We teamed up with Katriona Flynn, lecturer in fashion at TU Dublin, to ask readers to share their story of a dress that has played an important role in their lives. We were struck by the huge response, and how the physical features of the dresses played second string to the human stories around them, and the memories embedded within. Here’s a selection …
Submit your own ‘Story of A Dress’ to amy@thegloss.ie and discover more stories online throughout the series. See the details of a new Desert Island Dress Podcast coming soon, created by Katriona Flynn and Dr Dee Duffy below.
A Celebration of Africa and The Ancient Leopard by Sandy Goldsbrough
It was the 80s and we all wore power suits to try and clamber our way into the male dominated boardroom.
Harsh black, solid navy, sometimes Armani camel.
Leopard print was only worn on weekends, usually bundled under a heavy jumper and coat to keep warm on walks across Hampstead Heath.
In the 90s, I joined a company, long ago famous for floral skirts and floral wallpaper.
There I met a Scottish maestro who wanted to make the dress a symbol of feminine power.
I was happy to be his muse.
Since that day, I have never worn a head to toe power suit.
I became obsessed by dresses and the confidence they give in any situation – from boardroom to beach bar!
For my next job I moved to the Middle East.
I loved the cultures I met there.
I was entranced by how the women layered cloth and colour to subtly cover their chests, arms and legs.
Unbeknownst to them, creating glorious works of art.
In Saudi Arabia I was blessed to experience precious moments in ladies’ cloakrooms.
Abayas hastily removed to reveal magnificent figure hugging dresses, long thick manes of hair, smiles of sheer joy.
Sharing stories of love, loss, longing – exactly like my own.
This photo of the dress radiates friendship and fun.
Taken on a business trip to London where we walked and took the tube to work.
Enjoying our camaraderie, exploring the city with genuine affection, my colleagues surprised at the harsh reality of life in the big city. They always told me that I walked too fast, talked too fast but hey we had so much to get done!
This dress has so many stories of loyalty and kindness – friends and colleagues supporting me in tough situations.
Friends and colleagues celebrating every win with me.
Many a birthday cake has been decorated with leopard spots.
No longer a part of the corporate ladder, the dress keeps memories of special times and special people alive.
Always whipped on when an appropriate occasion arises to love, laugh, dance and feel empowered.
As my friends say…
You can take the girl out of Africa but never Africa out of the girl.
The Best Dressed by Lesley Delaney
Many years ago I was at a beautiful Italian wedding in central Italy. Anticipating the high level of style, I knew I would have to up my game… the pressure was on! After a good deal of searching, I found an incredible Yoana Baraschi black lace dress (that had cost €600, which I probably couldn’t afford!) in a now sadly closed, eclectic boutique in Naas, Co Kildare called Tui. This is the kind of dress that reminds you of your femininity and gives quiet assured confidence. And I felt like a million dollars. During the reception one of the Italian ladies came over to me and told me that their table had unanimously decided I was the best dressed at the wedding! Wow! From Italians, the sartorial experts, I believe that is the highest compliment one could get.
The dress is now hanging in my wardrobe, I have yet to wear it again but simply cannot part with it.
The Natalie B Coleman Dress by Róisín Ní Mhórdha
I love to wear dresses. The range of shapes, fabrics, tailored, floaty, formal, informal, statement or every day, short, midi or long, there is a dress to suit every occasion. It is a staple in my wardrobe.
I always support Irish designers particularly for special occasions and am fortunate to have worn Peter O’Brien on the red carpet when I was associate producer of the documentary film RISE: The Story of Augustines.
My most recent bespoke dress is by Natalie B Coleman whose designs for her “Sisters” collection resonated strongly with me as she collaborated with the United Nations Population Fund who commissioned her to mark its 25th Anniversary of Sexual and Maternal Health as a right. When I first met the proud Monaghan designer in the autumn of 2019, I couldn’t stop smiling; her bright eyes and radiance shone through as she warmly greeted me. Without having even tried on a single item from her range of clothing, I knew more than ever that I wanted to buy and wear one of her silk dresses. That dream came true.
The dress in question is a cream silk dress featuring a print in red of a “horned uterus” comprising the AW19 collection which also included dresses made in linen and Carrickmacross Lace (another nod to her Monaghan roots) and was shown at London Fashion Week (pictured above).
It’s a sculptural piece and I was charged with anticipation when I first tried on the dress. The softness and fluidity of the ruched silk, the carefully constructed draping and the colours suited my body shape. The occasion to wear the dress was the next consideration! Then Covid came along and halted plans, so the first time I got to wear the luscious silk creation was at the Boyne Valley Tasting Dinner showcasing the wines of Il Borro of Tuscany, owned by Ferruccio Ferragamo at the Station House Hotel in Co Meath, in September 2021.
As sometimes happens, I don’t have a full-length image of me in the dress but I sent Natalie a short video. Now that I call New York home, it will be an honour to wear her dress again in the city that recognised her creativity years ago. @unfpa
@nataliebcoleman
A Very Cherished Christening Gown by David Usher
Stored in the back of my late grandmother’s wardrobe in County Cork is a cherished christening gown that has been passed through my family from my grandparents on. To me, it is just a gown, but for my family, it seems to mean a lot more.
It was worn first by my grandmother in the 1940s, according to my mother. She then passed it on to her daughters, who have now collected it and it has been re-used for my generation. With my brother being the oldest of my generation at 23 years old, followed by me, then five more of my cousins with the youngest being only 4 years old, this christening gown has gotten its use, that is for sure!
Over the years, it has definitely picked up some character, showing its age with grace. The once velvety white colour has now turned into a cloudy white. The sowing of the gown whilst still intact, shows some obvious wear and tear visible on the stitching from over the years.
Despite all this, my mother tells me, the gown still looks ‘amazing’.
It probably won’t be until it is my turn to continue the tradition and hand it down to the next bundle of joy in the family that I see the deep meaning of it in our family, carrying precious memories from the 1940s into the current day.
Coming Soon: The Desert Island Dress Podcast
The podcast unearths the heartfelt stories behind the clothing we cherish the most. In this unique series, guests share the four garments they could never leave behind, each with a profound connection to their lives and loved ones. Join your hosts Katriona Flynn and Dr. Dee Duffy on a captivating journey through the wardrobe of memories, as we explore the emotional tapestry that clothing weaves into our most cherished moments.
