By Colette Fitzpatrick
Apparently, it’s somehow been ten years since Off the Rails aired and Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney first met: what a way to make an Irish gal feel old.
As a fashion enthusiast growing up in Ireland, anything in the mainstream Irish media that was fashion-related was my jam: to think such things existed on our own wee island! In the same way that I cultishly adored Image Magazine, I was obsessed with the perceived glamour of it all and the fashion world seeming a little less alien and far away.
But, I digress, it’s simply mad to think these mainstays of the Irish industry came into most of our lives only ten years ago and also as long as ten years ago. They seem such a permanent fixture but it also does not seem so long ago that the show began airing. What a fortuitous show it was, too, for the duo, introducing the pair, who would go on to become best friends and business partners.
Their impeccable clothing line followed after their stint of styling Irish women on television and, some time later, it became one of the in-house brands as part of Dunnes Stores‘ truly inspired model on the designer collaboration. It has been four years since the move and the pair have been turning out pared-back collections of pieces Irish women want to wear and need in their wardrobes since.
If you’re looking for an investment piece for life – a perfect trouser, an elegant coat to throw over things, a timeless dress, a practical jumpsuit – that also has a certain glamour, they have you covered. This evening’s show was no different in that regard but was a bit special with flowing trousers, printed dresses, adaptable tops and signature bold pops of colour appearing on a cast of models and famous friends of the brand like Courtney Smith, Pamela Flood and the extraordinary Andrea Horan, among others, showing that the brand really does suit lots of different, real women.
Here’s to the next ten years with this hardworking duo, congrats!
For more fashion posts, check out our coverage of London Fashion Week and our Seoul Fashion Week street style shots!
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