Irish 'among Europe's most fashion conscious'
Irish people are among the most image conscious clothes shoppers in Europe, an international consumer think-tank claimed today.
But top Irish fashion designer Paul Costelloe, who sparked controversy in the past with remarks about style in his home country, rejected the report.
He insisted the continent-wide survey had got it wrong and that Ireland was no more brand or label conscious than any other country.
“I don’t accept that the Irish are any more brand conscious than any other up and coming nation and they are certainly no more brand conscious than the Italians,” he said.
The survey suggests international so-called designer brands, which mass market their collections, are cashing in on the country’s new found wealth.
Younger people, in particular, are most likely to be ’fashion victims’ with more than two-thirds stressing the importance of the labels sewn onto or emblazoned across their clothes.
But Dublin-born Costelloe insisted this was only the case in wealthy pockets of the capital city and Cork.
“Once you are outside of Dublin it’s back to reality. I think it’s a Dublin and Cork phenomenon where these people who have the money can buy the brands,” he said.
“I don’t think that as a nation overall we are particularly brand conscious. I don’t accept it, end of story.”
The fashion designer who created a storm ten years ago by attacking Ireland for lacking style and being afraid of fashion warned that labels didn’t necessarily mean style.
“If they are buying designer labels, in most cases it’s quality, in many cases it’s an investment, assuming they will wear it more than once. But is it fashion or is it style?” he asked.
“I would always quote Chanel who said: ’You cannot buy style.’ And that’s still a fact.
“You either have it or you haven’t and that applies to men as well. They can spend a lot on Armani suits but if they don’t have the Armani look ...”
The poll by consumer consultants Future Foundation found that 67% of young Irish shoppers aged between 15 and 24 years said it was important to them what brand they wore – almost twice the European average.
Nearly half of those polled aged between 25 and 39 years stressed labels were important while a third of those aged 40 years and over agreed – both well over the average of their continental neighbours.
Costelloe stressed that he believed style had improved a lot over the past decade.
“I think Irish women are dressing a lot better than they did ten years ago - that’s for certain,” he said.
“But I just find it hard to believe the Irish are the most label conscious because there’s no country in Europe more label conscious than the Italians.
“I wonder is it accountants doing these forecasts or assessments?”
