An iconic Cork building hosts a fashion extravaganza: Behind the scenes at ieStyle Live
Cork City Hall was transformed to host ieStyle Live 2023. Pictures: Miki Barlok
It was a night of impeccable styling, both on and off the catwalk, as Cork City Hall was transformed into a fashionista’s dream for ieStyle Live 2023 on Thursday.
From the fabulous autumn/winter looks curated by Corina Gaffey to Derval O’Rourke’s show-stopping cape-sleeved jumpsuit, not to mention the audience who donned their sparkliest gúnas, this was an event about style, fashion and fun.
With hosts Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney at the helm, ieStyle Live 2023 in association with Clarins showcased everything from must-have high-street pieces to Irish designs on the runway.
And while the 300 guests soaked in the magical atmosphere and the amazing looks, behind the scenes was a team who had worked for the best part of a year to bring ieStyle magazine to life in the beautiful surroundings of City Hall.
As Features Editor Vickie Maye explained on the night, planning for ieStyle Live 2023 had started the morning after ieStyle 2022, while fashion show producer Vivienne McCarthy officially began preparations five months ago. Meanwhile, those looking after hair, makeup, and fashion started planning as early as May, discussing the trends they may tap into for the runway.
Celebrity stylist Corina Gaffey, whose clients include Vogue Williams and Amy Huberman, is the woman behind putting together the looks for the ieStyle fashion show.
While she constantly has an eye out for pieces in-store, two weeks prior to the big night, Gaffey began to put together the looks for the runway before fitting and styling each of the models.
The show aimed to represent all women on the catwalk, with models coming to Cork from across the country after the final 10 were selected during a casting in September.
“It’s crunch time the week before where you have the fittings of the models and getting all the pieces together... there’s a lot of work behind the scenes,” Gaffey said.
Early in the week, the ieStyle Live 2023 takeover of City Hall was becoming apparent with banners wrapped around the iconic pillars outside the venue while construction of the catwalk was underway inside. After months of planning, it all comes together in a matter of hours with teams working throughout the day on rehearsals, set-up, and styling.
During the dress rehearsal, Gaffey finally had a chance to see the show in full before heading backstage where it was all hands on deck to get runway ready. With so much happening, organisation is key to ensuring everything goes off without a hitch.
“We have rails with all the models’ names on it, their shoes lined up with their looks. It’s all about the preparation,” she said.
This year, Gaffey wanted to give the audience an overview of wearable autumn/winter fashion — “from cosy coats, party wear and the best of the best across high-street, home-grown designers and independent boutiques”.
Makeup artist Christine Lucignano, who has painted many famous faces including Courtney Cox, Heidi Klum, and more, brought her skills Leeside. Partnering with skincare specialists Clarins, Lucignano chose “glunge” (glam meets grunge) for the models while Pamela Morrissey of Cork’s own Sobe Brown was inspired by the rain for her chosen catwalk look.
The fashion show included pieces from Brown Thomas, Dunnes Stores, Kildare Village, Opera Lane, Mahon Point, Marks & Spencer, Samui, and the debut of Lennon Courtney @ Kilkenny Design as well as Irish designers Love Cherish, Caroline Kilkenny, Cobblers Lane, Roisin Linnane and Olori.
Friday morning, the catwalk in the Concert Hall was disassembled as it prepared for the Cork Jazz Festival. The space for the glamorous fashion show will be completely transformed once again, with Jenny Greene set to perform tonight. Meanwhile, plans for next year’s ieStyle Live fashion show are already in motion.
