CLOTHES LINES:H&M's new Conscious Collection is an allwhite collection for men, women and children made from sustainable materials, organic cotton, recycled polyester, Tencel and recycled wool.
The womenswear line, with its tunics, tiered dresses, blazers and shorts, has an updated romantic look underlined by the use of lace and broderie anglaise detail. It’s in stores from next Thursday, at prices starting at €9.95 for a T-shirt, going up to €39.95 for a blazer.
Book club
If you want to find out which creams cut the mustard without actually having to try them all out yourself, check out the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible (Kyle Cathie, £19.95/€23) by Jo Fairley and Sarah Stacey. This clever duo hit on the idea of getting a panel of real women (2,400 of them to be exact) to see which products do what they say on the tin. To get an accurate result, the face creams were applied on one side of their faces only. Brave. The products cover more than 43 categories, with no stone left unturned (even the sensitive ones) in the search for making the most of what you’ve got as the years roll on. No marks for the lack of price ranges though.
Taking the mannekin
Rosaleen Hegarty of Crana Knits in Donegal was the knitter responsible for making an Aran sweater for Mannekin Pis, the famous l7th-century Belgian landmark, for St Patrick’s Day. The tiny bronze was also togged out, just for the day, in little tweed trousers by Kerry Woollen Mills, with a tweed cap from Hanna Hats, and the outfit now joins hundreds of others in the City Museum in Brussels. Hegarty, a former needlework teacher who set up eireknits.com, has been knitting for decades. She supplies Vogue Knitting with patterns and lectures on the subject. “But I have to say this sweater, in cables and diamond stitch, was one of the most difficult to make,” she says. See cranaknits.ie
Smooth operator
Facial massage is a marvellous way to smooth out tension lines and freshen up the skin by stimulating blood vessels. Watch this space in the coming weeks for a DIY massage special, but in the meantime, you can avail of a professional Shiseido RX massage with one of the company’s therapists who will be at Brown Thomas in Dublin, Cork and Limerick during next week. The €50 booking fee is redeemable against purchase – I suggest something from the Benefiance Wrinkle Resist 24 range, which will keep up the good work. Prices start at €45 and the offer runs from Monday until Saturday next. Tel: 01-6056666 for appointments.
High-street hits
BOOTS CHEMISTS AREno strangers to success (anyone for Protect and Perfect?) and I love their clever collaborations, which give us high-end products at high street prices. Here are two of their latest.
When barely out of school in her native Melbourne, Poppy Kingwas obsessed with lipstick but couldn't find any texture or colour she liked, so she decided to make her own. The success of her line lies in her ability to relate to her customers' needs – she is not a chemist or even a make-up artist, but just a gal looking for the right shade of lipstick. Her main line includes the quirky and unusual along with the classics, so kudos to No.7 for a collaboration that uses her expertise in a range that spans the palette from nudes to berry shades. King's eye for detail extends to the packaging, which was inspired by Marilyn Monroe's beauty spot and Man Ray's lip motifs. True glamorama €14.95).
Quintessentially English and oozing posh, the Champneysspas have been around for almost 100 years. They have plenty of therapists on hand (400, in fact) to help perfect their new Spa Indulgence range which is exclusive to Boots. The comprehensive skin and body care use exotic-smelling ingredients, and there's an extensive line for hands and feet to give yourself the five-star treatment at home. Prices start at €8, but it looks and feels like a lot more.
Paris with Inés de la Fressange
Former supermodel Inès de la Fressange, who is considered the epitome of French chic and made a surprise appearance on the Chanel catwalk last October, is the author of a new style guide to Paris. The willowy 52-year-old mother of two was a picture of confident maturity among the teenage models at the event in the Grand Palais and drew rounds of applause. The new guide is really about how to achieve her clean, crisp style – great if you're 5ft 11ins, as she is – and her diktats include avoiding stoles, wearing straight-leg jeans for preference, and only adding flats and shades to a little black dress. She counsels against mini skirts with masculine blazers, and dislikes skin-tone shades. Sections on her favourite fashion and interior shops are good, as are her tips on restaurants, hotels and things to do with children. Parisian Chicby Inès de la Fressange (with Sophie Gachet) is published by Flammarion (€25).
