Style Notes: Slick Spanish label Psophía, summer knits from Elaine Madigan and silver screen style in Newbridge

New in, Madigan has introduced a summer collection of knits in a 75pc cashmere/25pc organic blend, in gorgeous summer colours like soft aqua, pink sorbet, violet and natural. Shapes include the fluted ‘Lottie’ cardi (€450) and vest top (€325) and, together, they create a thoroughly modern take on the classic twin set.

Madigan closed her shop in Dublin’s Westbury Mall and she has been busy developing a new collab called Cúpla.

It could also be called ‘The Tale of Two Elaines’ because Madigan has teamed up with modiste Elaine Honey, with whom she has been working with on clothing pieces. Madigan explains how they first met in 2020 and, as they worked together, they could not help but notice their shared passion for beautifully crafted clothing.

‘Cúpla’ is the Irish word for ‘a couple’ or ‘twins’, and the special collection was conceived and created by two women who like to consider the smallest of details, things like French seams, bindings and deep, generous hems.

Working with a silk from France, they have introduced a number of shapes in colours like pink, cream, black and a striking gold, seen in the ‘Bailith’ dress (€795).

Midi length with elbow-length exaggerated puff sleeves, the bodice sits at the natural waistline with a slight dip at the back and voluminous skirt.

The Cúpla collection also features two tops, two styles of trousers and two skirts. Prices start at €395. madigancashmere.com

Cotton and silk

When I fell for the Spanish label Psophía, I fell hard. Hand on heart, some of my favourite and hardest-working pieces in my wardrobe have been from this brand.

I’m smitten by its interesting lightweight fabrics, its prints and its denims, and I write about it today based on the personal success I’ve had and that desire to buy less, buy better and get loads of wear out of my purchases.

This label was founded by Paloma Vázquez de Castro, who had worked at Hoss Intropia, a favourite label of mine, during the Noughties. This season, Psophía has done a pretty ‘aquatic pictorial flower dress’ in a soothing mix of 70pc cotton/30pc silk.

I spotted the dress in the Dress Circle boutique in Terenure, which is where I first discovered this Spanish label two years ago, and I’ve also been going there to buy dresses and separates from the well-priced Greek Archaic Kori label, another favourite of mine since 2020.

Like so many stores in the vibrant boutique landscape in Ireland, this shop was started by a visionary woman, Margaret O’Connor, who passed away in February, aged 97.

A former nurse who had a great eye for fashion, she opened O’Connor Fashions in Dún Laoghaire, had a shop in Ranelagh and opened in Terenure in 1977.

When O’Connor retired, the baton was passed on and the Dress Circle boutique is run by her daughters, Niamh and Deirdre. They stock labels like Annette Görtz, Transit and also own the adjoining shoe shop, Scarlet Slippers, so they can literally dress clients head to toe. dresscircle.ie

Museum worthy

It caused a sensation when it was first viewed in The Banshees of Inisherin, and now you can get to see Colin Farrell’s peak-collared red sweater up close.

Crafted by 83-year-old knitting sensation Delia Barry from Greystones, the red sweater is part of a new exhibition of iconic costumes of the Irish silver screen, which opens next Wednesday, May 1, in the Museum of Style Icons at Newbridge Silverware, Co Kildare, held in conjunction with the Irish Costume Archive Project.

Costume designer on Martin McDonagh’s film shot on Achill Island Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh commissioned Barry to knit the red sweater for Farrell’s character, and he also wore her navy roll-neck.

Using a magnifying glass, Barry studied photographs of sweaters worn by traditional fishermen from the 1920s that Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh had sourced and then set about creating a thick blue knit that was worn by Brendan Gleeson and a wine-coloured ribbed fisherman’s sweater worn by Barry Keoghan.

The exhibition in Newbridge also features original costumes from some of cinema’s most celebrated award-winning classics, such as Michael Collins, Braveheart and Breakfast on Pluto, starring Cillian Murphy, and also TV hit Normal People. icap.ie; newbridgesilverware.com