As I mentioned here I was going to the Athlone Fashion Trail, well I went and as predicted it was such a fun day. Full of style, delicious treats and catch ups with some of the other Into the West Blogger Network (ITWBN) Bloggers. I was invited to the Athlone Fashion Trail as a VIP Blogger by Galway Now magazine and the ITWBN. I was delighted to be attending after the great time I had at the Galway Fashion Trail earlier in the year (you can read about that here).
Breakfast with BMW
We started the day with a yummy breakfast with BMW and then we were chauffeured into Athlone town in style in the latest BMW cars. This was such a great start to the day as they had put on an amazing array of yummy foods for us to enjoy. And it also gave us a chance to network and catch up with everyone as well.
The cars in the dealership are just STUNNING. There is no other way to describe them – all beautifully stunning in the showroom and I think that all of us were just blown away by the selection. The staff as expected were so open, friendly and helpful and it was a fantastic start to the day. Oh and did I mention that they had a Mini showroom – adorable!! I especially loved the old classic Mini as I prefer them to the newer style ones. A big thank you to BMW as well for the gift bags as well – very thoughtful and full of things we wil certainly use.
Kadee Bridal Boutique
As soon as we all walked into the boutique I think we all gasped. The boutique was just stunning. When you walk in there is a show stopping copper wall and then the boutique just feels so luxurious. They stock beautiful brands such as Alice Temperley, Suzanne Neville, Essense of Australia, Cymbeline and Martina Liana.
The selection of dresses that they showcased at their catwalk show were just so modern, chic and simply beautiful. The level of the detail on the dresses is just show stopping as were the accessories. There were some beautiful neck and head pieces. I had never thought too much about my wedding dress before but after seeing their selection I could not think of going any where else.
I keep repeating the word beautiful when it comes to this show and I do not even think that it gives the dresses justice! If you are a bride to be I would highly recommend checking out the Kadee Bride Website and make an appointment. They are also on Twitter, Facebook and I would also advise to check out their Instagram and you will be wowed!
Burgess Department Store
Burgess in Athlone was established in 1839 and is clearly is much a much loved establishment in the city. They offer such a large selection of goods – from high quality fashion to well known homeware brands and they value themselves on having amazing customer service.
What I enjoyed about their fashion catwalk show was the variety of clothes on display. Some of the brands that were on display were Fiorelli, Carl Scarpa, Gerry Weber, Camelot, Costelloe & Costelloe, Remus, Nica and so many more. They showed some great Autumn pieces and I always love Autumn clothes with all of the layering. There was also a great selection of menswear on the catwalk as well.
We also got to see the latest designs from emerging designer Isabel Grey. You may remember that I interviewed her before (you can read the interview here), well it was great to catch up with her in person and hear about her latest work.
I think that Burgess would be a great option to go to for so many different occasions. From your Winter wardrobe to work wear to mother of the bride style ensembles. Burgess have a fantastic website, and are also on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Olivia Danielle Boutique
I had heard of Olivia Danielle before from friends who have recommended her boutique so I was excited to see what was on offer. And I was not disappointed. They stock some amazing brands such as Irish Designers Heidi Higgins, Lisa Ryder (you can read my interview with her here) and Natalie B. Coleman, International labels such as Paule Ka, Linea Raffaelli and Michael Kors. There are also some millinery pieces some of which were by the very talented Suzy Mahoney.
We were all stunned with the pieces that were show cased on the catwalk. The vibrant colours, aesthetically stunning dresses and the high quality cut of the fabrics was clear to see. There were certainly some stand out pieces such as the black blazer with embellishments below and some of the bright dresses above. I fell in love with SO many of the pieces and I think I took more photos here than in anywhere else!
It was certainly a high end boutique with some very welcoming staff that I cannot wait to visit again. A big thank you also to Olivia for the beautiful scarf, it’s simply stunning and perfect for Autumn. You can find the Olivia Danielle Boutique online here as well as on Facebook.
Athlone Town Centre
I always love going to the Athlone Towncentre shopping area. It houses some fantastic high street brands such as Zara, River Island, Top Shop and SO many more!! They had two separate shows one before lunch and one after. Both were very different and had some amazing pieces on display. I love the variety that the town center offers and also that so many members of the public were watching the shows as well.
The two shows were really good and there was literally something for everyone on display. There was even children’s pieces on display with some of the cutest child models. One of my favourite pieces on the day was a jacket from Topshop. It was just stunning! I love the pop of colour especially at the back as it is so unexpected.
A big thank you to the Athlone Towncentre for our very generous goodie bags filled with vouchers, treats and more. I would highly recommend popping in if you are in Athlone and you can check out their website to see all the stores that are housed there. They are also on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Fatted Calf Lunch
We were treated to a beautiful lunch by local restaurant The Fatted Calf. I had not heard of them before but wow – the food was just delicious. They always try to use the best, fresh, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients from the Midlands which is great to hear.
The entire floor of bloggers LOVED the food. The lunch menu had some great vegetarian options such as chickpea falafel with roast red pepper and a Galway goat’s cheese organic vegatable frittata. Then for desert were were treated to Autumn Berry mess, red velvet cupcakes and DELICIOUS salted caramel doughnuts!
Clodagh’s Boutique
We were in for a treat when we arrived at Clodagh’s Boutique. The catwalk show was full of pieces that you could wear right off the rail and out of the store. What I loved about their showcase was very much in tune with the time of year with some great layering pieces and warm jackets. I fell in love with a navy check skirt that I certainly will be back to the store to give a second look to.
The staff in the store were so helpful and we were treated to nibbles and prosecco and it really was a five star experience. A big thank you to Clodagh’s Boutique for our beautiful goodie bags and you can follow the store via their Facebook page.
Nell’s Closet Boutique
When I were arrived into Nell’s Closet I was just in awe of the store. It is hands down the most beautiful store that I have been to – they clearly put a great deal of time and effort into merchandising the store. And that love for the store is clear to see. The way that they have pieces displayed on the mannequins is beautiful and many of which I would have just loved to purchase the entire outfit!
The staff in there were so helpful and I arrived a few minutes before the others and it was great to be talking to them for a few minutes. The pride in the store is palpable and I can certainly see why. This store’s showcase gained audible gasps from the bloggers in the room – and trust me that can often be hard to do!
The whole outfits that they had on the catwalk were just beautiful. They were detailed, modern and many with vibrant colours. They stock such an array of brands and styles that really no matter what event you were going to I am sure you would find something here.
I was blown away by their showcase. That really is the only way that I can describe it. This is certainly one store that I am already planning to come back to in the very near future. A big thank you to Nell’s closet for our beautiful goodie bags and you can follow them on Twitter and Facebook. They also have a beautiful website here that I think everyone should check out.
Celtic Roots Studio
I wanted to give a special mention to Helen Conneely who is the creative talent behind The Celtic Roots Studio. She creates stunning pieces from 5,000 year old bog oak. I love the idea of wearing a piece of our Irish heritage and her pieces really are works of art. Oak is naturally connected to health, protection and strength and I love that thought behind the collection.
She showcased a small selection of her work in the BMW showroom and also had her pieces modeled at the Nell’s Closet catwalk show. They were literally show stopping. Her creations are all handmade and really are so unique and a one of a kind gift.
The models on the day in all the stores were from The Catwalk Modelling Agency and as always they were fantastic. They certainly deserve a mention as I have seen them in quite a few shows and they always add another level to the clothes that they are wearing. They also are great for us bloggers – as they make sure everyone has a photo of the clothes from some great angles!
I would like to say a massive thank you to Sinead and Saibh from ITWBN for having me along as well as Galway Now Magazine. We all left feeling utterly spoiled and really loved seeing what is in stores for Autumn Winter 2016. It certainly left me inspired to update my wardrobe for the upcoming season!
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