I need to watch Luc Besson’s The Big Blue again. I remember Rosanna Arquette being annoying, the lead Jean-Marc Barr convincing me that shaving my head was a good idea and nearly drowning myself trying to hold my breath in a pool in Shannon. It was Jean Reno’s breakthrough movie but the real lead was that Greek island, Amorgos, with its blue domes and whitewashed fishing village. I’m sure the movie is fairly pants now but nearly three decades and hundreds of thousands of miles later my personal postcard holiday is still somehow fixed on that notion. I found some of that Big Blue vibe a couple of years ago in handsome Naxos but next time I’m going to try and make it to the real deal. Until recently there really wasn’t anywhere to stay apart for “pensions”, then the AEGIALIS HOTEL and Spa opened, ten minutes hiking from the movie’s Katapola village. May is the best time to go so if you don’t need to wait for school to finish. Book it today, and you will be looking back at this month smugly, fully equipped for an Irish summer with a deep Greek tan. ^ @manandasuitcase THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 47

GIRL ON FIRE

From Tydavnet to Tinseltown … Irish actress and supermodel Caitriona Balfe charms PENNY McCORMICK with her style and substance

With no hint of pretension, Caitriona Balfe, 37, says “If you’ve ever had any dreams of being in the entertainment business, Cannes is up there on a pedestal with the Oscars. It didn’t disappoint.” She continues, “Being with Jodie [Foster], George [Clooney] and Julia [Roberts] and having Bellinis in the Hotel du Cap was fun and glamorous – though I didn’t see as many films as I’d hoped.” Who can blame her; this being her debut on the Croisette for her recent role in Money Monster?

Cannes was also the location where her two careers (that of supermodel and actress) collided in perfect style.

She wore a succession of Nicholas Ghesquière numbers on the red carpet. “I feel very fortunate to have worked with designers and got to know them; I knew Nicholas when he was at Balenciaga and at Louis Vuitton,” says Balfe in a way that belies an impressive backstory. She has, after all, walked for every designer from Chanel to Oscar de la Renta in her decade-long career as a model, having been discovered by Derek Daniels of Assets Modelling outside the Swan Shopping Centre in Rathmines when she was 18. A willowy beauty with piercing blue eyes and an air of mystery, she so enchanted Narciso Rodriguez he made her his muse, is a regular Dolce & Gabbana darling, got her wings as a Victoria’s Secret Angel and has appeared in advertising campaigns and on the covers of Vogue (US, French, German, Spanish and Italian editions), living in Milan, Paris, New York, Tokyo and Hamburg. In short, while Alison Canavan and Ali Dunne paved the way, Balfe has been the most successful Irish international model bar none. She def lects her success and hopes "Ireland’s First Supermodel" is not the engraving on her tombstone. “Modelling wasn’t a passion of mine so that made it get old kind of quickly.

48 | February 2017 | THE GLOSS MAGAZINE

I was getting frustrated,” she said, though fashion remains an inevitable part of her job. She pops up on front rows and at premières and enjoys the red carpet preparation. “I work with stylist Tara Swennen (@taraswennen) who has a great eye. She’ll have a rack of dresses and I’ll go through them. I have a strong idea of what I want to wear.” Recent appearances have seen her in Burberry (at the Evening Standard Awards) and in Ferragamo while she wore a graceful Delpozo column gown for the recent Golden Globes where she was nominated a second time for Best Actress in a Television Series.

The first to acknowledge that she did not transition seamlessly from catwalk to silverscreen, “I just got very lucky. Hard work and luck are a huge part of my success,” Balfe is now reaping the rewards. “The Golden Globes was a fun night out for the pure spectacle. A standout moment was watching Meryl Streep’s iconic speech and bumping into people.” Balfe sounds refreshingly honest and unfazed by her famous friends. Those being Morgan Freeman and Woody Harrelson, with whom she worked in Now You See Me, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger (in Escape Plan) as well as Michael Caine. Of the latter she says, “He was charming, a real gentleman; I was so thrilled to listen to his stories.” She adds, “Yes; in my earlier days I had very small roles and definitely felt intimidated but face to face, they are just fellow actors and I was conscious of absorbing their knowledge.”

While diehard fans of the hit Outlander series felt she was cheated at the Globes, Balfe has now acquired an impressive number of trophies for her feisty portrayal of time-travelling WW1 nurse Claire Beauchamp, the heroine of Diana Gabaldon’s fantasy romance novels, who finds herself in an enviable love triangle. Gongs have included two Saturn Awards, the Oscar Wilde Award and an EWwy. “The People’s Choice award meant the most because it was the fans who voted and without them I wouldn’t have a job. The BAFTA was very special too; I was very surprised by that.” Currently filming Season 3, Balfe is now back in Glasgow and I’m talking to her after a long day; typically she spends 14 hours on set. “It’s nice to be back on this side of the world and even though it’s an American show, we’ve been accepted here. The proximity to home means I get to see my family (in Tydavnet, Monaghan) more often.” She has a close relationship with her six siblings telling me how she discusses work life balance with her sisters, how her mother counsels “work is not the be all and end all,” and how when her family visited her on set they got bored really quickly “we shoot takes over and over again”.

Outlander has been described as a “feminist Game of Thrones” with plenty of nudity, violence and steamy bodice-ripping scenes. Balfe acknowledges, “Playing Claire has shown me how much I can handle. I think you filter everything through your own lens.

Parts of my life experience have been beneficial and have informed the role. I’ve spent so much of my life living abroad and living alone that I’ve had to be adaptable and figure out how to survive,” Balfe expands. “Obviously I haven’t faced life or death scenarios but I’m resourceful like Claire.” When she’s not in full costume, she admits her style in Glasgow is “more North Face and woolly jumpers! I like to keep it simple. I’m into vintage clothing, jeans and the occasional Saint Laurent piece.”

What most of her fans want to find out, is if real life ref lects the onscreen romance with her decidedly gorgeous co-star Sam Heughan, who plans a swashbuckling clansman warrior living in the Scottish highlands. Tobias Menzies (who plays her onscreen husband Frank Randall) is also easy on the eye. Balfe will only admit, “I feel very lucky we are all such good friends as we have such long days. I’ve heard horror stories from other actors where there hasn’t been a good atmosphere on set. Yes, we have chemistry and we’re very lucky.” It’s a tantalisingly ambiguous comment though it’s clear that Balfe’s ambitions transcend her current success. “My credit list is so short — I hope to have a long and varied career.” Citing Gena Rowlands, Rachel Weisz, Cate Blanchett and Diane Keaton as role models, she continues, “I’ve never filmed in Ireland, nor have I done theatre, both of which I’d love to do.” No doubt she will achieve these goals given her luminosity and tenacity. “It’s funny to think back when I watched television as a child, I was disgusted I wasn’t a child actor as it was always my dream. I just got very lucky.” ■ At the People’s Choice Awards 2017 in January Outlander won: Favourite TV Show, Favourite Premium Sci-Fi Fantasy Series, Caitriona Balfe won Favourite SciFi Fantasy/TV Actress and Sam Heughan Balfe in won Favourite Sci-Fi Fantasy TV Actor.

Outlander

THIS GLOSSY LIFE BALFE’S BOOK ON NEW YORK I lived in New York for eight years (in Brooklyn) and have many favourite hangouts. The Bowery Hotel, (335 Bowery New York, NY 10003), Highlands NYC (150 W 10th Street, New York) and Wilfe & Nell (228 West 4th Street, New York) are where I meet up with friends.

ON LOS ANGELES I lived in West Hollywood for four years and trained with Warner Loughlin and at the Sanford Meisner studios with Judith Weston. I’m a creature of habit; I go to Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel (Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069).

PARIS I started my modelling career in Paris and I’ve been in and out of work there. I always enjoy David Lynch’s club Silencio (142 Rue Montmartre, Paris 75002).

ON LIVING IN GLASGOW It’s my adopted home. Off set you’re most likely to find me at The Gannet (1155 Argyle Street) the owner is Irish and it’s a fantastic place for dinner or drinks, or The GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow).

ON HER BEAUTY SECRETS I have to thank my mum and dad for the way I look. I know the two well-known beauty cures are sleep and water but I have failed at both of them! My go-to products: Bioderma’s Cleanline H20 Ultra-Mild cleanser and I consult dermatologist Dr Colbert in New York and use all of his products (Colbert MD). After a visit to Iceland, I now use the Blue Lagoon Lava scrub.

ON HER CHARITY WORK I visited Ghana last September with World Child Cancer [of which Balfe is a patron] and I hope I can fit in another visit in the next six months. I do what I can given time constraints. It’s been great to harness the support of fans and put it to good use.

CANNES DO Balfe wears Louis Vuitton at 2016 Cannes Film Festival RED CARPET In Delpozo at the Golden Globes 2017

“Having BELLINIS at Hotel du Cap with Jodie, GEORGE and JULIA was fun and glamorous.”

OFF DUTY Balfe photographed in New York in 2016

AFTER PARTY In Vera Wang at the Golden Globes 2016

THE GLOSS MAGAZINE | February 2017 | 49

BROWN THOMAS, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN 2