• Comment
• Print
• E-mail

Style queen has crowd saying Grazia

The fashion pack turned out in force to meet Paula Reed at the Sunday Tribune T2 reader event in Brown Thomas writes Claire O'Mahony

Paula introduces one of this season's key looks to an attentive audience

Tara Chetty models a Lanvin animal print dress

Naomi Cullen wears a shirt dress from Ralph Lauren and Miu Miu shoes

Sunday Tribune readers' event at BTs, Paula Reed's summer style clinic. Talking point - The show featured a pair of Balmain's highly coveted €1,430 ripped jeans, which Paula said cannot be had at any price in London. The catwalk pair are the last ones in stock in Brown Thomas. Pictured (L-R) Ingrid Hoell, Ciara Elliott and Catherine Kelly

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Certain names will always get fashion followers' hearts beating that little bit faster and Grazia magazine's Paula Reed is one of them. The mag has been as essential for fashionistas as a Louis Vuitton Sprouse scarf. At an exclusive Sunday Tribune reader event on Tuesday evening Paula, Grazia 's style director, looked like she'd just stepped off the fashion pages herself. She had flown in from London to host a guide to the ultimate summer wardrobe, which took place in the intimate surroundings of the Shoe Rooms, Brown Thomas.

Guests were wowed by her elegant off-white trousers and jacket combo, as they were by the high fashion outfits modelled by Sarah Morrissey, Tara Chetty and Naomi Cullen.

As she expertly guided the rapt crowd through the hottest trends of the season, one guest was overheard to comment that "everything Paula Reed touches turns to fashion gold" – hardly surprising considering her style credentials and a CV that includes stints at InStyle UK and Harpers & Queen; co-presenting on Twiggy's Frock Exchange on BBC2 as well of being the author of a fabulous new book, Style Clinic: How to Look Fabulous All the Time, At Any Age For Any Occasion.

Proceedings kicked off in time-honoured fashion with the quaffing of cocktails –the only difficulty that presented itself all night was whether to have a Ketel One Citroën French Martini or a Ketel One Appletini. Or both.

A glamorous fashion posse were out in force for the event. As well as Sunday Tribune editor Nóirín Hegarty and the paper's fashion editor, Ciara Elliott, guests included Xposé presenter Glenda Gilson, Sonia Lennon from Off the Rails, designer Joanne Hynes, director of Dublin Fashion Week Sonia Reynolds, stylists Niamh O'Rourke and Suzie Cohen.

Also on hand to oversee the event were Brown Thomas CEO Nigel Blow and head of fashion direction Shelly Corkery. After an introduction by store manager Jackie Byrne, Paula took the models through their paces in a series of key looks, featuring designers like Balenciaga, Chloë, Lanvin, Marc Jacobs and many more, dispensing fashion pearls throughout.

An orange Giambattista Valli dress and a Dolce e Gabbana sparkly jacket were just two of the many highlights and afterwards a queue snaked through the Shoe Rooms, waiting patiently in line for Paula to sign copies of her book which was on sale in Brown Thomas for €22.

The happy guests then departed with a Brown Thomas goodie bag.