Summer style a major hit at charity fashion show!

The spring/summer season was ushered in truly spectacular style on Thursday last as local fashionistas turned out in force for a glittering charity fashion show hosted by TV3's Sinead Desmond, at Michael Moore Car Sales on the Dublin Road, where Athlone's style-conscious ladies and gents were treated to a preview of main trends from some of the best shops and boutiques in the region. Although the venue may, to some, have seemed an unusual choice for a fashion show, it worked spectacularly well and hats off to organisers who ensured that the event worked like clockwork from the off. The valet parking and plentiful supply of champagne and canapés on arrival were most welcome as the crowd geared up for the first part of proceedings, the unveiling of the new Audi A6, a sporty stylish machine which definitely jumped on the car wish list for the majority of those in attendance. Afterwards, the fashion began in earnest after a fantastic musical interlude from the Maynooth Gospel Choir before local boutique Olivia Danielle kicked off the event in fine style with the outfits shown to their full potential by models from the Galway-based Catwalk Agency. Black and white quickly became a dominant theme, as were Chanel style two-piece suits, crisp white capri pants with echos of Audrey Hepburn and a fantastic pink ruched one-shoulder number with a flower detail which had many women cooing with delight as it emerged on the catwalk. A black and white fishtail tail dress with spectacular bow details as seen on Xpose was another standout of the boutique's showing. The fashion then moved to Athlone Towncentre where high street names Monsoon, Coast, Zara and Born showed a capsule collection where colour was all the rage. A red 50s halterneck dress with swing skirt and ruched top conjured up images of Marilyn Monroe or Mad Men, while a fantastic deep purple shift dress with a vertical frill down the side definitely drew appreciation from the style conscious crowd on the night. The 1970s was certainly an influence on the clothes on show throughout the night, none more so than from Kabelo Boutique in Birr, who are currently celebrating four years in business, with a stunning white crochet dress with yellow edging, a real crowd pleaser, as was a beautiful coloured print shift dress, something that would be perfect for a wedding or special occasion. Meanwhile, at Dress in Pearse Street neutral shades were in evidence on the ramp with mossy beige, grey and white all making an appearance in their collection. A fantastic 1920s-inspired sparkly number on show would certainly turn heads at any occasion, while the stunning headpieces and hats on the catwalk from Galway-based milliner Suzie Mahony would certainly ensure any wedding or races outfit would be a standout! After a short break, the monochrome look made a reappearance at Carrig Donn, where spots, tiered dresses and a fabulous coral pink shirt dress were the most talked about outfits on the night. It was all about the 70s again at Burgess, who showcased some of the beautiful maxi-dresses I've seen this season, along with tunics, a floral shift with bow detail, all reminscent of the hippie decade. Men weren't left out either as the only male model of the night sashayed down the catwalk in jodhpur jeans which Paul Galvin would be proud of! Cropped trousers, 50s style capri pants and tunics were the dominant showings from McGreals in Edenderry while a Mad Men inspired spotted red swing dress from Grace's Boutique, Athlone teamed up a cropped denim jacket, certainly caught the eye of the fashionistas on Thursday. Next came Kadee, Pearse Street, a boutique which regularly features on Ireland AM and is a favourite of stylist and fashion icon Celia Holman Lee. A sexy 50s-style boater neck bow detail dress with a split up the back hugged every curve to great effect, while a beige palazzo suit with dusky pink oversized wrapover blouse drew plenty of praise. Elsewhere, a silver sequin dress with gold circle design and bolero would take you to any occasion this summer. Prior to the raffle and announcement of the best dressed lady, the night ended with a real treat for Athlone fashionistas with a showing from London-based knitwear designer Tim Ryan, known for his sexy and ethereal creations which have already graced the pages of style bible Vogue and the catwalks of London. And it was easy to see why, the Nenagh-born designer combined different yarns and fabrics to come up with absolutely beautiful creations using a real modern twist. A gold glittery 70s inspired dress and jacket and a two-tone fitted dress with full skirt had fashionistas oohing and aahing in appreciation. All in all, an inspired night for local fashionistas who got to see the main trends of the season from some of the region's best boutiques and high street stores, while also helping to raise money for two most worthy charities, the NBCRI and Console. A win-win situation for all concerned!