The Gloss Magazine August

A SURFER’S BEACH PARTY / SEATING PLANS / WHICH JEANS NOW? / THE WEIGHT WALL / BEAUTY NEWS

MAGAZINE AUGUST 2011 / t4.50

mon n o w e ve r y

th with

H TI THE IRIS

M ES

THE NEW EASY Late Summer Looks

INTERNATIONAL DISPATCHES STYLE POSTCARDS FROM EXPAT IRISH WOMEN

Fashion Forecast plus Top Transition Pieces

PLUS Show Offs DAPHNE GUINNESS SARAH FERGUSON NANCY DELL’OLIO

Showing the Men How CHRISTINE LAGARDE

DATES

For Your Diary August 2011

ON THE COVER: Nude silk pleat dress, J MENdEl. Black and nude patent leather pumps, ValENTiNO. Wide brim hat, aCCESSORizE. THiS pagE: Black and white handdrawn print dress, 3.1 pHillip liM.

e Gloss * Get m y copy of ThTi with Th e Irish m es

29 30 31 Mon

Photographed by dayMiON MaRdEl. Styled by luiS ROdRiguEz. See page 26 for The New Easy.

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p u b li S H ER

ja n e m c do n n e l l Ed i TOR

Sa ra h m c do n n e l l ST ylE Ed i TOR

observer 4 Gloss-ip Mile-high Bed Bugs and the tV producer-turned-iMpresario

Off The Record Baroness o’cathÁin and her life in the house of lords shopping 7 Hunting patterns of BehaViour 8 Gathering green With enVy 10 A Good Look 1940s fashion 12 Wardrobe Update inVest in deniM to suit your shape 14 Fashion Notebook guide to the neW season features 18 I’m Special, You Know polly deVlin tackles attention seekers 22 Hitting a Brick Wall haMMer through your “Weight Wall” 24 Look The Business day in the life of a Business WoMan fashion 26 The New Easy slipping into next season’s dresses beauty 33 Bright Lights, Big City estée lauder’s neW york look 34 Beauty Buffet What’s neW this Month home 38 Take a Seat seating solutions for tricky spaces food & wine 41 Restaurant katy Mc guinness enjoys tWelVe courses in gregans castle plus Bubbling Over Mary doWey’s Best chaMpagne alternatiVes 42 This Entertaining Life catering to the stars in long island travel 43 Man In A Suitcase tiM Magee on suMMer rentals this glossy life 45 Style Postcards dispatches froM expat irish 48 A View From The Jeep connie has a conundruM plus She Does, She Doesn’t christine lagarde on finance and fashion Making Musicals in the us 6

2 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

a i S l in n c o f f e y b Eau T y Ed i TOR

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T rac y o r m iSTo n CON T R i b u Ti N g Ed i TOR S

P o l ly de v l in, ly n n en r ig h T, a n To n i a h a rT, caT h e r i n e h ea n e y, kaT y m c gu in n e S S, m a ry m i l l e r , ao i f e o’ b r ie n, PeT e r o’ b r i e n, Sa ra h ow e n S, T h e r e Se Qu i n n, ro Se m a ry ro c h e , lu iS ro dr i g u e z , naTa Sh a S h e r l i n g CON T R i b u Ti N g pH OTO g R a pH ER S

j ua n a l ga r i n, S io b h a n by r n e , Sa ra h doy l e , n e i l gav in, r e naTo g h ia zza , o l iv ia g ra h a m , n e i l h u r l e y, l i Sa l o f T u S, ba r ry m c ca l l , j oa n n e m u r Ph y, l i a m m u r P h y, a m e l ia STe i n, Su k i ST uarT tHE gLOss welcomes letters from readers, emailed to letters@thegloss.ie. tHE gLOss is published by Gloss Publications Ltd, The Courtyard, 40 Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin, 01 275 5130. Subscriptions Hotline: 01 275 5130. 12 issues delivered directly to your address: Ireland: t49.50. UK and EU: t80. Rest of world: t115. Printed by Polestar, Chantry, UK. Colour origination by Typeform. Copyright 2011 Gloss Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.

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PERFECT MATCH EXPLORE A WORLD OF FINE JEWELLERY

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t s u g u a

BED BugS who don’t discriminate when it comes to class ... Beware the ferocity of the TIgEr WIfE ... And the IrISH TV prODucEr making music in America ...

A

passenger on a recent Aer Lingus

Hallelujah Broadway, a PBS musical theatre special,

flight from Dublin to New York

which goes lives this Saturday in Riverbend, Indiana

reports that she and her fellow

with an audience of 5,000 and again in September at

travellers were badly bitten –

the Auditorium Arts Centre in Chicago. If ticket sales

whether by fleas or bed bugs

are anything to go by, he may be on to a winner and this

she’s not sure – during the flight.

is only the beginning of a show that could run and run.

On landing at JFK, a public

HugHES and his partner gARY HODKInSOn are back

health official was brought on board and it was clear that

from a stay in Jerez with old friend DAvID MuRRAY at

both front and back sections had been similarly afflicted.

the boutique hotel that he owns with business partner

Critters are no respecters of class, clearly. If it had been

gERALDInE FItZpAtRICK. It proved the restorative

Ryanair, MICHAEL O’LEARY would probably have

break Bill needed before the summer shoots of The Last

charged extra for the privilege, or possibly tried to sell

Irish Beauty Queens, a two-part documentary for TV3, and

the fleas a lightweight jacket – Ryanair’s latest wheeze.

The Only Viking in the Village for RTÉ.

Meanwhile, Irish people spending their summer holidays

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

in Spain report back that there are as many dispiriting

We met EvELEEn COYLE, of Fabulous Food Trails.com,

ghost estates there as there are at home. Just as well

cycling down Dublin’s Dawson Street, looking chic in

that holidaying in Ireland – whether from necessity or

capri pants and red flats. “What sort of bike is that?” we

patriotism – is more fashionable than it has been in years.

enquired, peering at her slate-grey Gitane. “Is that an

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expensive one?” “Fifty quid on Gumtree,” she announced.

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Those who are decamping for August (if we get another email from a woman saying she’s off work for the rest

Seems the eager beavers who bought bicycles on the Bike

LOOK Out: She’s behind you.

to Work scheme have surrendered them, too exhausted to contemplate the commute, or perhaps, unable to

of the summer, we will turn the darkest shade of green possible) may want to include a book or two in their

Standing by your man took on a whole new meaning

countenance helmet hair. BRIDgEt HOuRICAn, whose

paraphernalia, as forecasters warn the weather will be

when ex-Chinese volleyball champ WEnDI DEng threw

Bad Karma Diaries was a resounding success (“Would-be

– surprise!– drizzly and dull. Plenty are packing Rona

a right hook at the man who attacked her husband, Rupert

novelists should start with a children’s book: everyone is

Jaffe’s 1958 novel, The Best of Everything, which was

Murdoch, with a shaving-cream pie at the House of

so nice to you!”) couldn’t be without her bicycle, since she’s

recently republished after it appeared on everybody’s

Commons Committee on the News International phone

primed to meet tourists, as an ambassador for tREvOR

favourite TV show, Mad Men. If the tale of 20-something

hacking scandal. In a scene from a manga comic, Deng,

WHItE’s City of a Thousand Welcomes project.If any gent

women making their way in New York seems too

wearing a tight black skirt, leapt out of her seat and landed

mistakes a cup of tea with the attractive History grad for

chick-lit (even if it is the sort of chick-lit DOn DRApER

one nicely, while a bobby standing nearby only lumbered

an assignation of another kind, the conveniently parked

reads), then look to a book we’ve spotted peeping out

onto the scene after the event. Her solicitousness of

bicycle would provide a swift getaway vehicle.

of particularly smart handbags: The Essays of Montaigne.

80-year-old Rupert was interesting: she reprimanded

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

The 16th-century essays touch on the themes of religion,

him for banging the table for emphasis as he spoke; and

JOHn FARRELL, the restaurateur behind DILLIngER’S

sex and even cannibalism so there’s plenty to distract

sitting behind him, was braced to intervene. If she was

and tHE ButCHER gRILL in Ranelagh, is opening a

you from the patter of rain on the holiday home’s roof.

once criticised for being a siren (Murdoch left his wife

Mexican restaurant in Dublin city centre. No word on

Here at The Gloss HQ, everybody – from the intern

of 31 years for her), now she’s more of a mother figure.

location yet, but with Mexican cuisine very fashionable

to venerable columnist pOLLY DEvLIn – is reading

Where would these men be without their tiger wives,

these days – tHOMASInA MIERS’ WAHACA in London

CAItLIn MORAn’s hilarious How To Be A Woman.

particularly as they age? Philandering DOMInIquE

being a case in point – and Farrell’s knack for knowing

StRAuSS-KAHn without AnnE SInCLAIR’s millions;

what we need to eat right now, this is good news indeed.

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One of the downsides of the more revealing wardrobes

COnRAD BLACK without flinty but undeniably loyal

of the summer months, is the revelation of tattoos on

BARBARA AMIEL ...

people and in places where you might least have expected

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The Rossnaree School of Art, run by AISLIng LAW at 

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beautiful Rossnaree House in Co Meath is committed to

them. Parents of teenagers have had their family holidays

The most notable Irish involvement in the world of

the painting and drawing methods of the Old Masters

in Portugal ruined by the sight of hitherto hidden (and

Broadway shows has of course been the BOnO/EDgE

such as Velasquez and Titian. MOLLY JuDD, daughter

unsuspected) fairies, shamrocks and incomprehensible

debacle that is Spiderman – one can only imagine how

of Wicklow artists RACHEL and MICHAEL, has recently

eastern symbols. There have, as yet, been no reports of

much the pair regrets ever having thought it was a

returned to Ireland from Florence, where she studied

the neck tattoos that might as well say, “I’m not getting

good idea to get involved. But television producer BILL

classical drawing at the Academy of Art. Molly is

that job, am I?” – something no parent should ever have

HugHES has been quietly working away for the past

teaching a five-day course concentrating on portraiture

to witness ...

couple of years on his debut as an impresario with

at Rossnaree, starting next Monday. Sounds heavenly. n

4 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

calvinklein.com

watches

Available @ ck Concession Arnotts Dept. Store PH: 01 8783881

swiss made

off the record Is your name, Detta, an abbreviation?

Are you a churchgoer?

Not really. I’m Margaret Mary. My parents had a

Yes. My faith is the most important thing in my life.

dentist in Cork whose daughter was Detta – they

What was the toughest period of your life?

liked it and gave it to me.

1989 until 2001. My husband had a massive

Have you been tempted to anglicise your name?

stroke, and I was organising his care until he

Never! I’m even stronger on that now, because

died. Everyone has tough periods, but the sun still

I’m the first member of the House in 700 years to

shines, and if you look, you’ll find joy everywhere.

have an Irish name.

What expression or phrase sets your teeth on edge?

How did it feel to take your seat in the House of Lords for the first time?

"To be perfectly honest" – there are no degrees of

Awesome. The first time and every time. To be in

people just say "now"?

the middle of the legislature, to influence things,

Does anyone intimidate you?

to meet fascinating people. Awesome.

No. We come into the world in the same

What was the topic of your maiden speech?

undignified way and we go out in a box. What

CAP [Common Agricultural Policy] reform, 20

happens in between is happenstance, so no one

years ago, so some things never change.

should be intimidating. I hope I’m not.

What’s your office like?

Do you take your weekends seriously?

Fabulous! I look out on the back of Westminster

Yes. To recharge the batteries (another ghastly

Abbey. We’re a bit crowded, with ten desks, but

expression). I love swimming, gardening, long

my colleagues are all committed members and

walks, kitchen suppers with friends, soaking

interesting people, so it’s really rather lovely.

up music – mainly Bach. If all else fails, there is

Ninety per cent of the time I walk. When it’s raining I take the bus; when I am loaded with papers I take the car; when I’m late I take a taxi.

Is it true that you’re not mad about Dublin?

Well, it is true, actually. I love Georgian Dublin but it’s so noisy and the traffic is terrible. I don’t like any city – except perhaps Paris and Berlin. I can’t bear London much now, either.

Where do you like to spend your time in Ireland?

I adore Connemara, but it’s who I want to spend time with, not where. Next time I come it’s for my friend Marie Murray’s book launch.

What aspects of English village life appeal to you?

Arundel [in West Sussex] does have a cathedral, you know, it’s not exactly a village! I enjoy that it’s ordered, calm, and traditional. That people count.

I’ve never lived in an Irish village but I suspect it’s similar. In the countryside I feel closer to nature.

Closer to God.

baroness

o’Catháin

Conservative life peer Baroness o’Catháin of the Barbican in the City of London was born in Cork and boarded at Limerick’s Laurel Hill. While working for Aer Lingus in the 1960s, she met and married an Englishman, moved to England, and there embarked on a life in business that would see her serving on numerous boards, including Tesco, Channel 4, and British Airways. She was MD of the Barbican for five years, and was elevated to the House of Lords in 1991.

always Bach.

Are you at ease with birthdays?

Yes. I particularly like to celebrate each decade. For my 70th, I had a black-tie dinner for 100 people at the House of Lords.

Are you impulsive, or a planner?

Spontaneous – not the same as impulsive – and a planner. Organisation saves time and allows more freedom for spontaneity.

Who would you like to take to dinner?

A dead person? My father’s brother Padraig O’Catháin, who died of TB before I was born. A living person? Angela Merkel. I’d love to find out what she really thinks of the EU.

What are you reading?

The Hare with the Amber Eyes and Alone in Berlin.

I’m going through a Berlin phase, have been for about four years.

What’s lingered too long on your to-do list?

Allocating pictures, jewellery, good furniture and books in a list of wishes attached to my will.

ANTONIA HART

Samantha Browne, created for THE GLoSS by Annie West

6 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

p hoto gra p h by luk e w h i te

How do you get to work?

honesty. "In this day and age" – ugh. Why can’t

hunTing

end s p o tt i n g a t r

patte rns of b e hav iour

analysing extras Dressing in August can be problematic: the fashion magazines are urging you to move on to the new season (sorry!) and you long to swing a carrier bag full of something besides tired sale stock and yet you are not quite ready to abandon those sleeveless, backless, shameless dresses that show off your hard-earned tan so well. So how can your summer garb be updated as we edge towards autumn? Smart accessorising, bien s没r.

Shoes, bags and jewellery that have just arrived on shop floors will inject a hit of autumn into wardrobes. Choose lighter shades, such as creams and beiges; there will be plenty of time for blacks and browns later in the year.

And combine busy patterns with a shot of colour: observe how emerald-green earrings brighten up a print dress at Marni, left. This unexpectedly chic colour combination works just as well in your pad, with jade adding sophistication and warmth to black-and-white interiors.

P hotograPh by jason lloyd-evans

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | August 2011 | 7

gAthEriNg

channel the t

re n d

1 4

3

2

marni

5

Pucci’s first fragrance back in the 1960s,

Vivara, took its

name from a sun-drenched island near Capri. The new eau de toilette version,

6

Vivara Verde 072, is a fresh

blend of mint and bergamot with a sweet heart of rose and neroli that’s redolent of decadent days on the Med. £40stg; www.harrods. com

9 JAS ON L LOYD - E VA N S

green with envy blaCk and green: a sTylish CoMbinaTion

Main picture: a black-and-white patterned dress at Marni. 1. Wool blanket, to order, at Hermès. 2. larry leopard ring, d18.90, at accessorize. 3. sensuous organic candle with ylang ylang, frankincense and patchouli, d49, at Brown THomas. 4. Chevron top, d78, at PHase eigHT. 5. green swarovski crystal-

embellished flower brooch, marni, d310; www.net-a-porter.com. 6. Print lena cotton fabric, d6.99 a metre, at iKea. 7. Clutch, d1,035, Tod’s.

8. les ombres de lune shadow & light eyes, givencHy, d49.50, at brown Thomas. 9. system 1-2-3 lounge chair, verner PanTon, from about d1,600, Twentytwentyone. For stockists, www.thegloss.ie.

8 7

8 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

W A T C H E S

WWW.THOMASSABO.COM

CONTACT: +44 (0) 20 77 20 97 25 | UK@THOMASSABO.COM

shopping Brown leather tote bag, d87, at river isLand.

miu miu

Gold lace T-shirt, JASO N LLOYD-EVANS

Red wool dress, Fendi, d485; www.

mytheresa.com.

d76, at topshop.

Pearl necklace, erickson Beamon,

d589, at Design Centre.

Oriental flower print dress, d60, at

A Good Look

marks & spencer.

We were completely enamoured with Miu Miu’s A/W 2011 collection, which offered a solution to that what-to-wear-in-August-while-stillbeing-fashion-forward dilemma.

Opt for a pretty, 1940s-style tea dress teamed with fierce, glittering booties, tanned legs and slick of matte red lipstick. What’s not to like?

Joan Crawford eat your heart out …

Red wool-covered leather ankle boots, maison martin margieLa, d550; www.net-a-porter.com.

Large square-frame sunglasses, gucci, d195, at Harvey Nichols.

Feather-print top, d15, at penneys.

Oxidised brass earrings, Joomi Lim, d132; www.matchesfashion.com.

For stockists, www.thegloss.ie.

10 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

THE GLOSS MAGAZINE in association with Vodafone presents

Look the Business An evening of fashion and inspiration for working women Now in its eighth season, THE GLOSS MAGAZINE’s Look the Business is the go-to fashion event for working women. Business as usual means always knowing what to wear, looking smart and sending out the right message. This event has been designed with you in mind, a brilliant way to entertain clients and colleagues, to table-hop and network or invest some well-earned time focusing on how you look and feel at work. Autumn and winter trends will be translated for the office, with effortlessly elegant looks from Brown Thomas, brilliant business classics from Arnotts, great tailoring solutions from Karen Millen, special occasion and eveningwear from Coast, easy looks for the office from L.K. Bennett, stylish separates from Diffusion and smart dresses from Costume. Build a no-brainer capsule wardrobe (and essential underpinnings) with Marks & Spencer. Update your look with new-season shoes, bags and accessories and learn the steps to a polished, professional make-up. No-one leaves empty-handed: there’s a chance to win incredible prizes and there’s a genuinely gorgeous goodie bag for every guest.

OCTOBER 19 Wednesday, 6.30 – 10.30pm Mansion House, Dublin 2. Tickets t150; all inclusive (champagne, supper, wines, show). Tables of ten t1,500. For queries or bookings, call 01 275 5130 or email lookthebusiness@thegloss.ie

Be Advised ... Sonya Lennon conducts a STRESS-FREE PERSONAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE from Brown Thomas plus one lucky guest will win a personal shopping spree ... Be Surprised ... The DESIGNER HANDBAG DRAW from

Coach at Arnotts ... Be Spoiled ... GLAMOROUS GIVEAWAYS to guests – phones,

cosmetics, treatments, weekends away, a Celebration Ring from Tiffany & Co, and many more ... Be Amused ... YOUR LIFE IN LINGERIE: Your route to business success revealed in a most amusing way!

Fashion

DIlemma

I want to invest in a new pair of jeans, but I’m not sure where to start?

The key to shopping for jeans is buying what suits your shape , not what’s on trend, unless you have

a figure like newlywed Kate Moss. Fashion lovers should form an orderly queue for the leopard-print, cropped skinny jeans from Current/Elliott. Pair with a great blazer and a silk shirt (why does the juxtaposition of denim and silk work so well?) and sky-high Mary Janes by Louis Vuitton. Or, for a look ready to wear right off the runway, go for current queen of denim, Isabel Marant’s ink-washed, straight-leg pair , with her knee-high suede boots and a slouchy menswear shirt. Coloured denim is definitely the stand-out trend: everything from oxblood, rust, plum and lavender to cherry red and Riviera blue. Texture and detail are also key: look out for waxed denim, velvet and corduroy, twisted zippers and leather trim. If you are seeking something a little more casual , look to levi’s Made & Crafted. Try their waxed Empire skinnies with a James Perse T-shirt and a pair of classic Converse.

You can step things up by opting for Alexander Wang sneakers, or the ultimate in designer trainers: the Miami low-top Jimmy Choos. Or, simply stick to american classics , such as levi’s (501 tapered leg or original cut) or mid-rise, pencil-leg jeans by J Brand, the US label that takes a clean, modern approach to denim.

Clockwise from top left: stiletto leopard print skinny jeans, Current/elliott, d239; 912 ink denim jeans, J brand, d215, both at www.net-a-porter.com. burnished gold skinny jeans, d68, at topshop. Cherry cord jeans, J brand d210; lavender Powerskinny jeans, Victoria beckham, d195; both at bt2.

“ This Month

I’ll wear ...” suzanne donegan, irish founder and CreatiVe direCtor of la-based mannin fine Jewellery, wears …

“my summer uniform – white jeans, a J crew blue shirt and espadrilles. the leather tote is from Zara and has proven fantastic for travel and work. this autumn, top of my wish list is a mud twill flap coat by Jenni kayne (www.jennikayne. com) and a patricia underwood Bogart hat (www.patriciaunderwood.com). my design studio is near the beach in santa monica, so unless i have appointments, i have the luxury of dressing casually for work (typically flip flops), but i love wearing dresses in the evening; they are so easy to wear, sexy and feminine. i buy my investment pieces from independents in los angeles; my favourites are lost & found in hollywood (www. lostandfoundshop.com) and salt in Venice (001 310 452 1154). then i add a splash of Zara – great for handbags – and h&m for t-shirts and yoga clothing. my customers have an appreciation for handcrafted, luxury jewellery and are not influenced by trends. the inspiration for the a/W11 collection is the classic and timeless appeal of the monogram. i focus on customisation: monogramming and artisan finishes allow for freedom of self-expression. my design aesthetic is influenced by gold itself, a material with a rich history that has captivated civilizations throughout time. i love how italian women have always been dedicated to gold jewellery. i believe jewellery is an integral part of your personal identity and i like the idea of “life jewels”; when chosen well, jewellery can last a lifetime. a style tip? make sure you are remembered by wearing one classic piece of jewellery constantly. my current style obsession is miniature gold hoop earrings.” www.manninstudio.com

after a lengthy meetIng with a well-dressed Uk fashion pr, we were left green WIth env y at the sight of her buttersoft, cherry red Choé ipad bag (not case, note), which boasted glistening gold hardware. Cleverly disguised as the perfect evening clutch, it was love at first glance, and calculating cent-per-wear, who can fault the double-duty number? If, however, your budget doesn’t stretch to Chloé, check out this great alternative – with detachable strap – from penneys. €13; www.primark.ie

Qa &

Roksanda IlIncIc

WorkIng 9 to 5 …

Left: Looks from the a/W catwalk show.

Whether your office is casual and creative, or buttoned-up and sophisticated, it is all too easy to fall

Right: tweed dress, d177, roksanda ilincic/edition for Debenhams.

into a fashion rut at work. but teD Baker has come up trumps with its new “WorkIng tItle” tailoring

What kind of Woman do you design for?

“my clients are incredibly varied but they tend to be independent women with a strong sense of individuality,” says British fashion designer roksanda ilincic. “i focus on designing luxury clothes that suit modern life without compromising on quality and comfort. the use of colour is essential to my designs – it’s really exciting to see the industry and customers embracing it.” tell us aBout your neW capsule collection for deBenhams? “my first collaboration comprises smart daywear and cocktail dresses. i wanted to showcase my signature style: draping, soft tailoring and unusual colour combinations. i used a classic neutral palette of greys and nudes, spliced with vivid shades of fuchsia, blue, green and orange.” hoW do you dress? “i wear whatever i feel most comfortable in each day. that, of course, depends on what i have planned, but i love colour. i love dresses for the evening. i see dressing as an extension of one’s personality; so far more important than age and other constraints, is how you feel in what you are wearing. i shop in lots of different ways, as most of us now do: vintage, designer, high street and internet. it is easier than ever to really create a style drawn from many different sources. this makes it easier to keep your personal style up-to-date and individual.” The Roksanda Ilincic/Edition collection is at Debenhams, Henry Street, Dublin 2; www.debenhams.ie

12 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

collection for autumn/winter. there are blazers, trousers, skirts, coats and waistcoats, each with different detailing and beautiful sIlk linings. We predict the black crepe wrap dress with a satin trim and the matching coat will become WarDroBe

staples for many a working woman. Who says you can’t mix business with pleasure?

Ted Baker, 42 Grafton Street, Dublin 2, 01 881 4111; www.tedbaker.com

photograph by siobhan byrne

i sa b el m a ra n t

by aislinn coFFey

p hotogra p h by s i obha n by rn e

fashion wardrobe

r €7weaher ds c Ki ou v

m ** ite re y to an in s y bu ng u hi yo ot n l cl he o w c ho s of

NO FUSS CUFFS.

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FASHION

t s a c e r o F

sHelly corkery Fashion Director, Brown Thomas

Snap up these new trends and start wearing them now to look super edgy ... We ask the experts to guide us through the new season

“The coat is certainly the key investment piece for autumn. The focus has moved from the

dress to the coat – it’s all about one-piece dressing. I particularly love Prada’s amazing patchwork and solid

black 1960s inspired coats with oversize buttons and collars – a really glamorous and feminine look from Miuccia Prada.”

Buy now, wear later ... It might seem a bit early but we all know the golden rule: if you don’t buy your winter a big purchase, so you’ll need to fall in love; you’ll be spending a lot of time together.

p ra da

coat in August, you’ll miss out. Put it away for a rainy day. It’s

Head of Buying, Net A Porter

lou is v u i tto n

Holli rogers

d olc e & g a b b a n a

White patent leather lace-ups, Miu Miu, d350, at www.net-aporter.com.

“The masculine versus feminine trend was prevalent on the runway and Dolce & Gabbana encapsulated this

best with girls dressed as girls and girls dressed as boys.

Full-on femininity – fitted and sexy, versus masculine

marc jacobs Louis Vuitton

and sharp, with trousers taking centre stage and the

How to wear now ... A quick fix for any borrowedfrom-the-boys look is to simply add a pair of flats like Miu Miu’s patent leather lace-ups.

“This season, we thought about fetishes and the

way that people are crazy for Vuitton bags, clothes and shoes. So we started to think about fetishes surrounding

sex and discipline and bondage.” The result? Sculpted

ree d kr ako ff

do lce & gabbana

lo u is vu it ton

double-breasted jacket back in favour.”

jackets and shirts that button up the back, just-belowthe-knee-length pencil skirts, jodhpur pants and lashings of rubber and latex.

How to wear now ... A sheer blouse teamed with a great leather skirt and tanned legs is an easy way to wear this trend. Check out Reed Krakoff ’s new season wraparound leather dresses and skirts. Invest in the season’s must-have accessory – the leather Peter Pan collar: suddenly, even the most classic of sweaters becomes very cool (try ASOS, from about d19).

Green Les Extraordinaires Lockit bag; black patent leather Mary-Jane Fetish shoes; both louis vuitton, at Brown Thomas.

14 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

FASHION

avErYL oatEs

t s a c e r o F

Buying Director, Harvey Nichols “A/W11 trends focused on wearable luxury. Less lavish, more a mood of coy decorum. One indicator of this consciously conservative trend is

the length of hemlines. Each season, us buyers wait with bated breath for the seasonal diktat as to whether lengths are set to be thigh-high, or floorsweeping. Since last season we have witnessed a firm revival of the classic

janE shEphErdson

gucci

“At Whistles we like the idea of mixing masculine with feminine. So I’ll be pairing

a tailored blazer with an emerald silk blouse to give it a softer

feel. I’ll wear it with

m i c ha el ko rs

and modest midi-length. This season, designers have incorporated more of their individual and unique signatures in to the trend. Michael Kors’ black silk pre-collection A-line skirt has already sold out. Feminine, versatile, and modishly adapted for today’s generation, ‘proper’ dressing is back with a (blushing) vengeance!”

CEO, Whistles

How to wear now ... Team this season’s long, pleated chiffon skirt with a pretty

skinny cropped pants for day or a maxi-

neutral blouse instead of a silk vest to channel the coming season.

length lace skirt for evening.”

statement earrings and the ubiquitous pair of slipper flats.

dEirdrE dEvanEY Director of Fashion & Beauty, Arnotts “We didn’t intentionally set out to have a major focus on NYC brands this season. Our buying team travel the world to source the best brands for

our customers and New York came up trumps. Mark + James

by Badgley Mischka delivered runway pieces in luxurious fabrics at really accessible price points. Trina Turk interpreted the 1960s trend with amazing accuracy and we chose beautiful hand-embellished silks from Robbie & Nikki by Robert Rodriguez.”

the roW

tamara mELLon

badgley mischka

inner Olsen twin with a maxi-skirt,

Jonathan saunders

How to wear now ... Unleash your

Founder & Creative Executive Director, Jimmy Choo “Our most important introduction for autumn is the Catherine bag range, inspired by Deneuve and the mood of French film noir.

Couture-level detail recalls the formal handbags of a decadent era,

Emerald silk blouse, d157; black lace maxi skirt, d244; both Whistles, at House of Fraser. Rollerboy slipper flats, christian louboutin, d995, at Brown Thomas.

Karin Gustafsson

stella mc cartney

Head of Womenswear Design, COS

which work so well with the tailoring of this season.”

How to wear now ... Try different colour leathers in addition to black – dove grey, blonde, emerald and midnight blue pack a punch.

Black Catherine leather bag, Jimmy choo, d1,450, at Brown Thomas.

Black stretch blazer, cos, d135, at BT2.

“For A/W11 we have looked at prefabricated architecture, geometric shapes, 1950s furniture and vintage skiwear. One of the key trends is the silhouette inspired by geometric shapes in abstract art; we have created a roundcut blazer and a square-cut coat. The look is clean and seamless. We have also incorporated the use of new

techniques into the collection, such as concealed origami folding into the side panels of garments. This discreet

detailing is revealed when on the body and updates a timeless shift dress into a modern classic. We have produced garments that consist of contrasting fabrics, such as scuba and leather, as well as heavy-

ribbed wool and silk jersey. In addition to these material combinations that are tantalising to the touch, we have also introduced some new colour combinations, with navy blue alongside bubblegum pink and orange with burgundy.”

How to wear now ... Your new cocoon-like “trophy blazer” can be worn now with a pair of softly tailored silk shorts.

Nude wool blazer, cos, d135, at BT2.

16 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

Polly Devlin I’M So SHy: Daphne Guinness has called herself “an installation”.

i’m I SPecial,

t’s August and I should be on holiday, lying in the sun reading, but if there is anything I can’t abide, it’s lying in the sun reading. So I’m running around like a blue-arsed fly (and anyway there’s no sun to speak of ) packing up and getting ready to go to New York for four months, abandoning kith and kin and small

four-legged animals.

Whenever I tell a woman what I’m planning (basically

running away) there’s hardly a one who doesn’t spontaneously say they envy me – just to get away for a while from the often almost overwhelming everyday domestic and work chores of their lives and, I have to say, from

you know

the loves of their lives. Of course I know there’s a big gap between saying a thing and doing it, and many would shy away from putting such flight into practice. Floating away from the ropes that bind and entering into a different way of life is quite frightening, and generally impracticable. The imponderable and improbable thing that helps me adjust

The extraordinary focus that some women have, on themselves that is, constantly surprises Polly Devlin. But even utter self-centredness can be charming in some, she finds, while it’s off-putting in others. Humour helps, and humility ... but they’re in short supply 18 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

to my life in the New World is that when I land at Kennedy Airport, I become richer, thinner and younger. The only thing is, I get a gunk when I return in December to find I’m back on the other side of the mirror, in Realityland.

Some women live on the other side of the mirror all the time, getting richer, thinner, younger and more gaga by the minute, especially in New York. How do they do it? Well a mixture of the following elements can help no end: rich husbands (or, more often than, not rich exes);

polly devlin starvation; Botox and cosmetic surgery; and – mystery

her, though, clothes are armour to protect her vulnerability

ingredient coming up – a total dedication to themselves.

– a vulnerability that led her to do a performance piece

This solipsistic worship is not just about their bodies –

in a window of Barney’s, the hip New York department

their minds, too, are dedicated to their Uniqueness. They

store, to be gaped at by fashion-frenzied followers. This

are so narcissistic they believe that other people will find

manifestation of fragility does not fit with another of

them as riveting as they find themselves and there is truth

her philosophical statements, this time about a baroque

to that. Reams are published about them and by them, and

precious gauntlet she helped design, which symbolises “us

they become almost like mad works of art; indeed one,

[the shy people] against the world. It’s about wanting to

see below, has referred to herself as “an installation”. They

watch, but not wanting to be seen.” Hello? When I hear self-

spout stuff that makes one cry with laughter, but there’s

deceit like this, I want to beat my head slowly against a wall.

nary a funny bone between them. A sense of humour is

We, innocent, floral-clad bystanders might think she

not conducive to self-importance. What else do they have

dresses for attention – and why not – but, nah it’s not that at

in common? Well, strike that word “common” for a start.

all; it is because she feels she’s “huddled on a raft with other

They are uncommonly strange.

shy people of like mind”. She mentions turning up at Club

Ambition and courage are in their make-up, and

55 in St Tropez in full riding gear: “Well I don’t want to be

selfishness too (necessary in order to get their own way).

half-naked in front of all these ghastly repulsive pink people in their horrid little floaty dresses.” She’s prophetic too and

They lack irony, humility and a sense of the ridiculous.

Perhaps most astonishing of all is their manic energy.

Under the most feminine of facades, these women have an amazing strength, assiduity, concentration, and dedication to the furtherance of their own ends, the satisfaction of their own whims and the cultivation of their own egos. And

Above: The ever modest nancy dell’olio.

Right: Sarah Ferguson: “i eff it up all the time ... ”

divined something was wrong with Alexander McQueen the week before he died. How? “I had been playing with my veils all week wrapping myself from head to foot in a shroud.”

She sold some of her clothes this April; about 1,000 pieces went up for auction; that’s right – 1,000 pieces. To

their seriousness about their own frivolity is total.

But really I should stop being so snitchy because one

give her credit, the proceeds went to help Womankind

thing you can’t say about Irish women is that we, as a race,

Worldwide, a charity created to improve the standards

are too self-confident, and that doesn’t do us any good.

Being brought up to be modest, to hide your light under a bushel, whatever that is, doesn’t pay any dividends now.

And so I find something admirable about these divas.

I could write about ten or twelve of them without stopping for breath, but top of the pack for breathtaking chutzpah is Nancy Dell’Olio. Dell’Olio, for those of you have been away from Planet Earth for a while, is an Italian-American of

They are so narcissistic they believe people will find them As riveting As they find themselves and there’s truth to that.

of living for women in developing countries. “What’s perceived is not what I am,” Guinness said in a recent interview. “My life has always somehow been played out in a minor key, unresolved. Art somehow resolves things for me. Through art, you create your own world.” To this end, she has directed a film, The Phenomenology of Body, in which 13 archetypal women – from Eve and Madame Mao to the Housewife – are shown revolving on a turntable.

some 50 years who first attained notoriety as the girlfriend

our Irish feminine culture. But she’s Shakespearean in that

(Phenomenology, by the way, is primarily concerned with

of football manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson, and who, after

perception: “Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-

the systematic reflection on and analysis of the structures of

various vagaries, is now linked with Sir Trevor Nunn;

neglecting.” And she’s right. A lot of us emerged damaged

consciousness of, and the phenomena, which appear in acts

a dalliance that has startled the entire universe of the

from a society where self-neglect was almost encouraged.

of consciousness. I thought you should know.)

intelligentsia since he is the erstwhile artistic director of the

To go from the ridiculous to the sublime, the Venerable Matt

One last thing – when you meet her, you can’t take your

Royal Shakespeare Company and his reign there is looked

Talbot was revered in the culture in which I grew up – an

eyes off her, that is if you can drag your gaze from the

on as the golden age of the interpretation of Shakespeare

ascetic who when he died was found to have heavy chains

grotesque fetish-like things she wears on her feet.

on stage. According to the bold Nancy, he thinks she is

wound around his waist, arms and legs, some of which had

Lastly, and here endeth the first lesson – we present the

“the most intelligent person he’s ever met”. Nancy is the

bitten deep into his body. Sheer masochism, yet he was held

Duchess of York. What can I say? She has many of the

confiding sort: “I’m a very loved person. Women and men,

up to us as an example of how one might aspire to live, not

same qualities but is more of a maverick than most of these

they both love me because I’m the kindest person I know.”

just neglecting oneself but dealing in self-punishment and

women and has managed to end up without any money,

Now, at first the more I read of Nancy and all her works

with regard for yourself seen as pride, conceit and vanity.

having married into the richest, though meanest, family in

and pomp, the more I laughed. But she’ll be glad to hear

The Venerable Nancy hasn’t learnt these last three words

the world. She has made such a mess of things that you can

that I’ve come round to her. There’s something wonderful

– her English being somewhat shaky perhaps – but she’s

only feel sorry for her. “I am not a stupid woman,” she said

about how she asserts herself; we used to call it boasting but

good on the verbals re: men. “I love children but you can

recently in a television show, “but, excuse my words, I eff it

issuing from her lips it’s somehow different.

give life in many ways. Every man has been like my child.

up all the time.” And with these words, for me, she climbed

A friend once told me never to think a man is older than

back into the lovely everyday world where we all try to live

seven. They never grow up.” Check it out!

as best we can, without self-deceit and stuff and nonsense.

“Since I was a little child people have looked at me, and not just because I’m beautiful. It’s something else that comes from inside me. I know I’m fascinating. But I

At least, though, Nancy Dell’Olio is not pretentious, a

And if she needs help – what do I mean “if ”? – she can do

prefer the word charisma to beauty. I’ve endured jealousy

redeeming quality not shared by another diva, Daphne

no better than to read a book by Caitlin Moran called How

since I was small but I don’t care. I’m blessed … I’m

Guinness. A startling beauty and a fashion icon of

To Be A Woman. Daphne Guinness could do with reading it

special. You know you’re going to have a very unique and

incomparable style, she was married to Greek shipping

too and picking up pointers about her shoes. It cheered me

intense experience with me. But at the same time I’m very

heir, Spyros Niarchos, for 22 years. Her gilded life must

up no end full as it is of common sense and laughter. Just

demanding. I wish one day there’ll be a movie about how

have been surreal, surrounded by bodyguards and staff,

one quote to get the flavour: “Women wear heels because

I spend my day because it is quite intense.” Join the club

moving between the Niarchos’ private Greek island and

they think they make their legs look thinner, ENDOV.

Nancy. Oh and sorry, I’ve changed my mind, it is boasting.

their houses in New York, St Moritz and London, always on

They think that by effectively walking on tiptoes, they’re

The crux of Nan’s philosophy: “The most important

private jets or yachts. Some observers – and there are many

slimming their legs down from a size 14 to a size ten. But

thing I have is myself, and it’s part of my culture to take

Daphne-twitchers around – surmise that she tried to escape

they aren’t, of course. There is a precedent for a big, fat leg

care of me.” Now I think I can safely say that it’s not part of

the constrictions of her life through clothes. According to

dwindling away into a point – and it’s on a pig.” n

20 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

Enjoy CORK DRY GIN Sensibly. Visit

PROMOTION

Picking your way through the minefield of manners:

This month ... Theatregoers

S

ay what you like about Ireland – well don’t, actually, we’re getting a bit pack of Minstrels, the rustle and crack of which is frankly not more fascinating sick of it – but one thing you can always count on here is a year-round than Chekhov’s words. Other noises off should be kept to a minimum, too. raft of marvellous theatrical productions. Not always so reliable are If you have a cough, stay at home. Sniffing is revolting in any context, and the theatregoers, as you can usually count on at least one obnoxious beyond disgusting when it punctuates the sparkling dialogue from the stage. audience member per performance, and that’s one Above all, stifle personal commentary, the content too many in anyone’s book. Stay in my good books of which is too frequently limited to hoarselyI was laTe To a performance any evening this autumn by close adherence to the whispered inanities which don’t warrant ruining once BuT I dId noT InsIsT on international code of politesse when it comes to someone else’s evening. No mumbling along with mId-scene and well-known monologues, no humming to musical attending dramatic performances.

I do confess that my own record is not entirely numbers, no snoring. drawIng blemish-free, and I was late to a performance once.

And do try to keep front of mind that we do all Through The dImly lIT sTalls.

But I did not insist on bustling in mid-scene and know you for a gormless goon when your face is drawing all eyes to me through the dimly lit stalls. uplit by the eerie glow of a mobile phone screen.

No, I settled myself at the bar with a Cork Dry Gin and tonic, ice and lemon, and Just because you’ve got a silent setting doesn’t mean your text messaging isn’t watched the first act on a television screen provided for that very purpose by the distracting the entire irritated row. And speaking of irritated rows, yes it is thoughtful and evidently beleaguered management. Be like me – punctual, or worth queuing for the loo at the interval, and then you won’t end up muttering prepared to sit it out till the entr’acte. urgent apologies and smearing your bottom past my furious face just as onstage I’ll remind you, too, that picnicking is forbidden. The theatre tensions are about to peak. is not as forgiving as the cinema, and I am not forgiving at all: the In short, pitch up, switch off, sit back, shut up. The play’s the first act of The Seagull is no time to be chowing down on a family thing, not you, darling.

IllustratIon by lynn nalty

BusTlIng In all eyes To me

body

Hitting a brick Wall That age-related extra half stone can prove pesky to shift, but Therese Quinn discovers that old-fashioned calorie counting and exercise will help kick it, as if she didn’t know …

the caveman way of life. In essence, one

therapeutic rant while on a

should eat grass-fed meat, wild fish and

walk with an old friend recently.

green leaves. And, er, run around barefoot

We were sharing the usual

in great hunting spurts before returning to

frivolities, as well as the serious

the cave to collapse in a heap and have a

personal issues. When we were

good bout of starving.

all but finished, we divulged

I can’t bear diets, especially those that

that, apart from all that important stuff,

limit one’s variety of food; as well as making

the real and true problem was the new and

me feel ill, they are so tedious. I can’t help

unexplained weight gain of half a stone

seeing the billion dollar industry lurking

each. We both agreed that everything else

behind them, and time and time again they

was irrelevant in comparison.

have been proven not to work in the long

Half a stone is hardly worth getting

term. The only element of the Paleo plan

worked up about, I hear you say, and

that appeals is its recommendation to stop

many would scoff at the irrelevance of it

time-consuming marathon-type training

entirely. If, however, the new unexplained

and do high-intensity interval training

extra weight simply isn’t shifting and there

(sprinting after the prey), and resistance

are fabulous frocks languishing in the

training or weight lifting (throwing the

wardrobe, while the situation might not be critical, it is damned irritating. At subsequent social gatherings, I realised that regardless of the event – be it a walk, a working lunch, or wherever two or more women were gathered – the conversation always turned to that unshiftable half stone in the end. Always. And all the

My husband proposed after I described a dinner I had cooked.

beast over your shoulder). There is a huge vogue at present for high-intensity exercise, and I was tickled to discover TABATA training, which was invented

by Dr Izumi Tabata way back in 1996, because the tenet of TABATA is that it lasts only four glorious minutes. You do a high-intensity exercise, such as sprints, the plank, squats

conversationalists were aged between 40 and 50, and all

Clinic, who is renowned for her expertise in women’s health

or skipping, using maximum effort for 15 seconds, then rest

were complaining severely and strenuously.

issues. “Age-related weight gain does not become a factor

for 15 seconds and repeat by eight which adds up to four fabulous minutes and an (allegedly) perfect body.

I should add that these women like their food and wine

before menopause,” according to Dr Kearns. “Women

and take plenty of exercise, but are in no way gym bunnies.

shouldn’t see any hormonal-related weight changes until

On the recommendation of a galpal who knows

Until recently, they could control their weight by dietary

they are in their mid-50s.” When asked about the “40s

everything, I have joined a new gym called Medfit where

tweaks or extra training, but suddenly it seems that any

weight wall” she cited lifestyle as the main culprit, and

they have a circuit called the "Milon". The big draw for me

fine tuning of the poundage for a favourite dress or – really

spoke in stern terms about “snacking” and “alcohol”.

is that it only takes 34 minutes to complete and twice a

scary – a bikini, just isn’t doing it anymore.

Dr Mary McCreery, consultant nutritionist and

week should see you right. It incorporates high-intensity

Good food and wine are extremely important to me, and

dietician at the Blackrock Clinic, says: “Weight gain is

much of my social life centres around their consumption;

all about calories; calories in and calories out.” She sees

“It increases your metabolic rate which is the rate at

my husband even proposed after I described a dinner I'd

a change of lifestyle in the 40s compared to the 30s as a

which you burn calories,” says personal trainer and sports

cooked, but that’s another story. I adore malodorous oozy

contributor to weight gain; we’re no longer running after

scientist Fiona Gill. “And lean muscles burn more calories

cheeses, I’m addicted to fresh breads, and I fear I couldn't

errant toddlers and we are eating easy “convenience” foods.

and for longer, which means you are still burning calories

breathe without chocolate or wine. My only real dietary

And then there is our ever-increasing wine consumption.

for up to 48 hours after your circuit.” I’m impressed so far,

rule is to follow a Monday-to-Thursday crackdown on

Dr McCreery also believes that middle-class trends in food

as, even though I’ve been dining out and travelling a lot –

indulgence. This has, alongside walking, cycling and yoga

are granting us false security; apart from the daily soya

always the waistline kiss of death – I have still managed

– things I enjoy rather than feel obliged to do – worked

lattes with supersize scones, she says the vogue for health

to knock off several pounds and I have converted four per

well for me. Hitherto when I put on a few pounds after a

food, such as nuts, seeds, oils, dried fruits, and even just

cent of my body fat into lean muscle.

particularly decadent weekend, I could knock it off without

overdoing fresh fruit, means we are taking in more and

So while I regrettably haven’t found a quick fix or a

too much pain. Now it’s not so easy, and it seems many of

more calories. She recommends cutting out 200 calories

miracle cure or even an unusual or unique explanation

my peers are in the same boat.

a day, every day, and taking at least an hour's exercise –

for the anecdotally proven “mid-40s weight wall”, maybe

walking briskly, or the equivalent.

I’ve hit on a way to break down my own barricade. The sad

I call it the "mid-40s weight wall", but is it a real

workouts and the all-important weight training.

phenomenon? Does it exist? Is there anything we can do

This seems sensible and probably could be adopted by a

and dreary conclusion is that if you feel you are in an age-

about it? Are there any miracle fixes? Given the age profile,

goody-two-shoes, follow-the-rules, live-happily-ever-after

related weight rut and you’re under 50, chattering about it

I had thought hormones might come into play and that

type, but what about the deviants who like shortcuts and

might make you feel better, but it won’t solve the problem.

maybe a little rebalancing and pill popping would sort

instant fixes? We all know of super success stories from

We must be ever more vigilant and honest about our

everything out. Sadly this observation met with scant

Atkins and Dukan dieters, and you will soon hear plenty

calorie intake and it seems we should add in some smart

approval from Dr Barbara Kearns of the Blackrock Medical

about the latest craze, the Paleo diet, which espouses

training too. Oh, and cut down on the wine. n

22 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

p h oto gr ap h by ol i v i a gr ah a m

I

had a gloriously indulgent

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irish businessWOmen

“I say to my team “If it’s difficult, let’s find an an easier way to do it”.

Working Life

Look the

Business

MaIread MackLe, co-founder, with her husband, of homecare Independent Living, a company providing care services, with offices in Armagh and Dundalk, is growing her business north and south. she is a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

you are not growing, you are dying”, to my business. n

fILe aWay ... greyhound print blouse, d115; red coat, d275; both hobbs. black handbag, d205, DKny, at house of Fraser. apple iphone4, Vodafone.

yOUR fAvOURITE GAdGET?

My iPhone: my whole life is on it!

My day would be a lot more complicated without it.

Look the Business Competition Vodafone is home of the smartphone and has the best range of devices available to choose from.

The BlackBerry Pearl 9105 is a smartphone with all the blackberry functions in a small, sleek

WORkInG WARdROBE?

I have my own style: I like a more casual version of the business suit. I think it’s important to maintain a business dress code within an organisation, even though some people think it is old-fashioned. I’ve always insisted on this at Homecare as I believe professional presentation speaks volumes.

pink handset. It boasts superb email and web browsing, and has integrated applications such as Facebook and blackberry messenger. Vodafone is offering one lucky winner the chance to win a pink BlackBerry Pearl. email vodafonecomp@ thegloss.ie. Include your full name, role, company and contact telephone number and the answer to the following question: Q: When is the gloss magazine's look the business event in association with Vodafone? For terms and conditions, see www.thegloss.ie. Congratulations to lisa D’arcy, operations manager at hewlett packard who is the winner of our july competition.

Look the Business, the event for working women, held in association with Vodafone, will take place on Wednesday OctOber 19 2011.

Advance queries to 01 275 5130 or see page 11 for more details.

24 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

WHAT IS On yOUR dESk?

Too much! Pictures of my family, a computer and my post. I am one of those people who can’t throw anything out.

WHAT SORT Of SHOPS dO yOU lIkE?

I like to support small boutiques. I don’t really look at the designer – I just go for what I like. I like texture and velvets and when travelling I usually stick to classic black and white, slim-leg trousers and heels.

AccESSORIES?

I have a few really lovely pieces of jewellery the children have bought me over the years. My eldest son bought me a beautiful necklace when he was on a school trip abroad many years ago and since then they have all in turn given me their own really special piece.

I value these pieces most. My daughters and I also like to have matching pieces of jewellery!

ph otograph by joanne murph y.

Describe your role? I oversee every aspect of the company. I have a strong team of senior managers, most have been with me for many years.

My main focus is quality – we care for some very vulnerable people so staff must be a positive part of our clients’ day. With 17 years experience in this industry, I can both guide and inject confidence into our 750 staff.

Innovation comes from having the confidence to think outside the box and I believe everyone has ideas to bring to the table. Your management Style? Open and relaxed but I like to raise the bar little by little to reach our maximum performance. I say regularly to my team “If it’s difficult, let’s find an easier way to do it”. Most significant character trait?

Even though we are externally audited by the HSE and RQIA, I’m a bit of a control freak and have every department independently audited every two months: feedback leads to improvement. All decisions made by the teams are copied to me via email. This gives me a great feel for what’s going on in the company. Your career path? I graduated in podiatry and set up my own practice in Armagh, but realised I couldn’t expand it further so Homecare was formed to provide care locally. We gradually expanded to deliver care on both sides of the border. I’ve always had a vision for the business and I knew it had to be a great service to be a success. A typical day? Up at 6.30, check emails or prepare for meetings. Three mornings a week I squeeze in the gym. Get three of the four kids (my eldest is at university) up at 7.30: my husband and I make breakfast and drive them to school. I make it to the office for 9.30 and have meetings all day, mostly with Homecare senior staff. I have a General Manager with whom I liaise each day to discuss ongoing matters. I survive on cups of tea until I get home about 6pm. I make a point of spending time with my children when I get home, helping with homework, playing games and maybe watching television until they go to bed when I check my emails again. How do you deal with stress? Well, in comparison to ten years ago. More responsibilities are delegated now, so I have less weight on my shoulders. I can also take one day off a week. Downtime? Browsing around local shops with my two daughters. Taking them for hot chocolate. Taking my youngest daughter riding. Watching a period drama with a nice glass of wine. Has the economic climate affected how you do business? We have acquired some brilliant staff from companies affected by the recession that otherwise might not have been job hunting. And the future?

I’m not complacent: we stick more rigidly to our budgets nowadays and involve staff from all sections in the company: the positive effects of this can be seen already. Business thought for the day? “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business”. Role models? My husband always offers sound advice and has great ideas. He once gave me a book by Michael Gerber and I’ve always related Gerber’s comment: “If

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Celbridge, Waterford, Mullingar, D or our stock undalk ists nationw ide. Log on www.colo to our websi rtrend.ie te or call us 0 1 6288 2 24

Luxurious KNiTs: The Sweater Dress Stripe knit dress, Roland MouRet. Woven canvas belt, H&M. FaSHion note: Roland Mouret is at Costume, 10 Castle Market Street, dublin 2, 01 679 4188.

aLL iN The DeTaiL: Pleats Please Opposite: nude silk pleat dress, J Mendel.

Black and nude patent leather pumps, Valentino. Wide brim hat, aCCeSSoRize.

FaSHion note: J Mendel is at Harrods, london; www.harrods.com Conor (sitting) wears: White cotton five-pocket trousers, GaP. Stripe cotton long-sleeve t-shirt, H&M. Stone linen jacket, Polo RalPH lauRen. Jack (standing) wears: Grey cotton chinos, GaP. White cotton shirt, H&M. Stripe ribbon belt, Polo RalPH lauRen.

The New easy

simple silhouettes, luxury fabrics and easy-to-wear shapes; take your cue from the upcoming season’s trends and update your wardrobe, effortlessly

Photographed by DaymioN marDeL Styled by Luis roDriguez

Romantic DRessing: nipped-in Waists White prom dress, Tibi. Vintage diamantĂŠ bangles, from a selection, John brereTon JeWellers. nude faux patent leather shoes, sTella Mc carTney.

Fashion noTe: Tibi is at Khan, 15 rock hill, blackrock, co Dublin, 01 278 1646.

confiDent glamouR: the maxi skirt black wool polo-neck sweater; white maxi puffball silk skirt; both bill blass. Woven canvas belt, h&M. Fashion noTe: bill blass, to order, 001 212 689 8957.

Conor (left) wears: chino shorts, Polo ralPh lauren, at Kildare Village. White cotton shirt, h&M. stripe ribbon belt, Polo ralPh lauren.

Jack (right) wears: navy cotton jeans, GaP. stripe cotton shirt, h&M.

Feminine ShapeS: Short & Flirty Black and white print cotton dress, LeLa Rose.

Vintage gold bracelet; gold and onyx cocktail ring, both TReasuRe ChesT anTiques.

Fashion noTe: Lela Rose is at www.net-a-porter.com.

14 | September 2009 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

Strap

modern day claSSic: Short Shift Black and white houndstooth print silk shift dress with lace appliquĂŠ, Jason Wu. Black patent leather bow pumps, VaLenTino. Vintage gold bracelet,TReasuRe ChesT anTiques.

Fashion noTe: Jason Wu is at www.net-a-porter.com.

Conor (left) wears: White cotton fivepocket trousers, GaP. stripe cotton long-sleeve T-shirt, h&M. Jack (right) wears: stone cotton chinos, GaP. stone linen jacket, PoLo RaLPh LauRen. stripe ribbon belt, PoLo RaLPh LauRen.

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | September 2009 | 15

STRONG STATEMENT: Bold & Monochrome Black and white dress, Vionnet. nude faux patent leather slingback shoes, Stella Mc cartney.

FaShion note: Vionnet is at Brown thomas,

Grafton Street, Dublin 2, 01 605 6666.

Photographed by DAyMiON MARDEl Styled by luiS RODRiGuEz retouched by ANGEl HERNANDEz hair by DOMiNick PucciAREllO by Utopia Make-up by RENEE GARNES @ artists by next nyc for Mac

Diffusion, 47 Clontarf Road, Dublin 3, Ireland Tel +353 1 833 1592, Fax +353 1 853 1220 www.diffusion.ie

entertaining We know from the past four lipsmacking years of The Gloss & The Merrion Wine socieTy that by late September, readers and their friends feel ready for a treat. Why not beat that dreary back-to-work, back-to-school, winter-roundthe-corner feeling with a glamorous gourmet evening showcasing the bold flavours of souTh aMerica? All lovers of fine wine and fantastic food are welcome to attend.

Latin American Extravaganza Book now for our next wine dinner on Wednesday September 28

siX-course dinner accoMPanied by siX Wines

Wines PresenTed

by The Gloss Wine ediTor Mary doWey

Our next wine dinner, a laTin aMerican eXTravaGanZa, takes place in the Cellar Restaurant of Dublin’s Merrion Hotel on Wednesday September 28th. Mary doWey, wine editor of The Gloss, will present a line-up of super wines to show just how exciting countries like Argentina and Chile have recently become for serious wine enthusiasts. These will be matched with vivid dishes created by The Merrion’s executive chef Ed Cooney and his team to capture the colour and drama of Latin America in imaginative, contemporary cooking.

For d90, guests will enjoy a superb six-course dinner accompanied by six different wines, each chosen and introduced by Mary doWey. As usual, we expect tickets to sell out quickly. The evening begins at 7.30pm. Come and enjoy an exotic excursion halfway across the world.

l l

a Wonderful eveninG ouT for you and your GuesTs

an insPired GifT or a sMarT Way To enTerTain business associaTes

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six-course dinner accompanied by six wines wines presented by THE GLOSS Wine Editor Mary Dowey wines can be ordered by the case at very attractive prices gift vouchers available – the perfect present for any wine lover call 01 275 5130 for queries and booking

TICKETS AT t90 INCLUDE A SIX-COURSE DINNER AND SIX WINES. FOR ENQUIRIES AND TICKETS, CALL THE WINE SOCIETY HOTLINE ON 01 275 5130 OR EmAIL WINESOCIETY@THEgLOSS.IE

Enjoy ‘Tea for Two’ with

Just like afternoon tea with a friend, the two candles in ‘Tea for Two’ from Irish candle company Max Benjamin are best enjoyed together. Specially designed to be burned at the same time, the floral scent of ‘White Peony Tea’ blends perfectly with the fresh aroma of ‘Moroccan Mint Tea’.

Only available from Brown Thomas for the month of August

www.maxbenjamin.ie | www.brownthomas.com

34 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

NEW

Strap

Beauty Divine skincare; autumn previews

bright lights, big city “i wanted this limited edition collection for autumn, Modern Mercury, to be trendy – territory that lauder is not used to,” says creative Make-up Director for Estée lauder, tom Pecheux. taking his inspiration from cities, Pecheux explains: “Modern buildings look like mirrors – they are reflective. but when the light fades, they are matte: that’s what i have been trying to play with.” the formulations are ultra-modern, too: practically every element uses new technology, with the focus on improving texture and wearability, from the ‘suede-finish’ eyeshadows to the lipsticks. Pecheux is particularly thrilled with these: he used to mattify standard lipsticks with powder, but the texture developed for this new range is exactly what he’s been searching for. bold strong colours are most wearable in matte form, he tells us, and these Pure colours are “super-easy” to apply, with a creamy, non-drying texture. so what are the key looks for the coming season? Matte red lips: “glossy can look tacky and cheap in real life without retouching. Matte is sophisticated and chic and easy to control.”

Pure colour Velvet lipstick (d23) in red Velvet, as seen here, is one of the most perfect cherry-reds i’ve tried. Dramatic eyes: use the sultry silver from Eyeshadow Duo in Modern Mercury (d29), and make it graphic with Pure colour liquid Eyeliner (d23) in graphite or silver Zinc. Nude skin: artfully achieved using sheer layers of make-up, rather than a thick trowelling all over: “it has to be a veil, it has to be natural,” says Pecheux. the innovative Pure colour illuminating Powder gelée (d34) – a combined liquid, powder and gel – helps create polished, glowing skin. sh & Ns The Pure Colour Modern Mercury Autumn 2011 Collection is at Estée Lauder counters now.

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | August 2011 | 35

beauty

We’re already looking ahead to autumn’s make-up – here are some of the best bits of kit hitting stores this month ...

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Nars are famed for their bold colours, as seen in this electric blue eyeshadow, ouTreMer, d24. and i’ve been waiting for the larger Than liFe long-Wear eyeliner (d25) since a preview back in May. The nine colours, including peacock-blue rue st honoré and turquoise abbey Road, have awesome staying power. Other fine liners for a hint of colour are elizabeth arden sMoky eyes poWder pencil in black Violet, d18, and Givenchy Magic khôl in Marine blue, d17.50.

Post-holidays, you’re meant to look all sun-kissed and

Givenchy’s autumn/winter collection is limited edition, so get your skates on to nab lune carMin no 52 lipstick (right), the most stunning crushed berry. at Debenhams, d27.

radiant … anyone else come back with spots from the suncream, bites galore and dried-out hair? Best of the hair rescue remedies we’ve tried this month is Trilogy BoTanical MoisTure Masque (d19.95), with coconut, olive and organic rosehip oils to restore moisture and shine (and make hair smell luscious), and John Frieda Frizz-ease Miraculous recovery Masque (d6.85), an intensive conditioner. aussie lusciously lighT 3 MinuTe Miracle reconsTrucTor (d5.59) is a fast-working, bargain choice. l’oréal’s new MyThic oil (d15.20), with avocado and grapeseed oils, suits all hair types as it’s so light; use on dry or wet locks. To battle frizz, layer on l’occiTane’s repairing sMooThing gloss (d19.95, from Aug 15) from roots to ends. Use these in combination with a moisturising shampoo, such as l’oréal aBsoluT repair cleansing BalM

The pick of Peter Philips’ dazzling Chanel autumn collection is the illusion d’oMBre, creamy luminous eyeshadow in gem-like shades from the richest black to sparkling white; our favourite is Épatant, a sultry silvery-grey. They have the most extraordinary velvety texture and can be used wet or dry.

The coolest bit of make-up we’ve seen so far this year, bar none. d28.

Chanel MAC MaC’s new super-silky glaMglass comes in knockout, neon-bright colours, with pencils to match, d17.

(d17.80), to lift out chlorine/salt without damaging colour – and you’re back on track.

hot metals OuR PICK OF THE KEY NAIL SHADES TO GET YOuR HANDS ON FOR AuTuMN

Ysl la laque in

estée lauder

Wintergreen and

metallIc sage is

Moonlight Blue

eye-catching and

(below), d24.

bang on trend for autumn, d20.

There will be stampedes for chanel’s best colour in seasons – the inimitable PérIdot, a gold tinged with green that shifts in the light, like white wine in a glass.

Barely-there quartz and graPhIte, a crackled silver, are pretty unique, too. d21.50.

nars galIon is a rich dark grey polish that’s chic and a touch edgy.

Limited edition, d18.

36 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

Fan di Fendi, the first fragrance from the italian fashion house, boasts a luxe, hardedged bottle by Fabien Baron that references the iconic Baguette bag. a beguiling mix of blackcurrant, rose, jasmine and leather, this is a big scent that demands attention. €53.

“ This Month I’ll Use ...”

tKTKTKTKTKTK

Right: Frédéric Malle Iris Poudre.

Below: Paula’s Choice Exfoliating 8% AHA Gel.

margaret mangan, creative director at Cloon Keen Atelier Parfums in Galway, on her beauty essentials ...

“I thInk there are two categorIes with skincare – natural and science – and I’m definitely a science girl! I studied cosmetic chemistry and one thing I’ve learned is that many less expensive products, such as Olay, have great research teams behind them. I recommend Paula Begoun’s website, www.cosmeticscop. com – it’s factual and honest. She has her own range, Paula’s Choice (buy online at www.paulaschoice.co.uk), and gives the ingredients and research to back up every product. I use the Exfoliating 8% AHA Gel. For my face, I use Clé de Peau – it’s amazing, and really covers a multitude, especially shadows under eyes. I also like Clinique Even Better foundation, and YSL's Touche Éclat. I put on SPF30 every morning, and I can’t live without Carmex lip balm. I wear Laura Mercier Butter Cream, MAC Arena and Nars All About Eve eyeshadows. I’ve basically rocked the same look since 1991 and auty bill Lancôme eyeliner is my default; I use Outliner because it doesn’t stick to margaret’s be 8% AHA Gel d22.60 ting olia Exf creases. For mascara I use something cheap and cheerful like Maybelline ice Paula’s Cho .99 Great Lash. Philip Kingsley Elasticizer is essential as I have really damaged Olay Regenerist d39 98 Carmex lip balm d3. hair; the Babyliss Big Hair hairdryer helps, too. I go to Jan at Sioda in Spiddal, SPF30+ d18.96 sturizing Sunscreen Paula’s Choice Moi Connemara (091 504800); she is technically amazing and really experienced ion d24.95 Blossom Body Lot Cloon Keen Linden – she was doing ombré hair two years ago. I use our own Linden Blossom ter d585555 Clinique Even Bet Body Lotion as it’s full of antioxidants. I never wear perfume in the week, Lash d7.49 Maybelline Great as I’m constantly testing ours, but at weekends I try out different ones. I go d35 YSL Touche Éclat by the perfumer rather than the house: I like anything by Pierre Bourdon, d2755 r line Lancôme Out Frédéric Malle, plus the old Diors, and one of my favourites is Frédéric Malle ticizer d15.87 Elas y gsle Kin Philip Iris Poudre – in fact, anything with iris in it.” www.cloonkleenatelier.com ic Malle d115 Iris Poudre Frédér TOTAL: d368.84

beauty

W

alk into a L’Occitane store and you’re transported to the south of France, with its lavender fields and olive trees, where Olivier Baussan began his business back in 1976, selling essential-oil shampoos at local markets.

Now with more than 1,000 stores, L’Occitane brilliantly harnesses the best bits of Provence, from cherry blossom to the roses of Grasse. Baussan describes it as “enhancing nature’s work”. What you may not know is that L’Occitane has a second home: Corsica. It was here that, twelve years ago, Baussan stumbled across Helichrysum, known as Immortelle, which would become the key ingredient in L’Occitane’s bestselling range. With the newly reformulated creams about to hit stores, I met Baussan and his team to discover what makes it unique.

On Corsica, the essential oil from the Immortelle plant, which grows wild on the maquis, or scrubland, has been prized through the ages for its anti-inflammatory properties; used on burns and bruises, it’s more powerful than arnica. Baussan recounts his discovery: “It was an extraordinary chance to come across this plant. It was a windy day and I was on the road to Bastia to catch a plane.

I was passing fields of Immortelle – even in winter, the flower has a strong fragrance. I knew the old wives’ tales about Immortelle’s oil, but I had no idea you could distill it.

Then I saw a battered sign, drove up and there was an old guy doing distillation, for this one day only; he sold it to be used in an anti-bruising cream. I convinced him to sell me a little flask of it, and took it straight to our lab in Manosque.

We knew instantly it was something extraordinary; even the name, Immortelle – it’s almost too good to be true.”

Immortelle grows in other parts of the Mediterranean, but L’Occitane’s research revealed that the Corsican flower oil has the most exceptional qualities. “It doubles cellular vitality, reduces free radical action and dramatically stimulates collagen production in the skin,” says R&D Group Scientific Director Jean-Louis Pierrisnard. The first patent was registered in 2001. One tonne of fresh flowers produces just one or two kilogrammes of essential oil. So, as the skincare range took off, the company needed to secure a sustainable long-term supply. And central to Baussan’s philosophy is the need to work with the community to do so.

“The Corsicans didn’t believe we could plant Immortelle,”

cream of the crop Meet the man behind a new breakthrough skincare line explains Maud Reboul, Ingredients Director. “No one had succeeded in doing it before. It’s just a wild plant growing in the bush; everyone thought it was a crazy project.” But eventually, in 2004, L’Occitane launched the first large-scale plantation; now more than 40 hectares have been planted, with eight growers across the island.

“We’ve established a partnership over the past ten years, to avoid wild picking and satisfy traceable and economic development,” explains Baussan. Since 2005, the products have been 100 per cent certified organic by Ecocert.

And the Immortelle range just got better. In recent months, Pierrisnard and his team have discovered new possibilities: “Now we obtain the extract using new techniques which enable us to fragment the cells

Immortelle Crème Divine; Precious Night Cream.

garden of earthly delights

I

t’s May: Paris is hot and sultry, and the Grimsvoth ash cloud looms. In a room deep within the Louvre, YSL International Make-Up Artist Lloyd Simmonds is revealing his first full collection, Midnight Garden (available nationwide from August 17).

“I wanted to make something super-beautiful that would attract attention,” he told me.

“Yves Saint Laurent is the ultimate expression of Paris – that’s really what the brand is. I wanted to bring out the sensuality of the brand and also that mythical sense of Parisian chic.” Inspired by a hothouse garden, this is an opulent collection of lush greens, deep purples and violets – and it lands in stores this month. Simmonds acknowledges that many of us are shy of colour (and not just with make-up; here, as usual, every beauty editor is dressed head-to-toe in black). His advice? “A modern way of wearing colour is just a little accent, on eyes or lips.”

The stand-out pieces are Ombres 5 Lumières No 11 (s57), featuring darkly glittering eye shades of plum and iridescent green that are “a little bit venomous”; and the six shades of Rouge Volupté Perle lipstick (s31),

and obtain new molecules. Tests show the stimulating action of our Immortelle extracts on the genes involved in preserving the skin’s youth.” The newly relaunched products combine a synergy of the two kinds of extract: the essential oil, which stimulates collagen, and the new extract,which strengthens the epidermis.

Come September, here’s what to stock up on. The new improved version of the cult Precious Cream (d48.50), with its enhanced anti-ageing qualities, is a good place to start. For mature skin, to combat signs of ageing and help regenerate the skin, the Divine Cream (d78) combines Immortelle essential oil with myrtle oil, which helps old cells to behave as if they were younger and activates sirtuins, the longevity proteins. With its rich texture and a delicate scent straight from the brilliant yellow fields of Corsica, Divine out-performs many far pricier creams. These creams may not be in the swankiest pots – sometimes, for me, L’Occitane’s packaging (though laudably eco-friendly) underplays the excellence of the product inside – but tests reveal serious results on firmness and wrinkles. The Brightening Cream range has added daisy flower extract, which helps regulate melanin production and makes skin look more luminous.

I also rate the rich Precious Night Cream (d64.95) for smoothing and plumping skin.

L’Occitane has been socially responsible from the outset, from using traceable ingredients to the innovation of labelling products with Braille. But there’s one project of which Baussan is particularly proud In 1980 he began working with women making shea butter in Burkina Faso.

The certified Fair Trade and organic shea butter features in some of L’Occitane’s most popular products. “Nearly 30 years ago, we had one co-operative of twelve women – now there are some 12,000 involved,” says Baussan.

“The project has been a true economic success. It took a long time to forge and was very difficult – and I’m happy and proud of it … For me, it’s the most beautiful thing.”

Baussan’s joy of life and passion for nature is infectious: “I love going from surprise to surprise. Like with Immortelle – it was a massive surprise to discover something so extraordinary. I always say, to really understand nature you have to put a knee on the ground, to kneel down into nature.” On counter from September 12.

The gloss exclusive

from Impetuous Beige to Spellbinding Violet. I’m usually wary of purpley shades, which can veer into 'goth’ territory – but these have a silky sheer texture that’s much lighter than Rouge Pur Couture, making them userfriendly for day through to evening. Everything’s created with different skin tones in mind: “I love that about YSL – and personally I’m pushing for this … Eventually we’re going to get to where we should be, which is a really multi-ethnic brand.”

As well as brilliant colour, Simmonds wanted “something that every woman wears, which is black.” Yves Saint Laurent himself saw black as an affirmative colour, saying: “There is not one black, but blacks.” YSL’s New Blacks (at Brown Thomas from August 18 and nationwide from September 21) collection brings this statement to life. Look out for the limited edition Black Bronze nail varnish (s20) – the beauty press couldn’t paint it on fast enough. And the Falsh Lash Effect Shocking mascara (s31) in tints such as Bronze and Jade Black is easy to apply but with huge impact; the brush is off-centre to the rod, giving it better stretch and curve. Overall, declares Simmonds, “I wanted to express what I think is at the heart of Yves Saint Laurent – style, real modern glamour, harmony …

Just gorgeous, sensual colour.”

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | August 2011 | 37

home

P H oTo g r A PH By M A rT i n de C H AB A n ei x

White or near white has been chosen as the dominant background colour in these interiors. Wooden furniture and rugs bring warmth and interest. We say: Above: Classic Lloyd Loom chairs are used around a classic marble-topped Saarinen dining table.

The patterned accent fabrics on the armchairs stand out dramatically against the understated paint scheme. Right: The use of pale colours in the sofa offsets the deeper, warmer colours that books and other personal objects inevitably bring into the room.

By choosing an inexpensive sofa, you can afford to splash out on statement-making cushions. Below: This elegant interior is a result of a measured and straightforward approach to decoration. However, the sofa and coffee table in this light, airy sitting room, sit at an angle to the fireplace (the focal point), adding interest. Opposite below: An ultra-high ceiling is counteracted by furniture and rugs that “ground� the room.

38 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

home

Take a Seat

In his latest book, Stafford Cliff explores living spaces that have a good dose of quirky individuality. We were inspired by the unusual, and inviting, seating arrangements ...

A

n effective living room seating arrangement starts with deciding on the focal point, usually the fireplace or a great view. In fact, changing the focal point seasonally, from say, a summery vista to a wintry open log fire can really ring the changes. Arranging your seating around the chosen focal point needs planning. You can create order with symmetry: a scenario in which pairs of matching sofas, armchairs, and lamps will strike a perfect balance. Use coffee tables and rugs to visually anchor the seating arrangement. Introduce variety – a circular coffee table throws a curve into a room’s straight lines, for instance. In a small room, try chairs instead of sofas to create a greater sense of space, while oversize furniture works well in bigger areas. Ottomans double job; they can be moved when needed for extra seating, or they can stand in as a coffee table. In living rooms where the television is often in use, a deep L-shaped sofa (minimum one-metre in depth) offers flexible, comfortable seating. Always pair heavier pieces of furniture, like the sofa, with slender, more refined ones like occasional chairs for a wellbalanced take on eclecticism. An occasional chair which you may have regarded as too different, or out of place, can be one of the most valuable players in a living room. Intended primarily for use as pull-up seating, these one-offs are consummate multitaskers and dispel that too “done” look. Another design staple, the wing chair is always reliably comfortable and its stately shape can act as the main attraction in a room. Group two with a side table and lamp and you have a readymade reading room.

When it comes to dining chairs, the golden rule is to look for a chair that you can sit in for a good hour without fidgeting. A wide seat and good support are critical and style, of course, is also key. Pay attention to the back of a chair because you see it first, over the top of the table. Also, make sure the seats complement the table in terms of scale. In fact, always remember to pay attention to the proportions of the overall space: a spacious room demands generous frames and seats. n See over for more ideas.

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | August 2011 | 39

home

Above: In summer, adjust the focal point from fireplace to view to ring the changes.

Two separate seating areas are denoted by large flat-weave rugs. Right and below: Long, narrow rooms often mean seating has to be ranged along walls: opulent touches like silk cushions or interesting side tables draw the eye back to the heart of the room. Right: The symmetry of the matching timber-framed occasional chairs around a circular coffee table create a room-withina-room. Below right: An oversize modular seating system is used to resolve a difficult space: its position is tweaked depending on the season.

Ph oTo g r A Ph s by g I L Le s d e C h Ab A n e I x

From The Way We Live In The Country by Stafford Cliff and Gilles De Chabaneix (Thames & Hudson, ÂŁ19.95stg).

40 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

restaurant

NO, nOt MORE PROSECCO There Are OTher ALTerNATIveS TO ChAMpAgNe. JUST LOOk BeyONd eUrOpe, SAyS Mary dowey

D

on’t get me wrong: I am no enemy of prosecco. Over the past six or seven years, I have cheerfully knocked back Italy’s favourite sparkler – and Ireland’s, too – in quantities equivalent in volume to a small Veneto lake. The trouble is that the craze has gone too far. Like pesto and putty-coloured paint, it’s one

of those things we thought we couldn’t get enough of … but, oh, yes, we can.

Step back a decade or so to the time when prosecco was so difficult to sell

in this country that bottles stood gathering dust on wine shop shelves. Then suddenly it took off and came charging over the sparkling hill in a burst of new bravado, slaughtering rivals by the score. It marshalled more and more troops – cheap, soulless mercenaries, a lot of them, fighting to increase prosecco’s territory at any price.

They won. So here we are in a market awash with north-Italian fizz, a good deal of it so goddamned awful that producers of the good stuff should be wringing their hands in grief. Time for a change, I suggest. Luckily there are heaps of sparkling alternatives at prices better suited to high summer frivolity than the rather steep premium attached to champagne.

Spain has cava, Germany has Sekt and France has more styles of sparkling wine than you’d ever get through in a full year of celebratory intensity. Regions like Alsace, Burgundy, the Loire, Limoux and even Bordeaux all have their crémants – dry sparkling wines made from a whole assortment of grapes.

But for my money, the winners in the quality/value stakes come from the New World. Like the European fizzes just mentioned, they are made in the same way as champagne (with a second fermentation in bottle to create the bubbles) – but, edging closer to the King of Sparklers, they also use Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the two main champagne grapes.

Although they may not quite match Krug or Dom Perignon for refinement (yet), the best certainly equal middle-ranking champagnes and beat most massmarket efforts on flavour as well as price. In fact, New World bubblies are often more pleasant to drink than their lofty northern French prototypes because, with extra sunshine on hand to ripen the grapes, they taste a little less acidic.

As for the crazy anxiety that people sometimes suffer (“Won’t people think me mean if I don’t offer them champagne?’”), these sparkling wines are cool as can be – so get over it. Or change your friends.

BuBBling over Jacob’s creek chardonnay-Pinot noir brut cuvée nv.

My default-setting sparkler for times when spirits need a lift but funds are low. Light, easygoing and reliable: the huge success of the JC brand reflects the efforts of a switched-on team. Widely available, usually d12.99. villiera chardonnay brut natural, stellenbosch 2007. Unlike most sparkling wines, this stylish South African has had neither sugar nor sulphur dioxide added in the finishing process. Fresh appley flavours come with a creamy texture and a background hint of toast. Invigorating and delicious. From Marks & Spencer, d15.99. taltarni brut taché, victoria 2008. Made by a French émigré to Australia using the three classic grapes of champagne and a tincture of red wine, this poised rosé of the palest pink combines delicacy with a subtle power. Note the long, superrefreshing finish. From O’Briens, usually d18.99 but just d16.99 during August.

Way

out West A distinctive twelve-course tasting menu in a Co Clare country house is a recipe for success, according to Katy Mc Guinness

A

couple of years ago, I landed a table for four in the El Bulli lottery. At the time, it was officially the best restaurant in the world – the crown has since passed to René Redzepi’s Noma in Copenhagen. El Bulli closes its doors for the last time this summer. Its legendary chef, Ferran Adrià, has opened a new, no reservations, tapas restaurant, Tickets, in Barcelona. He is said to have developed an antipathy to the term “molecular gastronomy”, with which he – and Heston Blumenthal – will forever be associated.

What I remember most of dinner at El Bulli was the humour implicit in the 26 dishes that comprised the tasting menu: Adrià is a great man for the visual joke. I was reminded of El Bulli at Gregans Castle, where the visuals also give reason to smile, not least because I was accompanied on both occasions by Caroline, whose – she won’t mind my saying – constitution is not up to the job of restaurant critic’s dining companion (iffy about certain shellfish, prefers not to experiment with offal, likes her steak well done, etc). She compensates, though, by being excellent company.

I’d like to be able to tell you that we starved ourselves for two days before arriving at Gregans to embark on the twelve-course tasting menu, but we happened to pass Moran’s of the Weir en route and, well, it would have been rude not to. Clams, prawns and crab all more than passed muster.

Gregans Castle is a country house hotel in Ballyvaughan that has been in owner Simon Haden’s family since the 1970s. Finnish chef, Mickael Viljanen, is only 28, but he has been in Ireland for a decade and in charge of the kitchen at Gregans for four years. Along the way, he’s acquired a wife from Offaly, two Irish children and important relationships with suppliers, which have helped his cooking to evolve a distinctive identity, fusing the alchemist’s talents of Adrià with Redzepi’s foraging sensibility. I’m thinking, in particular, of the pea-sized potatoes that accompany a soft-set curd of raw milk and lovage, with malted rye and lobster knuckle; the dish strewn with tiny elderflowers.

There is not enough space here to detail every dish we ate, but some were outstanding. Smoked eel bavaroise wrapped in cucumber and topped with a crispy salmon tuile; pressed terrine of moulard (a hybrid of Peking and Muscovy duck) foie gras topped with Pedro Ximénez jelly accented by honeycomb, pear and almond; glazed veal sweetbreads with beetroot and walnut emulsion – sadly a bridge too far for squeamish Caroline. Charlotte potatoes cooked with hay were sublime, sweetly redolent of summer fields. A poached breast of squab pigeon (served very rare), accompanied by offal with liquorice and a little croustillant of the legs, was earthy and intense.

Less successful was monkfish poached in leek ashes – a texture problem – although the oyster emulsion and squid consommé that went with it were superb. An Amalfi lemon pannacotta, with celery sorbet and yoghurt meringue, felt as if it was trying too hard and had forgotten that its primary objective was to please the palate. Coffee flavours – running the gamut from very dark, through bittersweet, to light with hazelnuts – served with green apple sorbet were a triumph.

Petit fours were great fun, in the way we have come to expect from chefs in pursuit of accolades, and the cheeses were impeccable, served with the most gorgeous nut-studded biscuits.

Diners can choose to have six, nine or twelve courses from the tasting menu, priced from d60-d90. Accompanying wines, including an inspired Maury, Fagayra Rouge 2009 with the foie gras and a glass of Murphy’s stout in the case of the coffee flavours, brings the price per head to d85-d150.

Service is friendly and well-informed; the food more formal than the room in which it is served.

The views out over the Burren could distract diners with a weakness for a beautiful vista, while the Welsh slate plates on which several dishes are presented are almost as dramatic.

At Gregans Castle, Mickael Viljanen is creating some of the most exciting food available in Ireland today. Martijn Kajuiter at The Cliff House in Ardmore – with whom Viljanen is sometimes compared – already has his star; it can only be a matter of time before the Michelin inspectors come calling and award Viljanen one of his own. Competitive foodies should beat a path to Ballyvaughan ahead of the posse. n Gregans Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, 065 707 7005; www.gregans.ie

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | August 2011 | 41

entertaining

F

rom Memorial Day until Labor Day, Janet O’Brien – whose Sag Harbor-based catering and events business serves everywhere from The

Hamptons to Manhattan and beyond – is resigned to getting very little sleep. “Once the summer starts, it hits like a freight

rty a P h c a e Surfers B

train. Between menus and proposals and overseeing the jobs themselves, there’s very little time for anything else.” Since establishing Janet O’Brien Catering and Events, Inc 14 years ago (she grew up in Dublin and learned to cook in Paris), Janet has built a reputation for beautiful food that tastes as good as it looks. “I buy the absolute best –

Janet loves surfing at Ditch plains beach in Montauk.

organic wherever possible – and then let the food speak for itself. We have great relationships with local farms out on the North Fork and our fish is landed in Montauk. We work with the seasons and avoid sensitive ingredients such as tuna and swordfish, which people here have really turned against.” One signature dish is whole striped bass, the most sustainable local fish.

“When I first started and was working from the kitchen in my house, I didn’t know how to fillet a fish. So I covered Modern Mexican food makes an easy supper for friends.

a ten-pound bass that had been delivered in kosher salt and baked it in the oven. I garnished it with dill and orange and the client loved it. It’s still one of our most requested dishes for a casual buffet. It was only later that I found out that it’s a Mediterranean classic.”

Janet’s regular clients include local Hamptons’ residents Bruce Weber, Christie Brinkley, Sean “Puffy” Combs, 50 Cent and Russell Simmons of Def Jam, plus a host of young (and very wealthy) hedge funders. Last summer, she fed the Clintons at a dinner party hosted by Declan Kelly, the former US Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland. Parties for 200 or 300 are commonplace.

“These days,” says Janet, “we tend to do informal parties with a lot of stations. There might be a sushi station, a burger stand and a fajita bar. Modern Mexican food is a really big thing. We have ceviche and magnificent salsas and fish tacos – about as far away from greasy refried beans as it’s possible to get!”

During the summer months, Janet’s personal entertaining is restricted to quick and easy meals for friends when she manages to escape to her trailer overlooking Ditch Plain beach in Montauk to catch some waves. “I grab some vegetarian chilli and salad from my

her love of surfing is reflected on her bookshelves.

shop at the Jitney stop in Southampton – motto: ‘fast, fabulous food’. Or else my friends bring a picnic.”

In the winter, there’s more time to cook for friends – and to experiment with new dishes that might find their way venue for Thanksgiving with a twist for 20, preceded by some skeet-shooting to help guests work up an appetite.

And then Janet heads off for a well-earned break – to Chicama in Peru for more surfing, to her studio in Aspen (where she ripped out the stove to make sure that she wouldn’t be tempted to cook!) for skiing and home to Dublin to visit friends and family, thinking about food wherever she goes. Katy Mc Guiness www.janetobriencaterers.com

42 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

p hotogr a p hs by ta nya M a llott

onto menus for clients. Janet’s house in Sag Harbor is the Dining with a sea view.

the best ingredients speak for themselves.

TrAvel

MAN in A SUITCASe For a truly relaxing holiday, rent a high-end property rather than facing the monotony of a hotel, says Tim magee

Casa Duquesa, Mallorca

1. Mallorca, Casa Duquesa The nine-bedroom 17th-century Casa Duquesa is a private and secluded villa set in 150 acres of beautifully maintained grounds. It has a large pool, and there is even a chapel and function room, making it a perfect wedding venue. www.mrandmrssmith.com

D

ay one: First morning of the holiday.

You’re the pale newbies but you don’t care because you’re not cooking today.

Not for your partner, not for the kids, not for yourself. Other people are going to look after you. You smile your way around the pick’n’mix buffet of breakfast treats. Friendly people smile back. You and your crew cruise the house granola, the baskets of patisserie, those cute little sausages and that skinny crispy stuff that the rest of the world calls bacon.

There’s even a Nespresso machine. You think, “Maybe just a boiled egg, some cheese and ham”, but the smiling chef at the omelette bar beckons like a corner dealer. He can sort you with more than omelettes. He also trades in pancakes and waffles. Day-one breakfast in a hotel is one of the best meals; full of hope and promise.

Day two: Hungover and sunburnt. Tea today, please – God you hate the sickly yellow of Liptons – and the makings of a breakfast that can be vaguely recognised as recovery food. Scrambled eggs and toast will be the height of it this morning. Has someone actually stolen your bread from the communal toaster?

Day three: Ready for anything after being lulled to a monster sleep by a combination of the dozy drone of the AC, the same western news bulletin 63 times, and Jaws – in Portuguese. Not going near that queue for the omelettes though. God, there’s those demented kids from the pool yesterday – why do some parents just not keep control? That bacon looks greasy.

Day four: You know too many staff and guests. You’ve

enough friends already. If that couple come over again you’re going to pretend you don’t know them. Can’t believe they read that rubbish. I wonder how many Larsson books housekeeping collect each week. Jesus, will you look at the queue for the Nespresso. Ah, there’s the toast thief and there’s a pale, naive couple coming in all excited. Must be their first day ...

I love hotels. I live in them more than I do my own house. I’ve done that for more than a decade, but still, every now and then, a hotel will excite me as much as my first time. The problem is that, for most of us, a hotel room is just a bedroom. That works for a weekend, maybe even three nights; I’d happily stay in one for weeks if it’s work-related, but the thought of holidaying for a week, or even a fortnight, in a bedroom, isn’t for me. I don’t want to keep eating breakfast in the same dining room as dinner. On holidays, I want more than a thin skin of plaster separating me from the next-door newlyweds’ nightly bedroom sports. What if I want a Heineken at 3am?

I don’t want to have to deal with tray-carrying people at that time of night. And when they leave? What if I want a second beer, or a tea? I’m supposed to be relaxing. What’s the solution?

2. Castiglion del Bosco, Tuscany Stay at one of 23 luxurious pads situated on this 4,500acre estate in Tuscany. Housed in restored 17th- and 18th-century buildings, the suites offer six-star amenities, including LCD televisions and iPod docks. Take a dip in your private heated pool before exploring the estate’s rolling hills and sweeping vineyards. If you are too worn out to cook after your excursions, a private chef can visit your villa. www.castigliondelbosco.it

Castiglion del Bosco, Tuscany

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | August 2011 | 43

travel There’s a lot to be said for catering for yourself. Renting can be about more than just enjoying a real residential area with real people and real shops, and I have no problem renting someone else’s home for a week. It needs to be nice, mind. When you spend the time finding the rental that suits you, it’s just like house-sitting for an aunt that you don’t know very well, and it’s much better than lounging around a pool with the headlines of the British tabloids shouting at you all day long. With deeper pockets, you can go for high-end rentals that combine the best of both worlds in a house that trumps any of the world’s penthouses. There, you don’t have to dress for breakfast. Breakfast can be champagne, toast and pyjamas. You can nod off early and not be woken by noisy first-timers. You can party till dawn in your underpants.

Going out to eat can be a treat instead of a routine, and with the right rental you can call housekeeping to come and wave their magic wands daily. Hotels are for work, weekends, and people who hate cooking. For proper holidays, summering in the private but fully serviced wonders of Mallorca or the Loire Valley or Tuscany is what this month should be about. n

3. les Petites Faries, loire valley, The epitome of shabby chic, this gite is set in the unspoilt countryside of the Loire Valley and has been lovingly restored by an artist and antique dealer couple. Sleeps eight. www.sawdays.co.uk

4. Cortijo el Carligto, andalusia This Spanish villa has views of olive groves, mountains and the Mediterranean. The terrace is equipped with a pool and a summer kitchen, and you can tailor the staff involvement to suit yourself. www.carligto.es

6. villa robazza, Sicily The Villa Robazza lies within the grounds of an olive oil estate. This restored mill offers privacy, and is perfect for party-loving groups, but guests can use the services of the nearby Mandranova Hotel, which is run by the same husband-and-wife team. Sleeps six. www. mrandmrssmith.com

4. anemia Sud, Sicily

5. animea Sud, Sicily A 19th-century townhouse in the heart of the baroque town of Modica, complete with dining roof terrace and only 20 minutes from some of Sicily’s delightful beaches. Sleeps five. www.sawdays.co.uk

14 | September 2009 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

Bar EssenƟals

Surprisingly tasty Nature Valley and associated words and designs are trademarks of General Mills © 2011.

Strap

This Glossy Life Expat women: meet the Irish women living the high life and discover what they’re up to this month ... Penny McCormick reports

Sarah Feyling

Sarah Feyling has entertaining down pat – from masterminding weddings at the Villa Rothschild on the French Riviera, to training staff in the art of celebrations at hotels in the Seychelles, Thailand and Bali. Originally from Drogheda, she draws inspiration, personally and professionally, from all of the countries she has lived in – France, Italy, Australia and Dubai.

This August ...

You can find me in … Rome. From there, I’ll travel to London, and then to Cambridge for a wedding. Then back to Rome for a few more days of la dolce vita before returning to work.

I’m packing … Luxe City Guides, my laptop, my travel journal, a small gold angel that was given to me by a friend, and Chanel flats. And a change of outfit in my hand luggage in case my suitcase gets lost.

I’m inspired by … An artist I met in Bali, Wayan Jiwatman. I fell in love with one of his paintings in The Legian Hotel in Seminyak in southern Bali. I asked the hotel if I could purchase the painting and then had the pleasure of meeting him.

I’m eating at … The Ivy in London.

I’m wearing … Structured dresses for evening and for daytime several bold-coloured maxi dresses (from lime green to blood red) I designed myself.

I’m reading … Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life by Justine Picardie. I have always found Chanel’s story to be one of the most inspiring. I am motivated by people who, through the courage of their convictions, have become successful despite adversity. I can’t live without … Diet Coke and Barry’s Tea, as usual. I’m listening to … Everything from Andrea Bocelli to Westlife. I’m working on … Several autumn/winter weddings and a huge endof-year party for an international bank. I’m telling hostesses to … Be prepared and enjoy it. I see far too many frazzled hostesses. Celebrate with your guests – they’ll remember it more.

T hTehG e lGolso s sM s AMGAAGZAI N Ze I N|eSeptember | August 2009 2011 || 45 15

this glossy life

This August ...

You can find me in …The Six Senses Spa at Zighy Bay in Oman – it’s an idyllic hideaway surrounded by the mountains, and the perfect place to relax. I did quite a bit of travelling in the first part of the year to Lebanon, the UK, Germany and Thailand, so this is my month to concentrate on de-stressing as well as catching up on work.

I’m packing … My iPad, iPhone, laptop, a stack of magazines and my boyfriend. I’m inspired by … The rapid growth and change in the technology sector and how much women, in particular, seem to benefiting from it and capitalising on opportunities in the online space. Women like [Net-à-Porter founder] Natalie Massenet and blogger Heather Armstrong (www. dooce.com) are personal heroines. I’m logging on to … www.confashionsfromkuwait.com, one of the first fashion blogs to make a name for itself in the Middle East. I’ve just started reading www.whatkatewore.com.

I can’t get over my obsession with Kate Middleton!

I’m listening to … Adele and Lazzy Lung, a Lebanese-Canadian band I love. I’ve been telling anyone who will listen to me that they’re the next Killers. I’m wearing … Maxi dresses and flats. My job means I don’t have to wear a suit or be too formal. I’m buying maxi dresses in block colours. I already have one in blue so I’ll be adding a pink and yellow one to my wardrobe and I’ll get myself a white one as well so I can channel a purse-friendly version of the Dolce & Gabbana look. I’m working on …

Growing traffic to www.hellwafashion.com – that’s a 24/7 activity. I’m looking forward to …

Next season’s masculine/feminine mix – I’ll be channelling the boyish look with long, wide trousers.

Bébhinn Kelly

Since setting up her blog, www.hellwafashion.com, Bébhinn Kelly, 32, has travelled afar in the name of research. She’s been at Istanbul Fashion Week, partied with Rihanna, met master cobblers Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo, and is always in search of the “next big thing”.

46 | August 2011 | T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e

photograph by Diana golpashin

this glossy life

Eithne Treanor

Eithne Treanor is a broadcast journalist and CNBC correspondent, who specialises in finance and business. She is an expert in the oil and energy market, and her work has taken her as far afield as Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Nigeria, Angola, Venezuela and Ecuador. She also runs her own communications consultancy company, which offers media training to international businesspeople.

This August ...

You can find me in … London. Then Ballinasloe to visit my family. I’m inspired by … My new healthy lifestyle.

I spent July at the Viva Mayr Clinic near Klagenfurt in southern Austria. It was detox central and I hope it will kickstart a much fitter body and mentality. I’m packing … My BlackBerry, a Kensington travel adaptor and Elizabeth Arden’s Eight-Hour Cream Lip Protector Stick with SPF 15. I always pack my YSL Touche Éclat, Hermès Un Jardin sur Nil eau de toilette and some hairspray. I use a Samsonite four-wheel Cyberlight

Spinner – no more dragging suitcases around for me! I’m wishing I was … In Vienna: lunch at The Imperial Hotel is my absolute favourite.

Their pumpkin soup with a swirl of cold-pressed pumpkin oil is outstanding. I’m wearing …

Libyan-born designer Fadwa Baruni’s designs – she has a growing reputation in the Middle East and beyond. I’m also a fan of Reiss and if I get to the US, I always check out Anne Klein’s latest collection. I’m reading … The Viva Mayr Diet by Dr Harald Stossier and Helena Frith Powell; the

recent biography of journalist Wanda Jablonski, Queen of the Oil Club, by Anna Rubino; and Gisele Scanlon’s The Goddess Guide. I’m listening to … Adele and Arabic fusion music.

I’m de-stressing by … Cooking, or a reflexology session followed by a massage. Failing that, nothing beats a chilled Aperol spritz cocktail. I’m flying on … The Emirates A380 Airbus. I fly business class on long journeys and I am a big fan of the window seat. I’m logging on to … The BBC and The Financial Times websites, and The Huffington Post. n

T h e G l o s s M A G A Z I N e | August 2011 | 47

over and out Michelin-star restaurants and into FAMA’s coffers.

project has been successful; her

It constantly amuses her how her clients will wriggle

economic-horror tours have lured

out of just about everything suggested by NAMA,

a sizeable tranche of misadventure

but eagerly sell their little souls to FAMA; such is the

seekers from our richer and

SoCoDu cachet and social power surrounding having

more stable EU neighbours. The

one’s offspring at the better fee-paying schools.

transformation of our nationwide ghost estates

Connie deliberates over her neighbour’s better

into the latest “go-to” destinations for alternative

positioned house and speed dials Cyril to get him to

types has borne fruit and, apart from bringing

run the figures, and together they agree to strike a deal

some badly needed cash to these bleak countryside

with their neighbouring client. Though, as ever with

locations, the sheer desperation these places portray

Cyril, there is a price to pay. He will agree to Connie’s

has sent the pioneering tourists scurrying back to

conquest of the superior holiday home but insists that

their governments, clamouring for clemency on our

his cut is occupation and ownership of her house!

behalf. It would appear that the terror of our hardship

Ye gads, Cyril is fine to work with but to have him

contaminating their countries, has prompted our richer

sunbathing on a deck next door is making her feel distinctly

A VIEW FROM THE JEEP

neighbours to negotiate a deal. It’s either that or throw us out of the Union altogether and it’s back to prátaí for everybody here; indeed it is fortunate that NAMA is reclassifying some formerly prime development sites as

nauseous. He is unseasonably excited and is making Connie very nervous. It would appear she must launch him on the local social scene, which will be extremely laborious given his occupational lugubriosity. And worst

far larger plot and the attendant empty house with its

Connie has made a handsome profit by cashing in on the recession, but now she must introduce ratty Cyril to her social set. Honora Quinn sympathises

weathered “For Sale” sign. Not so long ago, Connie might

Management Agency, and Connie has been a very effective

have been in a similar position to her frenemy next door:

business partner. Who would have thought that buying

But she desperately covets that other, better, garden

simply unable to afford to keep the second house going.

fee debt from the top SoCoDu private schools could be so

and really would like to grow enough food to sustain her

Yet in only one short and remarkable year, her personal

lucrative? Buying the debt at 50 per cent and relentlessly

family and staff, for her fear of Ireland going completely

finances have gone from doom and gloom to boom and

pursuing the defaulters for a full repayment allows

back to middle earth is real. Oh dear, vital nutrition and

bloom. It was just last summer that ratty little ex-banker

for handsome profits, as long as the defaulters can be

survival versus social pariah-dom. A truly awful Connie

Cyril had his inspired idea to set up FAMA – Fee Accrual

sufficiently embarrassed into diverting funds away from

dilemma ... n

agricultural land – city farm on Shrewsbury Road anyone?

Self-sufficiency might become essential, and Connie is scrutinising the garden at her summer house in the sunny south east, and surveying with intent her neighbours’

of all – she has to be nice to his wife. She has to walk the beach with the dumpy creature and introduce her to all the gals. For God’s sake, that could ruin Connie’s tenuous and fragile social standing altogether, as everybody knows who you walk with is a direct reflection of your social status. Really Cyril sometimes asks too much.

I llu st r at Io n by nata lIe Cass Idy

C

onnie’s recent Dame Enda tourism

As the newly appointed head of the International Monetary Fund, 55-year-old CHRISTINE LAGARDE is one of the world’s most powerful women. Her straight-talking attitude and elegant style have led to her being hailed as the “Coco Chanel of world finance”. She has combined her career with raising a family, and has two sons from her first marriage

She Does

She Doesn’t Have time for impractical fashion. “When you’re late for a

Believe in the professional pragmatism of women, suggesting that if Lehman Brothers had been “Lehman

meeting, you can’t afford the luxury of wearing stilettos or

Sisters” it might not have imploded l multi-task. She

frou-frou dresses that need ironing”l think that women in the workplace should ever try to “imitate the boys”

sews her own clothes, cooks, makes jam and tends to the garden at her country home in Normandy l

l

drink, smoke or eat meat l shy away from brave style

describe the combination of professional life and child

decisions. She famously shocked by choosing to wear

rearing as a “hard balancing act” l think men have

leather trousers to a cocktail party at her old law firm

“a tendency to show how hairy-chested they are

trust journalists’ questioning. “You always have the

compared with the man who’s sitting next to them”

feeling you are being trapped” l accept a comfort zone.

have a sense of humour. When interviewed for the Jon

“I left my happy professional life of six and a half years in America to serve my country” l recommend a quick-

Stewart Daily Show in 2009, she presented him with his own beret l set precedents. Head of Chicago law firm

fix solution to the European economic crisis. “I think we’ve

Baker and McKenzie, French finance minister and now

been burned once, better be shy this time” l feel specifically French or European, but rather sees herself as a member

director of the IMF; she was the first female to hold each

of “the entire community” l talk about her private life. Neither

role l admit to reading what’s written about her. “It is a little

her mysterious first husband, M. Lagarde, nor her second, Eachran

addictive. We all have a little vanity deep down” l inspire trust.

President Sarkozy describes her as “a remarkable woman who has my full confidence”

48 | August 2011 | T H E G L o S S M A G A Z I N E

This month: CHRISTINE LAGARDE

Gilmour, is mentioned in her official biography. Her current partner is an old university friend

photogra ph by get t y

l

l

Pop them in the oven and let him take the credit.

BBQ-ers GET SET.