All You Need To Know About THE GLOSS GALA 2026

Read all about the biggest, buzziest, most glamorous business event in Ireland …

In this, its milestone 20th anniversary year, THE GLOSS Magazine’s Gloss Gala 2026, held in association with Goodbody, was particularly special, attended by 1,680 women from finance, banking, media, law, marketing, government, recruitment and tech.

The Main Hall at the RDS was completely transformed by THE GLOSS team in elegant shades of cream, with pops of fresh, green hydrangeas on the tables by Floral Events and huge sparkling chandeliers over the 30m-long catwalk.

After a buzzy drinks reception, MC for the evening, Ciara Doherty, wearing a bespoke AndTate ensemble, welcomed guests on behalf of Jennifer Stevens, Editor of THE GLOSS and her team.

The theme of the event was Decades, not only a nod to the magazine’s significant anniversary but also derived from the runaway success of THE GLOSS x Goodbody Investment Club, a female-focused community created five years ago to promote financial feminism and the power of connection.

The message of making every decade count was reiterated in a keynote speech by Michelle O’Keefe, Head of Wealth Advisory at Goodbody. “There isn’t any age by which we suddenly have to have our financial lives figured out. Our ambitions change. Life changes, And our plans change with them. In their 30s, 69% of women say they are interested in investing but don’t know where to start. By our 40s and 50s, the focus changes. More than half of some in both decades say a realistic retirement plan is one of the areas of financial support they’re missing most. That’s what our initiative Make Every Decade Count is about: staying open, adapting as life changes and recognising that every decade is another opportunity to shape what comes next.”

Adaptability, staying open to new possibilities and evolving in terms of style was further amplified by the two very special guest speakers who spoke through the prism of their own personal experience, numerous career highs and decades-long friendship.

Designer Amanda Wakeley OBE, one of Britain’s most celebrated fashion designers, is renowned for her signature “clean glamour” and distinctive approach to modern luxury. Over a career spanning more than three decades, she has dressed some of the world’s most stylish women, including Diana, Princess of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Beyoncé and Angelina Jolie. She continues to inspire through her bestselling new book Style DNA and her popular StyleDNA podcast, sharing her expertise on confidence, personal style and dressing with purpose.

Joining Amanda was Jo Elvin, one of the most respected voices in magazine publishing and fashion journalism. Former editor of Glamour magazine and a familiar face and voice across television, radio and podcasting, Jo is known for her sharp insight, warmth and wit. She currently co-hosts Friday Night Fashion with Amanda and is a host of The Royals Uncensored, where her commentary on fashion, culture and the Royal Family attracts audiences around the globe.

Amanda and Jo brought a unique combination of style expertise, creativity, humour and friendship that has spanned decades which made them perfect guests of honour for THE GLOSS Gala.

Together they discussed the highs and lows of their careers which they acknowledged had not been linear. Jo Elvin shared her story of redundancy from Condé Nast publishers while Amanda discussed the simultaneous “seismic” life changes and grief of her company going into administration and her brother’s death.

“As an entrepreneur you are always in survival mode, but I took time out to recover and look for the silver lining.” Amanda admitted that her 60s have been her best decade yet and left audiences with the uplifting message: “I’m not afraid anymore and am always excited about what the day ahead brings.”

After supper, guests were treated to a glamorous fashion show, sponsored by Hyundai, with 20 models on the 30-metre catwalk under the direction of choreographer and stylist Catherine Condell, with hair by L’Oreal Professionnel and make-up by POCO Beauty. The show opened with violinist Aoife Kelly setting the scene before a line-up of some of THE GLOSS’s favourite designers, family brands, labels and boutiques. These included Louise Kennedy, Guaranteed Irish, Magee 1866, Avoca, AndTate by Sharon Hoey, Elää and Khan boutiques.

The legendary GLOSS GALA Grand Anniversary Draw showered close to 500 gifts on the audience, including a Grand Prize of a €5,000 voucher towards a special piece of Boodles fine jewellery. Other covetable prizes included a €500 gift voucher to spend at Magee 1866, a two-night stay at Ballyfin, Co Laois, an Ireland’s Blue Book voucher worth €1,000, a voucher for Circle Club to take in dinner and show worth €800 and a bespoke Avoca coat and shopping voucher!

In addition there were beauty, skincare and fragrance gifts galore from Charlotte Tilbury, Seabody, Voya, Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, Decleor, Nunaia and more. Luxury stays included gifts from The Westbury, Wineport Lodge, Dromquinna Manor, Anantara The Marker, The Hawthorn by Galway Bay, The Grace, Ice House and the Park Hotel Kenmare.

Some lucky guests also won vouchers to use at FX Buckley, Gloria Osteria, Avoca Kilmacanogue and Cecconi’s in Mayfair London. Homeware prizes included – Foxford throws, and a voucher to buy a complete set of Francis Brennan x Dunnes Stores bedlinen, not to mention candles from Rathbornes 1488.

No guest left empty handed; at each place setting was a special THE GLOSS X Goodbody notebook with beauty gifts from POCO Beauty in addition to a GLOSS goodie bag filled with great gifts from Aveeno, Max Benjamin, Ren, Eucerin, Lancaster, Nivea, Rimmel, Holos, Voya, Elave and Butlers, and of course a copy of THE GLOSS Interiors.

For every gorgeous detail of THE GLOSS GALA 2026, and to see who attended the biggest and best GLOSS event yet, continue to check in for more pictures and reports from the event throughout the day on thegloss.ie. And don’t forget to pick up a copy of the November issue of THE GLOSS with The Irish Times today!

Photography: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography