I made my glorious return to Belfast's West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK last night, as it kicked off an amazing 14th season filled with Autumn/Winter trends from the best Designer Boutiques across Northern Ireland. Gone is the dazzling powder pink glitter runway and in its place, a baroque Victorian inspired black wall display and a matching black catwalk replacement. Baroque and jacquard designs forming one of the major and more prominent/dominant presence amongst the Boutiques' innovative, quirky and impressive variety of high-end offerings. The first Boutique to rock out onto the clean and contemporary catwalk however, could not have been any further from Victorian influence.
Kicking the show off with a storm in the form of the futuristic Karl by Karl Lagerfeld, we had an exciting exclusive to Northern Ireland courtesy of Fashionweek newcomer, The Snooty Fox. Displaying metallic knitwear with a monochrome palette in the form of blouses, leather biker jackets, sequin dresses, a sensational jumpsuit and a black pleated maxi featuring a black and white tuxedo blazer. All paired with studded leather collars, fingerless leather gloves, black stilettos and classic black clutch bags. Before the Autumnal shades came out to play with an influx of camel and tan, showcasing contrasting leather sleeves in a woollen jacket and camel top placed under a light fur trimmed alternate. Mustard made a brief appearance with houndstooth trousers swiftly following before a Gothic black laced sequin dress and a red carpet wonder of a nude and black ball-gown closed this sensational opening section.
Next came a peculiar winter take on the festival chic approach by Harrison complete with Aztec detailing, tribal prints paired alongside military jackets, quilted coats and the dreaded poncho. Woven in-between a leopard print dress, a green sequin dress and a cream and black frock. 
Diamond Dolls of Banbridge brought the evenings proceedings back together touching on a glamorous boudoir aesthetic with a funky punk and artistic twist. The contrasting ivory and black swan feather dresses were immediate eye-catchers. Followed by a peacock fringed 60s cocktail dress. A Graffiti dress and a white leather hand-painted coat. My personal favourites were the phenomenal tan leather Batman jacket and the stunning cream and gold disc dress from Manoush.
Then came the moment I always look forward to. The award winning Grainne Maher and her borderline breathtaking Pluck & Devour line. Sending look after look of sheer high-end, high-fashion jewellery and millinery down the runway pushing the Designer Boutiques night to heightened levels of avant garde proportions. Perspex, patent leather and studwork featured throughout with butterflies and griffins making their presence known in all the right places in shades of black, white and blood red.With a statement hot pink oversized disc piece being a definite stand-out from the moment it stepped foot on to the catwalk.
Next up, the immensely talented Una Rodden displaying natural and neutral tones of light greys and khaki greens featuring contrasting floral panels with calm and minimal detailing throughout. My favourite looks were a pearl boat top and fennel high waisted skirt and a black velvet cape paired with a noir tube dress and knitted driving gloves.Driving gloves of course, being a central theme in three key looks from Jourdan which contained a more masculine cut overall. Jumpsuits, trouser suits, overcoats and boyish jackets, Jourdan presented a classic, sophisticated and modern range. Ivory chiffon trousers, matching cami with a brown chiffon tunic and ivory scarf arrived straight from the pages of French Vogue. Whilst a sleeveless navy dress with an abstract layered exposed golden zip collar presenting a similar Voguesque number.
All before Blush offered up its eclectic range of glamorous evening wear and stunning bridal gowns including wild rose garden peplum printed dresses to open, with a sensational silk ivory number to close complete with a pearl embellished collar and a fitted waist satin belt to finish. A Vivienne Westwood feel found in the Cassiopia design by Ian Stuart was a personal favourite with Blush closing the show on a phenomenal high.
Make-up by Paddy McGurgan. Hair by Andrew Mulvenna. Images courtesy of Stephen Potter.
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