QUEEN OF CASHMERE
Paula Marron's fifth knitwear collection on her label Castanea marks her out as a rising Irish cashmere queen. Her shapes and colours are flattering and stylish with that casual ease that makes her knits look great whether worn with slim trousers or full skirts, and she pays a lot of attention to new ways with sleeves.
Castanea is stocked in Havana, Samui and Les Jumelles in Ireland and is now also in six US stores including RTW in Charleston. Marron has just completed the 12-week Female High Fliers accelerator programme for Ireland's best early stage start-ups, specifically for female entrepreneurs and shot her last AW19 campaign herself. For luxury silk cashmere sweaters prices start from €405. castanea.ie
SKI TIGHT
If the man in your life – brother, friend, lover, father – is a skier, these long johns from CDLP are a modern take on a Scandinavian classic combining comfort and sartorial detailing in lyocell, an ecological fibre made from wood pulp that is refined to the point of softness and durability. They come in single or double packs, have breathability and temperature regulation, allowing for maximum freedom of movement and follow the shape of the body under trousers. Their new burgundy shade joins other colours of army green, black and navy blue. €65 euro from Brown Thomas or online at cdlp.com
BABY BLUES
If you're thinking of gifts for a baby shower or for Christmas, the Irish sustainable brand Lil & Izzy founded by Katie Brandon Byrne has just launched four new unisex pieces made from organic cotton each with a cute reindeer print suitable for babies and children up to five years old. The new range consists of a pyjama set (€30, age 2-5 years), Christmas zip baby grow (€30, age 0-24 months), winter white hat (€12 , 0-18 months) and a reindeer dribble bib, €7. Find them on lilandizzyboutique.com.
Products are made in a partner workshop in India that does the dyeing, printing and making and is certified by GOTS and OEKO-TEX that guarantees that the process used is socially responsible and respectful to the environment. It also means that the products have met strict testing requirements in relation to raw materials and chemicals. Find them in pop-up shops in Wicklow and Kilruddery Christmas Market, Bray, Co Wicklow until December 23rd.
IRISH DESIGN
Friends Clare Grennan and Laura Caffrey, who both come from a metalwork background and are NCAD graduates, opened the Irish Design Shop on Drury Street over 10 years ago. Part of their business is making jewellery and their brand, Names Dublin, launched four years ago now encompasses three collections crafted by hand above the shop.
They have now expanded the shop into the studio on the first floor, allowing customers to see them at work on an operational workbench and how things are made. Prices start at €58 for a pair of stud earrings in 18ct gold-plated brass and go up to €800 for a pair of drop earrings in solid 9ct gold. The earrings featured here are from their latest collection called Terrain.
